Sancho and the Windmills

Robert W. Smith

Robert W Smith

This work is the third movement of the composer's Symphony No. 3, Don Quixote.

General Info

Year: 2008
Duration: c. 4:40
Difficulty: V (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: C.L. Barnhouse
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $80.00   |   Score Only (print) - $8.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe
Bassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
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
Tuba
String Bass
Piano/Harp
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III, including:

• Bass Drum
• Castanets
• Chimes
• Crash Cymbals
• Mark Tree
• Metallic Objects
• Ratchet
• Sandpaper Blocks
• Snare Drum
• Suspended Cymbal
• Taiko Drums (4; optional Tom-toms)
• Tambourine (listed as Triangle in the music)
• Triangle
• Vibraphone
• Xylophone

Errata

In Score and Parts:

• Percussion II, Triangle, m.42-57: This passage should be played on Tambourine

- Potential errata noted by Matthew LeFebvre

Program Notes

In the third of four movements in Robert W. Smith's epic work Don Quixote, the listener is treated to the comic relief that permeates the entire literary story line. Beginning with the opening bassoon solo characterizing Sancho Panza on his donkey, the composer uses unique percussion effects to convey the hapless hero and his never-ending battle to stay up on his horse Rocinante. The listener can hear the rusty suit of armor as Don Quixote continually falls from his horse in one adventure after another.

Perhaps the most memorable imagery in the entire literary epic is Don Quixote's battle with the windmills. Using harmonic effects combined with unique percussion scoring, the composer has brought this tale to life through the unfocused eyes of the knight. Funny, yet with a sense of sadness, Sancho and the Windmills will be a favorite moment in the performance of Symphony No. 3 "Don Quixote".

- Program Note from publisher

Premiered by and dedicated to Aguapació Artistica Musical de Dénia of Spain, Frank De Vuyst, conductor.

- Program Note from score

Media

• Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown
• Audio CD: Symphony Band, Unió Musical of Llíria (José Miguel Micó Castellano, conductor) – 2008

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

• Whitman College (Walla Walla, Wash.) Wind Ensemble (Gary Gemberling, conductor) – 21 April 2019
• Parkland College (Champaign, Ill.) Concert Band (Larry Stoner, conductor) - 20 April 2017
• Austin (Texas) Civic Wind Ensemble (Robert Laguna, conductor) – 6 May 2016
• Queensland Wind and Brass – 2014

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 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)
• 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)
• 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)
• 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

Resources

• Perusal score
• Robert W. Smith website Accessed 6 September 2021
• Smith, R.; Cervantes, M. (2008). Sancho and the Windmills : From Symphony no. 3, Don Quixote [score]. C.L. Barnhouse: Oskaloosa, Iowa.