Wizard Island for septet - Score and Parts PDF
From the composer:
At Crater Lake National Park, a small island sits in the middle of the lake. Wizard Island, named for its wizard-hat shape, is a sacred place for the native Klamath tribe. While thinking about this location, I thought about the name of the island, its mysterious appeal, and its stunning location. This septet is a fantasy on the idea of a prehistoric ceremony, inspired by this island on a lake in a great caldera of an ancient volcano. The first movement depicts a procession: horns calls and drums, along with a blaring overtone chord signal the beginning of the event. The second movement is a scherzo-type movement, fast and mercurial. I imagine a crowd of people fussing around, showing magic tricks, playing and making merry before the big event.
The third movement has a lyrical hymn-like melody which I imagine is some kind of special prayer for the sacrifice. In the final bars, the drums and blaring chords return, as the cello crescendos to a fever-pitch as a sacrifice is made for the gods. Wizard Island was written on commission from Music in the American Wild, an ensemble formed to tour United States National Parks for the centenary celebration. It was premiered in Mammoth Cave National Park and toured across the country in the summer of 2016.
24 pages (score); duration 11'; instrumentation: fl, Bb cl, hn, perc, vn, vla, vc
