Winds of Nagual
Winds of Nagual is a 1985 composition for wind ensemble by the North American composer Michael Colgrass. 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"
- Movement 2: "Don Genaro Appears"
- 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"
- Movement 7: "Last Conversation and Farewell"
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.