Dream Catcher

by
Laura Pettigrew

Ensemble: Wind Ensemble

Grade: 4

Duration: 04:45

Year of Composition: 2009

Commissioned by: Archbishop M.C. O'Neill H.S. Band (Kory Gibbs, director)

Publisher: Canadian Music Centre

Year of Publication: 2010

Publisher Catalog Number: MI 1800 P511dr

Available: Yes

How to Acquire: Publisher, Rental

Links:

Web Page

Sample Audio

 

Instrumentation

Piccolo
Flutes 1,2
Oboe
Bassoon
B♭ Clarinets 1,2,3
B♭ Bass Clarinet
E♭ Alto Sax
B♭ Tenor Sax
E♭ Baritone Sax
B♭ Trumpets 1,2
F Horns 1,2
Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
Timpani
Percussion (6 players):
1. Wind Chimes, Cymbals
2. Bells, Chimes
3. Xylophone
4. Vibraphone
5. Marimba
6. Bass Drum

Commissioned by the Archbishop M.C. O'Neill H.S. Band (Kory Gibbs, director) in Regina, SK, supported by a grant from the Saskatchewan Arts Board.


Program Notes:

Dream catchers are one of the most fascinating traditions of Native Americans, who believe the night air is filled with dreams both positive and negative. The traditional dream catcher was intended to protect the sleeping individual from negative dreams, while letting positive dreams through. The positive dreams would slip through the hole in the center of the dream catcher, and glide down the feathers to the sleeping person below. The negative dreams would get caught up in the web, and expire when the first rays of the sun struck. One element of the Native American dream catcher relates to the tradition of the hoop being held in the highest esteem, because it symbolized strength and unity. Many symbols started around the hoop, and one of these symbols is the dream catcher.

The opening of the work (d minor) is the dream like state as we enter sleep followed by a strong melody in the brass representing the hoop (strength). The positive dream begins with the flute solo and ends as the woodwinds weaving the melody complete the section. As the work unfolds the negative dreams (c minor) try to slip through the holes as the melody weaves in and out through imitation, however unsuccessful as the work comes to a close and the opening melody, the hoop (strength) returns guarding us as we sleep.

(Laura Pettigrew via Canadian Music Centre)

[Editor's note: Dreamcatchers, and other web- or net-like objects with similarly protective qualities, are traditionally used by some Indigenous peoples of North America—particularly the Ojibwe—but not all.]