Inchon

Robert W. Smith

Robert W. Smith

General Info

Year: 2001
Duration: c. 10:15
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Alfred Music
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $87.00; (digital) - $87.00   |   Score Only (print) - $15.00; (digital) - $15.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II (I doubling English Horn)
Bassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Contra-Alto Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
Piano/Synthesizer
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV, including:

• Bass Drum
• Bells
• Crash Cymbals
• Ocean Drums
• Snare Drum
• Suspended Cymbal
• Tam-tam
• Triangle
• Wind Chimes
• Xylophone

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Honoring the "forgotten war," Robert W. Smith offers this significant work in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the Korean conflict. It's beautifully scored to balance the delicate oriental melodies with the dramatic and frenzied passages that mirror the conflict. Colorfully orchestrated, with percussion simulating the sound of a helicopter landing and parts for piano and alto flute (with cues for C flute), it is a thoroughly stunning tonal collage.

- Program Note from publisher

The composer described the piece in the following words:

On September 15, 1950, the First Marine division under the command of Major General Oliver P. Smith, led the first major U.N. force strike in North Korean-occupied territory, with a surprise amphibious assault at Inchon. The First Marine Division Reconnaissance Company made the first helicopter landing on Hill 812 to relieve the ROK Eighth Division during the renewed fighting. In five days of textbook-style campaigning, the division closed in on Seoul. In house-to-house fighting, the Marines wrested the city from its communist captors by September 27.

Inchon was inspired by this historic event. From the quiet sound of the waves on the lonely Korean beach to the landing of the helicopter on Hill 812, Inchon explores this clashing of cultures through sound. Even the simple Korean prayer in the center of the piece is answered by the more powerful Western statement of the same melody. As quickly as the invasion begins, it ends as the helicopters fly into the distance, leaving the beach once again in solitude.

- Program Note from U.S. Marine Band concert program, 23 February 2020

Dedicated in loving memory of my father, Staff Sergeant Benjamin F. Smith, U.S. Army (Retired), a heroic veteran of the Korean and Vietnam Conflicts.

- Program Note from score

Media

• Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown
• Audio CD: Band of the 15th Field Artillery Regiment – 2011
• Audio CD: Osaka Municipal Symphonic Band (Syunsaku Tsutsumi, conductor) – 2002

State Ratings

• Minnesota: II
• South Carolina: IV

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

• Franklin (Mass.) High School Wind Ensemble (Diane Plouffe, conductor) – 10 December 2019
• Bethel College (Mishawaka, Ind.) Wind Ensemble (Michael Kendall, conductor) – 16 November 2017
• Keene (N.H.) State College Concert Band (Kenneth Ballou, conductor) – 23 April 2015
• Banda de Armada (Portugal) (Carlos Ribeiro, conductor) – 2014
• Adams State College Wind Ensemble (Alamosa, Colorado) (Rod MacGillivray, conductor) – 20 January 2007 ((Colorado State Music Educator's Association Conference, Colorado Springs, Colorado)

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

• Christmas Declaration (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Glover) (2009/2019)

All Wind Works

• Aces (2015)
• Ain't No Stoppin' Us (2007)
• Affirmation Overture (1991)
• Africa: Ceremony, Song and Ritual (1994)
• All Is Calm (as arranger) (2002)
• American Bell Carol (2012)
• An American Christmas (2004)
• American Dances (Brass Ensemble) (2017)
  • Rag
  • Square
  • Swing
• American Dances (Wind Ensemble) (2017/2018-2019)
  • Rag (2017/2019)
  • Square (2017/2019)
  • Swing (2017/2018)
• American Flourish (2009)
• American Landscape I (2006)
• American Portrait I
• And to All a Good Night (2004)
• Angels, from the Realms of Glory (as arranger) (1816/1999)
• Apollo Fanfare
• The Ascension. See: Symphony No 1, "The Divine Comedy"
• Ash Lawn Echoes (1993)
• At Daybreak (2009)
• At the Crossroads (1994)
• Bells! (2009)
• Beyond the Bell Carol (2018)
• Blue. See: Krisanna's Colors
• Brazil: Ceremony, Song and Samba (2009)
• Brazilian Bell Carol (2016)
• Buffalo Dances (2006)
• By Loch and Mountain (1997)
• Cameroon (2004)
• Castle Lore
• Celtic Bell Carol (2010)
• Celtic Carol (2002)
• Celebration Fanfare from "Buffalo Dances" (2006)
• Ceremonium (1994)
• Chautauqua (2004)
• Christmas Concerto III
• Christmas Declaration (2009)
• Christmas Declaration (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Glover) (2009/2019)
• A Christmas Festival (Grade II) (as arranger) (1950/2007)
• A Christmas Festival (Grade III) (as transcriber) (1950/2007)
• Christmas Hymn (2001)
• Christmas in the Round (2001)
• A Christmas Proclamation (2008)
• Christmas Spectacle (as arranger) (2020)
• Cohan Celebration
• Crown of Glory (2009)
• Crush (2013)
• Currents (2006)
• Dance Celebration (2000)
• Danza
• Deck the Halls with Drums and Voices
• Declaration and Flourish. See: Vaughan Williams Suite
• Declaration in Blue (2002)
• Divine Comedy. See: Symphony No 1, "The Divine Comedy"
• Dramatico
• Dreams (2010)
• Dueling Dragons (2009)
• Earhart (2012)
• El Espiritu de Valencia (2009)
• Encanto (1989/2007)
• Eternal Peaks (2006)
• Evening Alleluias
• Fanfare and Processional on an Old English Carol (1999)
• Fanfare for a Holiday Celebration (2006)
• Fanfare for Tomorrow (2006)
• Fiesta La Vida (2009)
• Flying Fortress (2019)
• Full Throttle (2015)
• Furioso
• Gentle Winds of Spring (2019)
• Georgia on My Mind (as arranger) (1930/1980)
• Gladiator Finale
• Glorioso (1997)
• Goondiwindi
• The Great Locomotive Chase (2000)
• The Great Steamboat Chase (2003)
• The Greatest Generation (2017)
• Greensleeves. See: Vaughan Williams Suite
• Groovin' Down Cool Street (2009)
• Hadrian's Wall (2010)
• Herndon Exaltations (1997)
• Highlights from "Ragtime" (as arranger) (1997)
• Holiday March (with Michael Story) (2006)
• Holst Winter Suite
  • On This Day Earth Shall Ring (as arranger) (1924/2001)
  • In the Bleak Midwinter (as arranger) (1906/1992)
  • Old Brenton Carol (as arranger) (1910/2001)
• Hoosier Suite
• Hymnsong Variants (1996)
• In a Gentle Rain (2000)
• In the Bleak Mid-Winter
• Incantations (1992)
• Inchon (2001)
• Inchon (adapt. Ninmer) (2001/)
• The Inferno. See: Symphony No 1, "The Divine Comedy"
• Into the Storm (1994)
• Ireland: Of Legend and Lore (1996)
• Irish Songs for Solo and Band (2007)
• Jingle Bells Forever (1998)
• Journeys in Time
• King of Kings (1998)
• Krisanna's Colors (2015-2017)
  • Red (2017)
  • Blue (2015)
  • Yellow (2016)
• Kronos (2003)
• Latin Bell Carol (2008)
• Liturgical Fanfare (1995)
• Lullaby for Band (2007)
• The Maelstrom (1997)
• March Grandioso (as arranger) (1909/2007)
• Mighty Empire (2018)
• A Minor Holiday Celebration (as arranger) (2019)
• Mirages (2009)
• Morpheus (2004)
• Moto Continuo (2009)
• Musical Mayhem (2017)
• A Nation's Strength (2003)
• Navarro (2009)
• North Bay Vistas (2007)
• On Eagle's Wings (1999)
• Paradiso. See: Symphony No 1, "The Divine Comedy"
• Peace Like a River
• Purgatorio. See: Symphony No 1, "The Divine Comedy"
• The Prairie is My Garden (2018)
• Prevailing Winds (2009)
• Promising Skies (2010)
• The Recession, Depression Holiday Blues (2009)
• Red. See: Krisanna's Colors
• Relativo (2011)
• Rising Dragons (2006)
• Rites of Tamburo (1999)
• Repercussions (2007)
• The Runaway Sleigh (2007)
• Semper Liberi (1998)
• Sensei's Ride on the Cherry Blossom Express (2010)
• Serengeti Dreams (2000)
• Shenandoah (arr. Smith and Story) (2003)
• Solaris (2009)
• Songs of Earth, Water, Fire and Sky (1998)
• Songs of Sailor and Sea (1997)
• The Sound and the Fury (1999)
• Southwest Summer (2009)
• The Spirit of Orpheus (1998)
• Spirit of the Winds (2007)
• The Star of Dreams (2002)
• Star Wars: Episode II, Attack of the Clones (as arranger)
• Stone Gardens (2016)
• Suite for the Heroes Among Us (2018)
• Summer Nights (2016)
• The Sword of Kings (2007)
• Symphonic Festival (1991)
• Symphonic Statement (2006)
• Symphony No 1, "The Divine Comedy" (1995)
  • The Inferno
  • Purgatorio (1997)
  • The Ascension (1994)
  • Paradiso (1996)
• Symphony No. 2, "The Odyssey" (2004)
  • The Iliad (2001)
  • Winds of Poseidon (1999)
  • The Isle of Calypso (2001)
  • Ithaca (2004)
• Symphony No. 3, "Don Quixote" (2008)
  • The Quest (2008)
  • Dulcinea (2008)
  • Sancho and the Windmills (2008)
  • The Illumination (2008)
• Symphony of Souls (2007)
• The Tempest (1995)
• Teutonic Tales (2010)
  • Damon-Tanz (2011)
  • Freya (2011)
  • Thor's Hammer (2011)
• Three Fanfares for a Celebration (2007)
• Through the Vulcan's Eye (1996)
• To Dance in the Secret Garden (1996)
• To Challenge the Sky and Heavens Above (2000)
• To the Summit! (2001)
• Top Gun (1986)
• Triton Fanfare (2009)
• Tromba Grande (2016)
• 'Twas in the Moon of Wintertime (as arranger) (1995)
• Twelve Seconds to the Moon (1996)
• Ultimatum (2009)
• Upon a Midnight Clear (as arranger) (2014)
• Üsküdar (with Michael Story) (2005)
• Valiance: A Heroic Overture for Band (2007)
• Vaughan Williams Suite
  • Wassail (as arranger) (2006)
  • Greensleeves (as arranger) (2007)
  • Declaration and Flourish (2008)
• Walking the Planks (2012)
• When Summer Takes Flight (2002)
• Where the Black Hawk Soars (1995)
• Wind Song (2017)
• A World Holiday Celebration (2007)
• Yellow. See: Krisanna's Colors

Resources

• Perusal score
• Robert W. Smith website Accessed 6 September 2021
• Smith, R. (2001). Inchon [score]. Belwin-Mills Pub. Co.: [s.l.]