for Symphonic Band-Rio Grande (2015) for symphonic band is Grammy award winning composer Michael Daughertys follow-up to his iconic Niagara Falls (1997). The title refers to the legendary 1 250-mile river that flows from the mountains of southern Colorado to the Gulfof Mexico near Brownsville Texas. In Rio Grande the composer has created a powerful musical landscape that is magical and majestic. The percussion section comprised of timpani bongos woodblocks tom toms and bass drums creates a rhythmicundercurrent to an angular motif that is first heard in the woodwinds emerging high above the musical precipice. This jagged motif is passed on to individual instruments such as the tuba and eventually in various colorful guises to the entiresymphonic band. Reminding us of the long cultural history associated with the great river we also hear ghostly Mexican mariachi music echoing faraway through the canyons. In the coda all the musical material is combined to create a grandiose endingto our journey down the timeless Rio Grande. A resounding success at the world premiere given by the North Texas Wind Symphony (Eugene Migliaro Corporon conductor) Rio Grande should prove to be one of Daughertys most popular and performed bandworks for years to come.
