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Radiant Moonbeams
Contents
General Info
Year: 2007
Duration: c. 5:20
Difficulty: III (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: C. Alan Publications
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $70.00 | Score Only (print) - $15.00
Instrumentation
Full Score
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass 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
Trombone I-II
Euphonium
Tuba
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III, including:
- Bells
- Chimes
- Marimba
- Suspended Cymbal
- Vibraphone
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
Radiant Moonbeams was commissioned by Durham Middle School Bands, Lewisville, Texas, in memory of Christy Hoong, a friend and flute player in the band. Considering Christy's Chinese heritage, I chose an old Chinese folk song, Shao Hua Tang Shue (Gently Flowing Stream) to be used as the basis for the melodic material in the work. I was struck by this love song's simple pentatonic beauty, and I couldn't help but think that the words could easily transfer to the thoughts of how the band members now visualize their friend, Christy Hoong, in the "moonlight of the heavens," so to speak.
The work begins with a quiet and mysterious introduction based on harmonic clusters comprised of the first four notes of the folk song. Following, the solo flute “sings” the first two phrases of the melody of the folk song ("Radiant moonbeams brighten the heavens tonight, I dream of my sweetheart in the moonlight.") in pentatonic G-minor accompanied by flowing lines in the flutes, clarinets, bells and vibraphone. Solo trumpet states the middle section of the song ("I see her clear image in the moon's path. Sweetheart dear, dear,") and flutes play the final phrase ("tiny stream flows gently in the forest glen."). A developmental episode ensues which utilizes material from the folk song. A transition leads to a flowing melody in pentatonic F major that is a sort of metamorphosis of the folk song melody. The melody is intended to represent Christy's cross over into the afterlife. There is then a return to the folk song in D minor which rises to a climax, subsides, and is followed by the tolling of bells, a final phrase by the solo flute and three final bell tolls in D Major.
- Program Note by composer
Commercial Discography
None discovered thus far.
Media
State Ratings
- Kansas: III
- Louisiana: III
- Oregon: IV-A
- Texas: III. Complete
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- Brevard (N.C.) College Wind Ensemble (Chris Center, conductor) – 15 March 2018
- Eastern Oregon District 6 Honor Band – 7 November 2017
Works for Winds by this Composer
Adaptable Music
- Appalachian Counterpoint (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
- At Morning's First Light (Flex instrumentation) (2004/2020)
- Scherzo d'Espoir (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
- Three Ships (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
All Wind Works
- Abiquiu (2010)
- Aerodynamics (2003)
- America the Beautiful (as arranger) (1882/2018)
- And Can It Be? (2000)
- Angels of the Apocalypse (2013)
- Apocalyptic Dreams (1995)
- Appalachian Counterpoint (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
- Assurance
- At Morning's First Light (2004)
- At Morning's First Light (Flex instrumentation) (2004/2020)
- Au Sable River Festival (2002)
- Be Thou My Vision (1999)
- Beneath the Sacred Light (2015)
- Bright Gleams a Beacon (2012)
- Cantus Laetus (2001)
- Century Variants (2009)
- Concertino for Four Percussion and Wind Ensemble (1997)
- Concerto for Euphonium, Winds and Percussion (2009)
- Concerto for Woodwind Quintet and Wind Ensemble (1984/2006)
- Concerto No. 2 for Marimba and Wind Ensemble (2008)
- Concerto for Piano, Percussion and Wind Orchestra (arr. Fisher) (2005)
- Council Oak (2002)
- Crest of Honor (2005)
- Double F Fanfare (2008)
- Drums of Rwanda (2014)
- The Echo Never Fades (2004)
- Finale, from All Hail the Power
- Fire up
- Foster's America (2003)
- Foundations (2017)
- Galactic Empires (1998)
- Heroes, Lost and Fallen (1990)
- Homage (2012)
- Home Again (2016)
- Internal Combustion (1999)
- Intrada Jubilante (1979/1999)
- Joyau (2019)
- Kentucky Home (2012)
- Light Unto the Darkness, A (1997)
- New Century Dawn (1999)
- No Shadow of Turning (2005)
- Point of Reckoning (arr. Daughtrey) (2015)
- Providence (2003)
- Quintessence I (1997)
- Quintessence II (2006)
- Radiant Moonbeams (2007)
- Scherzo d'Espoir (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
- Serenade for Winds and Percussion (2000)
- Seven Bagatelles (2014)
- Song Shall Never End, The (2014)
- Sub-Saharan Rhythm (1998)
- Symphony No. 2 (2007)
- Three Ships (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
- Vintage (1990)
- Vital Signs of Planet Earth (2015)
- Waking Angels (1997)
- When Speaks the Signal Trumpet Tone (1999)
- While the Dew is Still on the Roses (2013)
- With Heart and Voice (2000)
Resources
- Gillingham, D. (2007). Radiant Moonbeams [score]. C. Alan Publications: Greensboro, N.C.
