Title: Prophecies
Commission/Dedication: Commissioned by the Washburn University Wind Ensemble, Mark A. Norman, Conductor – for Demondrae Thurman (euphonium). Premiered at the Kansas Music Educators Conference, February 22, 2013.
Premiere: Dates for tuba are known. Performance was by Mark Norman.
Composer: Barbara York, tuba part edited by Mark Norman
Publisher: Cimarron Music Press
Year: 2016
Program notes from the composer:
Prophecies was commissioned by the Washburn University Wind Ensemble, Mark A. Norman conductor, for Demondrae Thurman as guest soloist. It is my first, and hopefully not my last piece for the Washburn Wind Ensemble and my second piece for Demondrae Thurman – the first being my Sonata for Euphonium and Piano, “Child’s Play.”
When I wrote this piece during the latter half of 2012, I was given very little direction and consequently much freedom by both the Commissioner and the Soloist in terms of what the piece should be about. For this, as a composer, I was immensely thankful since often I find myself rather restricted, even at times uncomfortably so, by the wants and needs of the people who both commission and play my music. In writing a piece during the latter half of 2012 it seemed fitting to me that I should write a piece about the numerous and wide-spread prophecies that have been both made and accepted about this time in the present and coming history of the World.
In researching and exploring these prophecies, I was struck more by their parallels and similarities than I was by their differences. In numerous recorded cultures and writing I found com startling similarities between cultures and faiths that were separated by both wide geographical differences and even also centuries of time in their expression and documentation.
For me, as has often been the case in my own life and my own spiritual exploration, I was struck not only by some of the similarities in these prophecies but also by the fundamental “humanity” of all of them in their combination of hopes, fears, aspirations and essential, human Spirituality.
I hesitate to become too specific in any of the ways in which I have incorporated some of these thoughts, ideas and prophecies into this piece because it is my desire that both the listener and the player should find within his or her own cultural and religious references, those things that are individually meaningful to each one. What I can and will say is that I have taken into consideration prophecies from times and cultures as widely separated and divers as Christian, Mayan, Aztec, Toltec, Hopi and several others, and this without any apology on my own part. This piece and these prophecies are both an example and a celebration of a gigantic, wonderful and powerful Group Mind and Human Consciousness that strives, ever and onward throughout history to know itself, express itself and celebrate the God/Oneness from which it comes and to which it will inevitably return.
Author assessment and pedagogical considerations:
“Prophecies” was originally scored for euphonium solo, rather than tuba. There are no known, quality recordings in existence, currently. Examining the tuba part, the primary difficulty lies in the time signature of 7/8. This is easily overcome with metronomic practice until the ‘groove’ is found. There are some moments that range will be difficult for some players, but those moments are rare. This piece would be appropriate for an advanced undergraduate student for a junior or senior recital.
The tuba version is available with piano or brass band. Barbara never did a version for tuba and wind band, but my guess is that it would work to just use the euphonium wind band version if you desired to play it with wind band, with anticipation of possibly changing octaves throughout for balance. This work lends the tubist a great opportunity to take their audience through an individualized spiritual journey that York has beautifully laid out for us.
Recordings:
