Melting of the Winter's Snow

Soprano Feature

A stark opening by 5 brake drums in “surround sound” sets the tone for this piece for soprano and wind ensemble. Melting of the Winter’s Snow is dramatic and cold but becomes increasingly warm as the piece moves forward and ends with a majestic fanfare.

Program Notes

Based on text by Catherine Boyles, Melting of the Winter’s Snow is a piece for soprano and wind ensemble.

The cold of December is bitter.
The forest is silenced by ice.
The trees stand with black twisted branches,
alone under frozen gray skies.
Thoughts of warm gentle rain in the summer
and wonders our hands can't slow
like time the moon and starlight
and the melting of the winter’s snow.

Grade Level: 4
Copyright: 1999
Number of Players: Standard + 1
Duration: 7:50
Publisher: C. Alan Publications
Type: With Soloist
Category: Concert Band

Listen to Recordings

Instrumentation

Piccolo
Flute 1/2
Oboe 1/2
Bassoon 1/2
B-flat Clarinet 1
B-flat Clarinet 2/3
Bass Clarinet
Contrabass Clarinet
Alto Saxophone 1/2
Tenor Saxophone
Baritone Saxophone

B-flat Trumpet 1
B-flat Trumpet 2/3
Horns 1/2
Trombone 1/2
Trombone 3
Euphonium
Tuba

Timpani (suspended cymbal, wind chimes)
Percussion 1 (brake drum, bells, guiro)
Percussion 2 (brake drum, bell tree, tam-tam, triangle, suspended cymbal, crash cymbals)
Percussion 3 (brake drum, vibraphone, claves)
Percussion 4 (brake drum, chimes, finger cymbals, wind chimes)