Dances with Winds (Flex Chamber Ensemble)

Dances with Winds is based on folk tunes from three very different European regions. The Macedonian Bagpipe sings a joyful tune in Gaida while the Irish Star is represented in both March and Waltz form. The piece finishes with a wild Serbian Dance, known as the “Gypsy Salad.” The work features extremely flexible instrumentation.

Genre: Wind Ensemble | # of Players: Flexible
Level: 4 | Duration: 18:00

Instrumentation
Flute 1
Flute 2/Piccolo
Oboe (or Soprano Sax or Clarinet)
Clarinet in Bb 1
Clarinet in Bb 2 (or Alto Saxophone)
Bassoon (or Bass Clarinet or Euphonium)

Horn 1 (or Alto Sax)
Horn 2 (or Tenor Sax)
Trumpet in Bb 1 (or Clarinet or Soprano Saxophone or Alto Saxophone)
Trumpet in Bb 2 (or Clarinet or Soprano Saxophone or Alto Saxophone)
Trombone (or Bassoon or Bass Clarinet or Tenor Saxophone)
Tuba (or Euphonium or Trombone or Bassoon or Bass Clarinet or Contrabass Clarinet or String Bass)

(Baritone Saxophone may be used only for Serbian Dance unless another instrument also plays the part)

Optional Percussion (Drum Set, ideally)
Optional Timpani and Xylophone

Program Notes
Dances with Winds is based on folk tunes from three very different European regions.

Movement 1, Gaida, is named after the Macedonian bagpipe, which is less strident that the Celtic bagpipe. The two famous bagpipe tunes that are used show that a gaida can sound either very plaintive or very joyful

Movement 2, The Irish Star, uses the well-known Irish folk tune “Star of the County Down.” Most often played in march tempo, this tune also can be performed as a waltz. Both versions are used here

Movement 3, Serbian Dance, is a very fast folk dance called a “kolo.” This particular tune is often referred to as “Ciganski Urnebes.” Urnebes is a very popular type of Serbian salad, and Ciganski means “Gypsy,” so this wild dance is a “Gypsy Salad.”