Land of the Midnight Sun
(2nd Movement of "Portraits of the North")
Robert Buckley
Ensemble: Concert Band
Grade: 4
Duration: 06:15
Year of Composition: 2013
Commissioned by: West Vancouver Youth Band (Douglas Macaulay, director)
Publisher: Hal Leonard
Year of Publication: 2013
Publisher Catalog Number: 04003401
Available: Yes
How to Acquire: Publisher, Purchase
Links:
Piccolo
Flute 1,2
Oboe 1,2
Bassoon
B♭ Clarinet 1,2,3
B♭ Bass Clarinet
E♭ Alto Sax 1,2
B♭ Tenor Sax
E♭ Baritone Sax
B♭ Trumpet 1,2,3
F Horn 1,2,3,4
Trombone 1,2,3
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Percussion 1 (Bass Drum, Crash Cymbals)
Percussion 2 (Suspended Cymbal, Triangle, Gong)
Mallet Perc. 1 (Vibraphone, Chimes)
Mallet Perc. 2 (Marimba, Bells)
Timpani
Second movement of Symphony No. 1, Portraits of the North, commissioned by the West Vancouver Youth Band (Douglas Macaulay, director) to commemorate the band's 80th anniversary. The symphony is in three movements:
I. Arctic Fire
II. Land of the Midnight Sun
III. Iditarod
Program Notes:
Land Of The Midnight Sun is a cinematic, musical journey depicting the awe-inspiring expanse of the far north and the raw beauty of this magnificent panorama. A landscape that is sometimes icy and stark, sometimes warm and grand – constantly changing. A place where the fragile balance of nature is abundantly apparent. The piece opens with the breaking of the ice and the warming of the land. This leads to a pastoral section featuring a lyrical trumpet or flugelhorn solo. As the sun warms the land, more instruments are added and the melody develops and intensifies. This section is followed a rich and reverent brass chorale, leading into a luminescent woodwind choir with muted brass echoes. Then, flourishes from the woodwinds and mighty brass chords signal the celebration of light!
(Robert Buckley)
Festival Syllabus Lists
MusicFest Canada (2021-22): B400
