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No Thing Can Die as Others Do

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James Stephenson

James Stephenson


Subtitle: For 5-Part Adaptable (Flex) Band


General Info

Year: 2014 / 2020
Duration: c. 3:00
Difficulty: II-1/2 (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: SATB choir
Publisher: Stephenson Music
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $45.00


Instrumentation (Adaptable Band)

Full Score
Part 1

  • Flute
  • Oboe
  • B-flat Soprano Clarinet
  • B-flat Trumpet

Part 2

  • B-flat Soprano Clarinet
  • B-flat Trumpet
  • E-flat Alto Saxophone

Part 3

  • B-flat Soprano Clarinet
  • B-flat Trumpet
  • E-flat Alto Saxophone
  • F Horn

Part 4

  • Bassoon
  • B-flat Tenor Saxophone
  • F Horn
  • Trombone
  • Euphonium

Part 5

  • Bassoon
  • B-flat Bass Clarinet
  • E-flat Baritone Saxophone
  • Trombone
  • Euphonium
  • Tuba


Errata

None discovered thus far.


Program Notes

(in a letter sent to friends after Stephen Paulus' passing)

Dear Friends: As I imagine is the case with many of you, I am having a really difficult time coming to grips with Stephen’s passing. I have found myself in tears on several occasions, and frankly, again, right now. Stephen and I met in 2007, when we both had music played on the same program. Now – I say we met… but, the truth is, he was the one who initiated the contact. I knew of him and his music, of course, and was pretty much a “deer in headlights” when near him that day. Well – true to Stephen’s form (as I would subsequently come to discover) – he found me, was extremely nice and complimentary, and we had a long conversation. Every time I saw him thereafter, it was like seeing an old friend – he was funny, curious about what was going with me and my career, and also offering advice, which I still follow to this day.

In many ways, I relate to him very much (and this was confirmed listening to the radio broadcasts and archived interviews with him over the past couple of days). Actually, it’s almost scary – and please mind you, I’m not making artistic comparisons as if I’m his equal – but he would call his music neo-romantic, but quickly diffuse the negative connotation that exists currently; he would describe his music as both rhythmic and lyrical. He liked joking around. He loved text. He’s self-published (one of the first success stories in that regard that I can think of). All of these things I would use to describe a lot of my characteristics, both personally and musically (plus we’re both thin with brown hair – but he had more hair!).

In the days since his passing, I have read many tributes, where people have spoken with such eloquence. I have never been blessed with the ability to speak as such, and so I have found myself these past few days really struggling with how to express my sadness. The only way I know how to express my thoughts is through music. And so – last night – I wrote a little SATB choral score in Stephen’s honor, and in his memory. The words come from something I read that Stephen’s collaborator, Michael Dennis Browne, shared, as he thought of Stephen’s passing:

by Edna St Vincent Millay about the death of a poet: No thing that ever flew, / Not the lark, not you, / Can die as others do.

I owe Steve so much, and this is the only way I could think to try to repay some of what he gave to me. I knew I could count on seeing him every December at the Midwest Clinic here in my hometown of Chicago, and I will be so sad when I’m there this year, to only be reminded again that he is gone.

- Program Note by composer


Performance Notes

This new version of No Thing Can Die as Others Do focuses on several things for adaptable band:

First, while the title remained the same, I did change the key from D to B-flat, a more user-friendly key. The piece can be played by a minimum of five players, up to as many as desired.

For balance issues, and in the effort to enhance the color, many parts are marked tacet or with cues in certain spots, to be adhered to if the other instruments in their “part” are present. They are subsequently marked “PLAY”, to indicate when the tacet should stop.

While no percussion parts are scored, if desired, one method to include them might be to have mallet instruments (preferably marimbas) to play the parts with C options (Part 1 – flute/oboe; Part 4 – trbn/euph/bsn; Part 5 – tuba), and to have them always rolling the notes.


Media


State Ratings

None discovered thus far.


Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

  • University of Oklahoma (Norman) Symphony Band (Hannah Rudy, conductor) - 3 May 2021


Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music


All Wind Works


Resources

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