Through the Vulcan's Eye

Robert W. Smith

Robert W Smith

Subtitle: Red Mountain Celebrations

General Info

Year: 1996
Duration: c. 6:30
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Alfred Publishing
Cost: Score and Parts - $85.00   |   Score Only - $12.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
Eb Contra 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-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Baritone(Bass Clef & Treble Clef)
Tuba
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III, including:

• Chimes
• Marimba
• Xylophone
• Snare drum
• Bass drum
• Triangle
• Crash cymbal
• Suspended Cymbal
• Spoons
• Tambourine
• Wind chimes
• Wood block

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

High atop Red Mountain, overlooking the magnificent city of Birmingham, Alabama, stands an iron sentinel, a monument that keeps watch over Alabama’s City of Steel. The “Vulcan” can see and be seen from virtually every corner of the city. Through the Vulcan’s Eye is an original composition for wind band, inspired by the composer’s childhood experiences in the state’s largest metropolis.

Through the Vulcan’s Eye is comprised of four melodies that describe views from the top of the mountain. The opening statement in the brass, which is answered by the full ensemble, depicts the grandeur of the downtown skyline with its towers of concrete, glass and steel. The brisk melodic statement that follows is quite hectic by comparison. As one watches in the early morning, the city comes to life with its network of busy highways and crowded streets. Even the accompaniment seems to have a “mind” of its own under the energetic melodic line. Looking into the distance, one can see a more rural picture with rolling hills and green pastures and fields. The composer created a 7/8 jig which is reminiscent of a country fiddler playing at a family gathering. The landscape is dotted with various church steeples which seem to glisten in the early morning dawn. A simple hymn captures these images in sound.

The work was commissioned by the University of Alabama-Birmingham for performance at the 1995 Honor Band Festival. The event was held in December on the campus of UAB. The Honor Band was under the direction of Clifford M. Winter, III, Director of Bands at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. The composer had the honor of conducting the first performance.

- Program note by composer

Broad brush strokes of sound blanket, the work is enhanced by brilliant solo passages and total involvement from the percussion. A grand work on a grand scale!

- Program note by publisher

Media

Sample download; ensemble and conductor unknown

State Ratings

• Alabama: Band Class B
• Ohio: OMEA High School Band A
• South Carolina: IV

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

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

• Robert W. Smith website Accessed 6 September 2021