Winds of Nagual

Winds of Nagual, written in 1985, is one of North American composer Michael Colgrass's works for wind ensemble. It has become a standard of the wind ensemble/concert band repertoire. Based on the writings of Carlos Castaneda, the work consists of seven movements.

In 1985 the piece won the William D. Revelli Composition Contest and Sudler International Composition Competition.

Structure

• Movement 1: "The Desert: Don Juan Emerges from the Mountains"

  This movement is highly evocative of the opening of Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring. The opening sound of the E♭ clarinet is a possible reminder of the bassoon in the treble clef from Stravinsky's ballet.

• Movement 2: "Don Genaro Appears"

  Laughter can be heard from the clarinets in an unmistakable sound in this movement.

• Movement 3: "Carlos Stares at the River and Becomes a Bubble"
• Movement 4: "The Gait of Power"
• Movement 5: "Asking Twilight for Calmness and Power"
• Movement 6: "Don Juan Clowns for Carlos"

  Clowns from a circus or carnivale can be heard here—the clarinet and saxophone sections utilize folk music to make sound that could remind the listener of a memory of painted-up performers.

• Movement 7: "Last Conversation and Farewell"

  A similar sounding feel to the "Great Gate of Kiev" from Pictures at an Exhibition by Modest Mussorgsky

Instrumentation

• Flute I–III (all double piccolo, two double alto flute)
• E♭ soprano clarinet
• B♭ soprano clarinet I–VI
• B♭ bass clarinet
• E♭ contra-alto clarinet
• B♭ contrabass clarinet
• Contrabassoon
• Soprano saxophone
• Alto saxophone
• Trumpet I–VI (V–VI double cornet)
• Flugelhorn
• Horn in F I–VI
• Trombone I–VI (trombone V–VI should be bass trombones)
• Euphonium (two players)
• Tuba (2 players)
• String bass (2 players)
• Celesta (and piano)
• Harp
• Timpani
• Percussion I–V, including:
  • Bass drum
  • Bongos
  • Cowbell (5)
  • Crotales
  • Cymbals (1 pair 8" crash, 3 large crash, 4 large suspended)
  • Field drum
  • Gongs (3)
  • Marimba
  • Parsifal bell
  • Snare drum
  • Temple block
  • Tenor drum
  • Timbales
  • Tubular bells
  • Vibraphone
  • Xylophone

References

• Battisti, Frank L. The Winds of Change: The Evolution of the Contemporary American Wind Band/Ensemble and Its Conductor. Galesville, Maryland: Meredith Music Publications. pg. 106., 2002. ISBN 978-0-634-04522-6.

See also

• List of concert band literature
• List of program music
• Program music