Purple Whispers

Richard Saucedo

General Info

Year: 2014
Duration: c. 5:15
Difficulty: V (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Hal Leonard
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $85.00; (digital) - $85.00 | Score Only (print) - $7.50

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
B-flat Contrabass Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Saxophone
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
Bass Trombone
Euphonium (B.C. or T.C.)
Tuba
String Bass
Piano
Harp
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV, including:

Bass Drum
Bells
Chimes
Crash Cymbals
Marimba
Snare Drum
Suspended Cymbal

Players vocalizing

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

It was an honor to write a piece for the Marshall University Wind Ensemble under the brilliant direction of Mr. Steven Barnett. Purple Whispers was premiered on a winter band concert at Marshall in 2014 and then again at The Grainger Festival in Chicago during March of the same year. I had the honor of rehearsing the band on the piece before the premiere and also had the wonderful opportunity to conduct an ensemble during the Marshall University Honor Band Clinic a few years back. Having been a small part of the music education endeavors at Marshall is something that I will always cherish. A huge thank-you goes out to the Marshall Wind Ensemble and to Steve for making the reference recording of the piece.

- Program Note by composer

This remarkable and descriptive work opens and closes with members of the ensemble whispering a poem to one another, creating a soft yet chaotic effect. The simple poem is by the composer:

Whispers move in colored flight,
seeking signs of next twilight,
purple as the violets grow,
warm but rich for all to know.

As the piece progresses, introduced by a solo piano, the listener is taken through a dynamic range of emotional tension and release before the quiet mood returns to close out this uniquely effective composition.

- Program Note from publisher

Media

Audio: Reference recording. Marshall University Wind Symphony, Steve Barnett, conductor

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Woodford County High School (Versailles, Ky.) Wind Symphony - 8 December 2015
Marshall University (Huntington, W.V.) Wind Symphony (Steven R. Barnett, conductor) - 6 March 2014 (Symphony Hall, Chicago)

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

Asian Folk Rhapsody (Flex instrumentation) (2001/2017)
Fanfare for the Third Planet (Flex instrumentation) (2004/2006/2012)
Into the Clouds! (Flex instrumentation) (2007/2016)
(Risk) Everything for a Dream (Flex instrumentation) (2015/2020)
Ukrainian Bell Carol (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1904/2004/2018)

All Wind Works

Along an English Countryside (2012)
American Barndance (2009)
Andante and Tranquillo (as arranger) (1943/2009)
Angelic Festival (1998)
Antares (1999)
As Tears Fall on Dawn's New Light (2013)
Asian Folk Rhapsody (2001)
Asian Folk Rhapsody (Flex instrumentation) (2001/2017)
At the End of the Rainbow (2016)
Awakening Hills (2003)
Beyond the Clouds and Into the Heavens (2013)
Bobbleheads! (2014)
Brick Street Encounter (2008)
A Brass Thing (as arranger) (2005/2007)
Cambrian Explosion (2010)
Caravan (as arranger) (1937/2000)
Carol of the Night (2003)
Celebrating My Three Best Friends (2016)
A Celtic Christmas
Chorale and Presto (2001)
Christmas Festival Overture
Cloud Dancing (2022)
Concerto No. 1 (2016)
Confluence (2010)
Copacabana (as arranger) (1978/2002)
Coventry Carol (as arranger) (2010)
Dashing Through the Snow (2005)
Dreamsong (2006)
Duelin' Xylos (as arranger) (1998)
Eagles Awake! (2017)
Earth, Wind and Fire in Concert (as arranger) (1996)
Everything for a Dream
Fanfare and Call to the Post (2014)
Fanfare for Justice (2018)
Fanfare for the Third Planet (2004)
Fanfare for the Third Planet (Flex instrumentation) (2004/2006/2012)
Fanfare to New Beginnings (2019)
Fantasy on a Theme by Samuel Barber (as arranger) (1931/2005)
Fantasy on "Deck the Halls" (2019)
Fantasy on Keystone Chorale
Fantasy on an Irish Air (2001)
Finale to "Symphony No 3" (as arranger)
The Fives Prevail! (2013)
Flash in the Pan! (2014)
Flight of the Thunderbird (2004)
Forever Holding Close the Memories (2008)
French Carol Festival (as arranger) (2002)
Full Tilt (2008)
Funky, Rockin' Choo Choo (2011)
Georgian Court Fanfare (2008)
Grasshopper Dance (2008)
Groovee! (2010)
A Guide Along the Pathway (2011)
Heroes Near and Far (2016)
Hymn for the Cream and Crimson (2006)
Hymn to Loved Ones Lost (2016)
If It Were Easy... (2020)
Imagine (as arranger)
In Perfect Silence, I Often Gaze at the New Stars (2012)
In Search of Ancient Aliens (2020)
Incandescence (2012)
Interstellar Fanfare (2017)
Into Moonlight's Mist (2016)
Into the Clouds! (2007)
Into the Clouds! (Flex instrumentation) (2007/2016)
An Irish Party in Third Class (as arranger) (1999)
Jubilancelation! (2017)
Looking Past the Shadows (2009)
Lady Marmalade (as arranger)
Legacy (2021)
Lodestar Fanfare (2020)
Looking Past the Shadows (2009)
Lord of the Dance (as arranger)
Lullaby From a Distant Star (2011)
The Lullaby in the Mirror (2017)
March of the Hyperion Robots (2010)
Meeting at Tyron Palace (2009)
Nightsong (2003)
Noel (as arranger) (2006)
Northwest Odyssey (2020)
Ode to Greensleeves (as arranger) (2002)
Of Gale Force Winds (2014)
On Cloud Nine! (2012)
On to the Next Frontier (2020)
One Hit Wonders (as arranger) (2002)
Poem Romantic No. 1 (2015)
Persistence (2004)
Pulsation (2009)
Purple Whispers (2014)
Quest for the Mountain Top
Regal Fanfare (2002)
Rendezvous With the Other Side (2003)
Rhythm Danse (2007)
(Risk) Everything for a Dream (2015)
(Risk) Everything for a Dream (Flex instrumentation) (2015/2020)
Rondo for Band (1999)
Scherzo for Horn and Wind Ensemble (2021)
Scorpion! (2013)
Shooting Stars (2011)
Short Ride in a Fast Machine (as arranger) (1986/2006)
Silhouette of a Dream (2018)
Sky Dance (2010)
Smooth (as arranger)
Sneak Attack! (2011)
Snow Caps (2004)
Song and Dance (2006)
Song of the Gandy Dancers (2007)
Spirit of the Falcon (2003/2008)
Spy Ring (2017)
Sure on this Shining Night (as arranger)
Symphony No. 1 (2007)
Temecula Valley Fanfare (2008)
Theme and Fugue from "The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra" (as arranger) (2019)
Theme and Tirade (2009)
Three Trails Turning West (2020)
Through the Wormhole! (2019)
To All Things Left Behind (2018)
To Dance With Storm Clouds (2019)
To This Heartbeat There Is No End (2006)
Toccata Rhapsodic (2016)
Triumphant Fanfare (1997)
Ukrainian Bell Carol (as arranger) (1904/2004)
Ukrainian Bell Carol (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1904/2004/2018)
Valley Montage and Celebration (2015)
Walking into History (2009)
Waterdrops Come Spring (2017)
What a Wonderful World (as arranger)
When the Lovely Miss (as arranger) (2016)
Whirlwind(s) (2005)
Wind Dances (2018)
Windsprints (2003)
With Each Sunset (2005)

Resources

Perusal score
Richard Saucedo website Accessed 27 March 2021
Saucedo, R.; Barneet, S. (2014). Purple Whispers [score]. Hal Leonard Corporation: Milwaukee, Wisc.