Sleep, My Child

Eric Whitacre

Eric Whitacre (arr. Jeffrey D. Gershman)

Subtitle: from Paradise Lost: Shadows and Wings

General Info

Year: 2009
Duration: c. 5:30
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Two sopranos and mezzo
Publisher: Hal Leonard
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $125.00 | Score Only (print) - $35.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet I-II
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
Bass Trombone
Euphonium I-II
Tuba I-II
Percussion I-II, including:

Bass Drum
Suspended Cymbal
Vibraphone

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Sleep, My Child comes from Eric Whitacre's work for musical theater Paradise Lost: Shadows and Wings. Originally written for two sopranos and mezzo (portrayed as three angels), it was adapted for band in 2012 by Jeffrey Gershman at the request of the composer and is the latest title in a growing catalog of Whitacre's compositions (October, Sleep, Lux Aurumque and The Seal Lullaby) that illustrate his sincere commitment to creating lush, beautiful music for winds.

- Program Note from publisher

Sleep, My Child is a piece from Whitacre's work for music theater, Paradise Lost: Shadows and Wings. The work, set in two acts, is a collaboration between Whitacre and David Noroña. It is based on a book by poet Edward Esch. The innovative music combines styles of opera, musical theater, cinematic music, as well as electronic music techniques of trance music, ambient music, and techno to portray the story of an abandoned tribe of angels in search of their wings. Although it has various nonclassical influences, the original composition is meant to be performed by singers with operatic or musical theater backgrounds.

The 2012 adaptation for band was done at the request of the composer. It was completed in part thanks to a select consortium of eleven high school and university band program throughout the United States. It was premiered at Indiana University Symphonic Band in 2012.

- Program Note from Teaching Music Through Performance in Band

Media

Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown
Audio CD: Brazoswood (Tx.) High School Symphonic Band (Brian Casey, conductor) - 2013

State Ratings

Alabama: Class A

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Fort Hays State University (Big Creek, Kans.) Wind Ensemble (Jeff Jordan, conductor) – 6 December 2019
Austin (Tx.) Civic Wind Ensemble(Robert Laguna, conductor) – 27 October 2019
District XII All-District Band Concert Symphonic Band (Chad R. Nicholson, conductor) – 2015

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

The Seal Lullaby (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Ambrose) (2011/2021)
Sing Gently (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Mösenbichler-Bryant) (2020/2021)

All Wind Works

Cloudburst (1991/ tr. 2001)
Deep Field (2015/2016)
Equus (2000)
Fly to Paradise (arr. Shaw) (2003/2012/)
Ghost Train (1995)
Godzilla Eats Las Vegas (1996)
Goodnight Moon (arr. Mösenbichler-Bryant) (2011/2017)
Libertas Imperio (2009)
Lux Aurumque (2005)
Noisy Wheels of Joy (2002)
October (2000)
October (arr. Miller) (2000)
October (arr. Ritz & Sullivan) (2000/2005)
The Seal Lullaby (2011)
The Seal Lullaby (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Ambrose) (2011/2021)
Sing Gently (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Mösenbichler-Bryant) (2020/2021)
Sleep (2000/2002)
Sleep (arr. Nowlin) (2000/2016)
Sleep, My Child (arr. Gershman) (2013)
Star-Spangled Banner (as arranger) (1814/2018)

Resources

Boyer, Joshua R. "Sleep, My Child." In Teaching Music through Performance in Band. Volume 11.
Eric Whitacre website Accessed 20 July 2018