Ufo dreams

David Maslanka

Subtitle: Concerto for Euphonium and Wind Ensemble

The title of this work is intentionally written in lower case.

General Info

Year: 1999
Duration: c. 16:00
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Carl Fischer
Cost: Score and Parts - Rental | Score Only - Unknown

Movements

1. Fantasy Variations: "The Water Is Wide" – 9:55
2. Home Planet 6:30
3. Variations: "From the Bottom of My Heart" – 7:00

Instrumentation

Full Score
Solo Euphonium
Flute I-II
Oboe
Bassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
B-flat Contrabass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II
Horn in F I-II
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
Piano
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV, including:

Bass Drum
Bongos, small
Chimes
Crash Cymbals
Crotales
Gong, large
Hi-Hat
Orchestra Chimes
Sizzle Cymbal
Slapstick
Snare Drum
Suspended Cymbal, small, medium and large
Tam-Tam
Tenor Drum
Triangle, small
Vibraphone
Wood Block, small
Xylophone

Errata

Clarinet I/II: Bars 56-62 are duplicated.

Solo euphonium: Bar 38 is in 2/2, not 2/4.

Program Notes

In brass-player slang the euphonium is the "eupho." I have punned it into UFO, giving it an altogether different twist. I wanted to throw our "life-on-earth" experience into sharp relief by suggesting a cosmic origin and connection for the human spirit. In any case, my son Matthew, for whom this piece was written, is convinced that I am from another planet!

The concerto is in the traditional three movements. The first is based on the English folk song The Water is Wide. This is a beautiful song that my wife used to sing to the children when they were very young. The movement consists of two sets of variations on the melody, separated by a central digression.

The second movement – Home Planet – Who Are You? Where Do You Come From? – is a dream of distant origins. My choice of this title is still a mystery to me, but it feels quite right.

The last movement is again a set of variations, this time on a melody from the Bach chorale book. The title of the tune is Aus meines Herzens Grunde (From the Bottom of My Heart). The music is bold and spirited, and expresses my wish for Matthew's life and cosmic journey.

ufo dreams was commissioned by, and is dedicated to, the Hellgate High School Wind Ensemble of Missoula, Montana, John H. Combs, director.

- Program Note by composer

Media

(Needed - please join the WRP if you can help.)

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

San Luis Obispo (Calif.) Wind Orchestra (Jennifer Martin, conductor; Dave Strickler, euphonium) – 26 February 2017

Works for Winds by This Composer

Alex and the Phantom Band (2002/2015)
Angel of Mercy (2015)
California (2016)
A Child's Garden of Dreams (1981)
Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Wind Ensemble (1999)
Concerto for Marimba and Band (1990)
Concerto for Clarinet and Wind Ensemble (2015)
Concerto for Piano, Winds, and Percussion (1979)
Concerto for Saxophone Quartet and Wind Ensemble (2012)
Concerto No 2 for Piano, Winds, and Percussion (2002)
Concerto No 3 for Piano and Wind Ensemble (2016)
Concerto for Trombone and Wind Ensemble (2007)
Crown of Thorns (1991)
Desert Roads (2005)
Fanfare-Variations on the Chorale Melody "Durch Adams Fall" (Through Adam's Fall). See: Recitation Book
First Light (2016)
Four Pieces for Band (1980)
Give Us This Day (2005)
Golden Light (1990)
Heart Songs (2001)
Hell's Gate (1997)
Hohner (1999)
Hosannas (2015)
Husa (2016)
Hymn for World Peace (2014)
Illumination (2013)
In Memoriam (1990)
Laudamus Te (1995)
Letter to Martin (2015)
Liberation (2012)
Little Concerto (1990)
Mass (1995/2005)
Montana Music: Chorale Variations (1993)
Morning Star (1997)
Mother Earth (2008)
Mountain Roads (1997)
On This Bright Morning (2013)
Peace (2012)
Prelude on a Gregorian Tune (1981)
Procession of the Academics (2008)
Quintet for Winds Number 2
Recitation Book (2006)
- Fanfare-Variations on the Chorale Melody "Durch Adams Fall" (Through Adam's Fall) (2006)
Remember Me (2013)
Requiem (2013)
Rollo Takes a Walk (1980)
Saint Francis (2015)
Sea Dreams (1998)
The Seeker (2016)
Song at the End of Time
Songs for the Coming Day (2012)
Song Book (2001)
Symphony No. 2 (1987)
Symphony No. 3 (1991/2007)
Symphony No. 4 (1993)
Symphony No. 5 (2000)
Symphony No. 6 (2004)
Symphony No 7 (2004)
Symphony No 8 (2008)
Symphony No. 9 (2011)
Symphony No. 10 (2018)
Tears (1994)
Testament (2001)
Traveler (2003)
A Tuning Piece: Songs of Fall and Winter (1995)
ufo dreams (1999)
Unending Stream of Life (2007)
Variants on a Hymn Tune (1995)

Resources

David Maslanka website Accessed 9 December 2016
Perusal score