Description
This lush new Concert Band work by composer William Owens features a haunting opening and a driving 3/4 middle section with solos throughout, before coming to a resolute, brass-forward conclusion.
Program Notes
“…My heart is sick and sad from where the sun now stands…I will fight no more forever.”
Chief Joseph (the Younger) – October 5, 1877
Forever remembered for his staunch commitment to peace and powerful advocacy for the rights of his people, Nez Perce Tribe Leader Chief Joseph (1840–1904) rose to notoriety through his efforts to peacefully resist relocation from his homeland in northeast Oregon. The resistance would culminate in the Nez Perce War, a series of violent confrontations with the U.S. military as the Nez Perce embarked on a grueling 1,300-mile trek toward Canada in June 1877. Winning all battles but the last, Chief Joseph and his people would eventually surrender due to exhaustion and starvation. Drawing its title from the words of Chief Joseph, “…No More Forever” is a powerful musical portrayal of the life of the Nez Perce and the conflict to follow.
The music begins in somber fashion, depicting Nez Perce life in their ancestral land. The feeling is peaceful yet uneasy, as the threat of settler encroachment and eviction from their homeland is ever-lingering. The tempo becomes suddenly brisk and a haunting Woodwind trio is heard, as the dreaded time to flee has finally come. With occasional moments of calm, the mood gradually intensifies as brutal conflict is well at hand. While surrender is a gesture of peace, the work ends quite strongly… perhaps to suggest (on the part of Chief Joseph) that the survival of a proud people is the utmost priority.
