Scarecrow Overture
Subtitle: From the chamber opera The Scarecrow
General Info
Year: 2010
Duration: c. 4:25
Difficulty: IV.5 (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Edition Peters
Cost: Score and Parts - $55.00 | Score Only - $20.00
Instrumentation
Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Contra-alto Clarinet
B-flat Contrabass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III-IV
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Piano
Harp
Timpani
Percussion
(Percussion detail desired)
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
Scarecrow Overture is taken from Turrin's 2006 opera The Scarecrow. This opera is based on a short story written by The Scarlet Letter author Nathaniel Hawthorne. In Hawthorne's story, a scarecrow named Feathertop comes to life, and subsequently struggles with the emotional complexity of human society.
- Program Note from Penn State University Symphonic Band concert program, 10 December 2015
Scarecrow Overture (2004) is from Turrin’s two-act chamber opera Scarecrow. The opera is based on a short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne about a lonely old witch who creates a scarecrow, brings him to life, teaches him to act human, sends him into a town and watches what mishaps he may cause on his journey.
The original opera and overture are scored for a small wind ensemble of nineteen instruments. At the insistence of Joan de Albuquerque, Turrin expanded the overture for full concert band which was premiered at the 2010 College Band Directors National Association Regional Conference by the California State Long Beach Symphonic Band with Joan de Albuquerque conducting.
- Program Note from University of North Texas University Band concert program, 6 November 2019
Media
- Audio: University of Texas at Houston (Joseph Turrin, conductor)
- Audio CD: North Texas Wind Symphony (Eugene Migliaro Corporon, conductor)
- Audio CD: University of Texas at Houston (Joseph Turrin, conductor)
State Ratings
None discovered thus far.
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- Indiana University (Bloomington) Concert Band (Esi Tupper, conductor) - 5 October 2021
- University of North Texas (Denton) Concert Band (Robert Truan, conductor) - 16 April 2021
- University of North Texas (Denton) University Band (Brett Penshorn, conductor) – 6 November 2019
- Indiana University (Bloomington) Concert Band (Jason H. Nam, conductor) – 1 October 2019
- University of Illinois (Champaign) Hindsley Symphonic Band (Anthony Messina, conductor) – 3 March 2019
- Southwest Washington (Camas) Wind Symphony (Patrick Murphy, conductor) – 21 October 2018
- University of Kansas (Lawrence) Symphonic Band (Paul Popiel, conductor) – 12 October 2017
- University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa) Symphonic Band (Randall O. Coleman, conductor) – 21 November 2016
The Hartt Wind Ensemble (West Hartford, Conn.) (James E. Jackson III, conductor) – 1 October 2016
- Penn State University (University Park) Symphonic Band (Dennis Glocke, conductor) - 10 December 2015
- Indiana University Concert Band (Andrew D. Chybowski, conductor) - 31 March 2015
- California State Long Beach Wind Symphony (John Carnahan, conductor) - 11 October 2012
- California State University, Long Beach, Symphonic Band (Joan deAlbuquerque, conductor) – 13 March 2010 (CBDNA 2010 Western/Northwestern Division Conference (Reno, Nev.) *Premiere Performance*
Works for Winds by This Composer
- and yet your touch upon them will not pass (2021)
- Arabesque (1990/2004)
- Celebration (2010)
- Ceremonial Prelude for Brass Choir (2010)
- Chronicles (2000)
- Concert Processional (2011)
- Concertino for 11 Instruments and Wind Ensemble (2011)
- Dedication for Band (2009)
- Equinox (2010)
- Fandango: For Solo Trumpet, Trombone and Wind Symphony (1999)
- Fanfare and Prelude (2008/2010)
- Hemispheres (2002)
- High Flight (2008)
- Hope Alive (2000)
- Illuminations (2004)
- Invocation (1992)
- Jazzalogue No 1 (1997/2002)
- Labyrinth (2011)
- Lullaby for Noah (2008)
- Masquerade (2012)
- Monologues (2010)
- Nessum Dorma (as arranger) (1926/2010)
- Quadrille (2002)
- Regiment of Heroes March (2016)
- Ritual. See: Soundings for Band (1997)
- Sandia Crest (2013)
- Scarecrow Overture (2009)
- Serenade Romantic (1982)
- The Sounding of the Call (2014)
- Soundings for Band (1997)
- Ritual (2011)
- Triptych for Trumpet and Trombone (2023)
- Two Sketches for Band (1998)
- Zarabanda (1998)
Resources
- 2011 WASBE Report
- Joseph Turrin website Accessed 12 September 2021
- Smedley, Eric M. "Scarecrow Overture." In Teaching Music through Performance in Band. Volume 9, edit. & comp. by Richard Miles, 626-636. Chicago: GIA Publications, 2013.