Ithaca

Robert W. Smith

Robert W. Smith

This work is the fourth movement of the composer's Symphony No. 2, The Odyssey.

General Info

Year: 2004
Duration: c. 5:53
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Alfred Publishing
Cost: Score and Parts - $100.00   |   Score Only - $9.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II (I doubling English Horn)
Bassoon I-II
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Contrabass 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-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium (div. a2)
Tuba
Piano
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV, including:

• Bass Drum
• Bell Tree
• Bodhran (optional Tom-tom)
• Brake Drums
• Chimes
• Crash Cymbals
• Ocean Drum
• Snare Drum
• Spring Drum
• Suspended Cymbal
• Tam-tam
• Tambourine
• Tom-tom (low)
• Triangle
• Wind Chimes
• Wind Wands
• Wind Whistles

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

The final movement of Symphony No. 2 sharply contrasts The Isle of Calypso in various ways, bringing about a conclusion to the work. The piece opens with a tense, suspenseful piano/chimes/triangle trio, interrupted at certain points by the return of the English horn from the third movement. After a few seconds, the tense mood subsides as the ocean drums enter and a horn duo repeat the motif that opened the symphony itself. However, this familiarity subsides almost as quickly as the tenseness of the opening, giving way to a dramatic brass melody. The horns continue this melody, accentuated by blasts from the rest of the band, and then all parts crescendo into the upbeat, adventurous first section. This section is made even more epic by the fact that various parts pass the melodies between them, from the horns and saxophones to the oboes to the euphoniums. The entire section is constantly punctuated by "biting" brass lines and unique flute/piccolo melodies which soar over the rest of the melodies and draw them back into the original dramatic theme. Finished off by a triumphant, very short fanfare, the sections decrescendo much like they did in movements 1 and 2 as the piece enters its second section.

Smith uses a spring drum, wind wands, and wind whistles to simulate the sound of a bow being strung and arrows being fired, all topped off by repetitions of Odysseus's theme (the horn duet). As the wind whistles and wind wands continue playing, bodhráns and brake drums simulate the sounds of battle, which lead into the third section.

The third section begins with a repeat of the "Aggressive" theme, once again modified, from the first movement. Although the brass play a melody reminiscent of the first part of the song, a series of chromatic triplets lead the band back into the "Victorious" theme from the first movement. As the chimes mimic the sound of "all the bells of Ithaca", the roaring fanfare that originally opened the symphony returns to close it, with a modified ending in which the whole band brings the song to a roaring conclusion.

- Program Note from Wikipedia

Media

• Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown
• Audio CD: The Washington Winds (Edward S. Petersen, conductor) – 2004

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

• Banda Sinfônica da EMBAP (Brazil) – 27 November 2012

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

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

All Wind Works

• Aces (2015)
• Affirmation Overture (1991)
• Africa: Ceremony, Song and Ritual (1994)
• African Bell Carol (as arranger) (2001)
• African Holy Night (2017)
• Ain't No Stoppin' Us (2007)
• Alabama Fanfare (2015)
• All Is Calm (as arranger) (2002)
• America the Beautiful (as arranger) (1882/1988)
• 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 Folk Odyssey
  • The Wayfaring Stranger (2021)
• American Landscape No. 1 (2005)
• American Landscape No. 2. See: North Bay Vistas
• And to All a Good Night (2004)
• Angels, from the Realms of Glory (as arranger) (1816/1999)
• The Apes (2013), from Bestiarium
• 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 (1991)
• Christmas Concerto No. 2
• Christmas Concerto No. 3 (2003)
• Christmas Declaration (2009)
• Christmas Declaration (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Glover) (2009/2019)
• A Christmas Festival (as arranger) (1950/2007)
• Christmas Hymn (2001)
• Christmas in the Round (2001)
• A Christmas Proclamation (2008)
• Christmas Spectacle (as arranger) (2020)
• Cohan Celebration
• Conversations with Matisse (2021)
• Cosmic Harmonies (2023)
• Covenant (1992)
• 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)
• The Divine Comedy. See: Symphony No. 1, "The Divine Comedy"
• Dramatico
• Dreams (2010)
• Dueling Dragons (2009)
• Dulcinea. See: Symphony No. 3, "Don Quixote
• 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 (2001)
• The Gathering of the Yeomen (1993)
• Gemeinhardt Suite (1997)
• Gentle Winds of Spring (2019)
• Georgia on My Mind (as arranger) (1930/1980)
• Gladiator Finale
• Glorioso (1997)
• Goondiwindi
• The Great Escape March (as arranger) (1963/1991/1995)
• 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)
• Harry Potter Symphonic Suite (as arranger) (2001)
• Herndon Exaltations (1997)
• High and Low Country
• Highlights from "Ragtime" (as arranger) (1997)
• Holiday March (with Michael Story) (2006)
• A Holst Hymn (as arranger) (1921/2022)
• 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
• Hope (2015)
• Hymnsong Variants (1996)
• The Iliad. See: Symphony No. 2, "The Odyssey"
• The Illumination. See: Symphony No. 3, "Don Quixote"
• In a Gentle Rain (2000)
• In the Garden of the Gods
• In Times of Turbulence (2019)
• Incantations (1992)
• Inchon (2001)
• Inchon (adapt. Ninmer) (2001/)
• The Inferno. See: Symphony No. 1, "The Divine Comedy"
• Into the Storm (1994)
• Ireland (1996)
• Irish Songs (2007)
• The Isle of Calypso. See: Symphony No. 2, "The Odyssey"
• Ithaca. See: Symphony No. 2, "The Odyssey"
• 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)
• Leroy Anderson, a Legacy in Sound (as arranger) (1991/2008)
• Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! (as arranger, with Story) (1945/2008)
• 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)
• A Mother's Hymn (2021)
• Moto Continuo (2009)
• Musical Mayhem (2017)
• Mutations (2023)
• A Nation's Strength (2003)
• Navarro (2009)
• North Bay Vistas (2007)
• The Odyssey. See: Symphony No. 2, "The Odyssey"
• On Eagle's Wings (1999)
• Overture 1812 (as arranger, with Story) (1882/2012)
• Paradiso. See: Symphony No. 1, "The Divine Comedy"
• Peace Like a River
• Postcards from the First Coast (2015)
• The Prairie is My Garden (2018)
• Prevailing Winds (2009)
• Promising Skies (2010)
• Purgatorio. See: Symphony No. 1, "The Divine Comedy"
• The Quest. See: Symphony No. 3, "Don Quixote"
• The Recession, Depression Holiday Blues (2009)
• Red. See: Krisanna's Colors
• Reflections in Moonlight (as arranger) (1801/2007)
• Relativo (2011)
• Rising Dragons (2006)
• Rites of Tamburo (1999)
• Repercussions (2007)
• The Runaway Sleigh (2007)
• Sancho and the Windmills. See: Symphony No. 3, "Don Quixote"
• Scaling the Mountains of Time (2022)
• Semper Liberi (1998)
• Sensei's Ride on the Cherry Blossom Express (2010)
• Serengeti Dreams (2000)
• Shenandoah (arr. Smith and Story) (2003)
• Soaring Over High and Low Country (2022)
• 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) (2002)
• Star Wars: Episode III, Revenge of the Sith (as arranger) (2005)
• 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" (1994-1997)
  • The Inferno (1995)
  • Purgatorio (1997)
  • The Ascension (1994)
  • Paradiso (1996)
• Symphony No. 2, "The Odyssey" (1999-2004)
  • The Iliad (2001)
  • The Winds of Poseidon (1999)
  • The Isle of Calypso (2001)
  • Ithaca (2004)
• Symphony No. 3, "Don Quixote" (2008)
  • The Quest
  • Dulcinea
  • Sancho and the Windmills
  • The Illumination
• 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)
• Twister (as arranger) (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 Saint Nick Comes Marching In (as arranger) (2017)
• When Summer Takes Flight (2002)
• Where the Black Hawk Soars (1995)
• Willson Suite (1997/2000)
• Wind Song (2017)
• The Winds of Poseidon. See: Symphony No. 2, "The Odyssey"
• A World Holiday Celebration (2007)
• Yellow. See: Krisanna's Colors
• Yi Sun Shin: A Call to the Sea. See: Rising Dragons

Resources

• The Odyssey (Smith). Wikipedia.
• Perusal score
• Robert W. Smith website Accessed 6 September 2021