Four More Dances for Wind Quintet

Description

by Fred Onovwerosuoke

PROGRAM NOTES

Four More Dances for Wind Quintet, in the composer’s own words, “is an experimental journey into some of Africa’s vast rhythmic and harmonic languages, musical traditions whose roots are not immediately apparent and have no taint of Westernization, but which possibly portend a new frontier for future composers.” The melodies are drawn from his travels in over thirty African countries. Each movement follows the basic pattern of opening, development, recapitulation and closing. As flutist Dr. Wendy Hymes noted in their cousin transcriptions, Five Sketches for Flute, Violin and Piano, “the work is a major rhythmic workout, albeit, one that fine musicians will find worthwhile. It is a brief journey into Africa’s vast sanctum of intricate rhythms.” Each movement is complete and independent but collectively they utters a celebration of life, of a people’s accomplishments, their hopes and aspiration for the future.