Incantation and Dance is a piece composed by John Barnes Chance in 1960 as his first work for wind ensemble. Before it was published in 1963, it went under the working title of Nocturne and Dance. It has become a cornerstone work in wind ensemble literature.
Chance wrote it during his tenure in Greensboro as part of the Ford Foundation's Young Composer Project and dedicated the piece to Herbert Hazelman and Greensboro Senior High School.
The piece is written in three cycles, each containing the "Incantation" theme, a "percussion concerto", and the "Dance" theme. The third cycle has these three sections played simultaneously rather than in succession. During the "percussion concerto" section, each percussion instrument introduces the rhythmic motifs that appear during the "Dance" section. This acts as a bridge between the "Incantation" and "Dance" sections.
Instrumentation The work is scored for the following band:Chance, John Barnes (1963). Incantation and Dance [score]. Boosey & Hawkes. OCLC 613270406.
Woodwinds Piccolo 2 Flutes Oboe Bassoon 3 Clarinets in B Alto clarinet in E Bass clarinet in B Contrabass clarinet in B 2 Alto saxophones Tenor saxophone Baritone saxophone
Brass 4 Trumpets 4 Horns in F 2 Tenor trombones Bass trombone Baritone Tuba
Strings String bass
Percussion Timpani Maracas Temple blocks Gong Claves Tambourine Cymbals Gourd Timbales Bongos Bass drum Whip
References
Bibliography
External links Recording by the United States Air Force Heartland of America Band