Project Description
Sextet for Woodwind Quintet and Piano
1998
10 min.
Listen Now
National Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Ensemble
live recording
Preview Score
Instrumentation
Commissioned by
Premiere
Description
Blue Mountain is my favorite nature-walk place in the Missoula, Montana area where I live. It is noted for is wonderful views and its sense of calm serenity. Underneath the quiet of a sweeping meadow I began to imagine the engine of life that was at work. The result is a vigorous and challenging single-movement piece for one of my favorite instrumental combinations.
Program Note
Blue Mountain meadow offers views of the Mission, Sapphire and Rattlesnake mountain ranges as well as the town of Missoula laid out in the valley below. It is a place where clouds and the sky feel really close. In summer, meadow grasses are a sea of subtle greens and browns dotted with subalpine flowers and shrubs. Ponderosa pine, white pine and larch climb the mountainside. In winter, the meadow is covered in deep drifts of snow. There are deer, foxes, coyotes, other small animals, and a variety of songbirds. Bears and cougars live in the mountain wilderness beyond the meadow.
“Blue Mountain Meadow, Missoula, Montana” is a music that reflects the complex and humming life force of this nature place that I love. The music is brisk, vibrant and insistent. It is not a description of the meadow, but a meditative reaching into the power of all the things that live there, and the power of the place itself. I have chosen wind quintet and piano because of their sharp-edged qualities and their distinc-tive and beautiful colors.
This work was commissioned by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the National Symphony Orchestra of Washington D.C., Leonard Slatkin, Music Director, in honor of the 1996 American Residency Program in Montana/Wyoming.
Further Reading
Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 118, Recent Performances of Mountain Roads
Maslanka Weekly highlights excellent performances of David Maslanka’s music from around the web. This week, we showcase three extraordinary performances of Mountain Roads.
From the Maslanka Archive – No. 37, Conor Bell’s New Dissertation on David’s Bassoon Music
From the Maslanka Archive features media and stories of David's life and work. This week, we are excited to feature Conor Bell's new dissertation on David's Bassoon Music.
Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 111, Freshly Uploaded to the Web!
Maslanka Weekly highlights excellent performances of David Maslanka’s music from around the web. This week, we are exited to feature new performances of three works just uploaded to the web in the past seven days: Symphony No. 10: The River of Time, Recitation Book, and Illumination.
Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 107, Electrifying Saxophone Performances
Maslanka Weekly highlights excellent performances of David Maslanka’s music from around the web. This week, we feature three electrifying new performances of works for saxophone: Recitation Book, Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Wind Ensemble and Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano.
Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 105, Amazing Performances from China
Maslanka Weekly highlights excellent performances of David Maslanka’s music from around the web. This week, we feature three amazing performances from China: Alex and the Phantom Band, Tone Studies, and Mother Earth.
Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 104, Recordings of Lesser-Known Works
Maslanka Weekly highlights excellent performances of David Maslanka’s music from around the web. This week, we feature recordings of three lesser-known works of David's: Images from "The Old Gringo," Little Symphony on the name BArnEy CHilDS, and Orpheus.
From the Maslanka Archive – No. 24, David on Matters of Tempo and Dynamics
From the Maslanka Archive features media and stories of David's life and work. This week, we are excited to feature an address David gave on matters of tempo and dynamics from a masterclass given at Illinois State University.
Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 99, Even More New Performances of Chamber Music
Maslanka Weekly highlights excellent performances of David Maslanka’s music from around the web. This week, we feature three new performances of chamber works: Quintet for Winds No. 3, Song Book for Alto Saxophone and Marimba, and Sonata for Bassoon and Piano.
Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 97, Playing in Quarantine
Maslanka Weekly highlights excellent performances of David Maslanka’s music from around the web. This week, we feature three amazing examples of how a few talented musicians have used technology to play David's music and make it available on the internet for us to enjoy.
Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 95, More New Performances of Chamber Music
Maslanka Weekly highlights excellent performances of David Maslanka’s music from around the web. This week, we feature three new performances of chamber works: Quintet for Winds No. 3, Quintet for Winds No. 1, and Sonata for Oboe and Piano.
Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 92, New Performances of Percussion Music
Maslanka Weekly highlights excellent performances of David Maslanka’s music from around the web. This week, we feature three new outstanding performances of some of David’s works for percussion: My Lady White, Hohner, and Song Book for Alto Saxophone and Marimba.
Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 90, New Performances of “The Soul Is Here for its Own Joy”
Maslanka Weekly highlights excellent performances of David Maslanka’s music from around the web. This week, we feature three of the very best new performances of "The Soul Is Here for its Own Joy" from Songs for the Coming Day for Saxophone Quartet.
Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 88, New Performances of Recitation Book, Movement V
Maslanka Weekly highlights excellent performances of David Maslanka’s music from around the web. This week, we feature two new amazing performances of "Fanfare and Variations on 'Durch Adams Fall'" from Recitation Book for Saxophone Quartet. We also feature a new video tutorial by Joey Resendez for altissimo fingering suggestions on the soprano saxophone.
Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 84, More Amazing Saxophone Performances
Maslanka Weekly highlights excellent performances of David Maslanka’s music from around the web. This week, we feature three amazing performances of some of David’s best saxophone music: Concerto for Saxophone Quartet and Wind Ensemble, "Very Fast" from Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano, and "Finale" from Mountain Roads.
Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 83, Old America
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Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 81, Eternal Garden
Maslanka Weekly highlights excellent performances of David Maslanka’s music from around the web. This week, we feature two new performances of Eternal Garden as well as a video designed by The David Maslanka Foundation to be shown before a performance of this music.
Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 79, Recitation Book (2019)
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Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 75, New Performances of Chamber Music
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Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 71, Slow Movements
Maslanka Weekly highlights excellent performances of David Maslanka’s music from around the web. This week, we feature three of David’s compositions (of which there are literally dozens to choose from) that highlight some of his most beautiful writing in slower tempi: "Movement I" from Recitation Book, "Slow" from Symphony No. 7, and "Slow" from Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano.
Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 70, Evening
Maslanka Weekly highlights excellent performances of David Maslanka’s music from around the web. This week, we feature three of David’s compositions that traverse the evening landscape: "Evening Song" from Song Book for Alto Saxophone and Marimba, Evening Song for Horn and Piano, and "Our Prayer of Thanks" from A Carl Sandburg Reader.
Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 68, More New Performances of Saxophone Music
Maslanka Weekly highlights excellent performances of David Maslanka’s music from around the web. This week, we feature three new performances of some of David’s best saxophone music: Songs for the Coming Day, Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Wind Ensemble, and David's transcription of J.S. Bach's Goldberg Variations for Saxophone Quartet.
Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 59, Music For David
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Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 58, Mourning
Maslanka Weekly highlights excellent performances of David Maslanka’s music from around the web. This week, we feature three of David’s works that aid us in times of mourning: Requiem, "Finale - Alle Menschen müssen sterben" from Mountain Roads, and In Memoriam.
Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 57, Morning
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Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 55, Alison
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Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 51, Peace
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Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 45, References to Color
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Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 44, Songs Without Words
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Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 43, Lesser-Known Chamber Works
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Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 39, Dreams & Meditations
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Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 38, Recent Maslanka CD Releases
Maslanka Weekly highlights excellent performances of David Maslanka’s music from around the web. This week, we feature three new recordings of favorite works: Tone Studies, Concerto for Saxophone Quartet and Wind Ensemble, and First Light.
Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 32, The World
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Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 31, Letter to Martin
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Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 27, Recitation Book (2018)
Maslanka Weekly highlights excellent performances of David Maslanka’s music from around the web. This week, we feature five of the most extraordinary performances of Recitation Book, Mvt. V, Fanfare/Variations on Durch Adams Fall from 2018.
Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 20, O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden
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Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 19, Durch Adams Fall
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Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 18, Remembrance Music
Maslanka Weekly highlights excellent performances of David Maslanka’s music from around the web. This week, emotional performances of Remember Me: Music for Cello and Nineteen Players, Requiem, A Solemn Music, and Beloved.
Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 17, The Bassoon
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Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 16, Lesser-Known Works for Saxophone & Saxophone Quartet
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Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 14, California & Montana
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Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 11, The Wind Quintet
Maslanka Weekly highlights excellent performances of David Maslanka’s music from around the web. This week, phenomenal performances of Quintet for Winds No. 3, Movement I, Quintet for Winds No. 1, Movement 1, and the entirety of Quintet for Winds No. 2.
Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 8, The Sonata
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Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 7, Tribute
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Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 5, Masato Kumoi Saxophone Quartet
Maslanka Weekly highlights excellent performances of David Maslanka’s music from around the web. This week, we feature the Masato Kumoi Saxophone Quartet with amazing performances of Songs for the Coming Day, Mountain Roads, and Recitation Book.
Maslanka Weekly: Best of the Web – No. 4, The Marimba
Maslanka Weekly highlights excellent performances of David Maslanka’s music from around the web. This week, a marvelous Concerto for Marimba and Band, Variations on Lost Love, and Song Book for Alto Saxophone and Marimba.
Music in Life
Remarks given on 18 April 2002 at Indiana University School of Music before a performance of the Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Wind Ensemble. Other works on the concert included Montana Music: Chorale Variations and [...]
Further notes on Music Performance
Two quotes from the scientist and philosopher Rene Dubos in his 1962 book The Torch of Life: “A fully developed human being cannot be thought of as an isolated creature. His or her [...]
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Remarks given before a performance of Montana Music: Trio for Violin, Cello and Piano. Music is specifically healing. I know that I am alive today, and essentially well, because of it. Healing through music is [...]
Some things that are true: Reflections on being an artist at the end of the 20th century
Society of Composers Incorporated Region VIII Conference, University of Montana at Missoula. Keynote address by David Maslanka – November 20, 1998 As soon as one speaks about “truth” there will be objections. Since we live [...]
The roots and purpose of music
Remarks given at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Nov.15.1992, before a performance of Symphony No.3. I want to give a few thoughts on the roots of music and its purpose in human life. Music comes supposedly [...]
