Scenes from the Holy Land

From the Publisher

Commissioned for the McCormick Duo and the 30th Anniversary of the National Flute Association. Percussion instruments (one player) include: Marimba, suspended cymbal, tambourine, bongos, wood block, wind chimes, and agogo bells. “The opening section, ‘Masada’ presents angular solos against percussion accents, with ascending legato passages for the flute. The music turns more florid and Middle-Eastern in style before a peaceful coda. ‘Storm on Mount Sinai’ offers sharply rhythmic music accented with tambourine and a more febrile bazaar-like flute writing. ‘The Flock by the Sea of Galilee’ contains an oddly memorable five-note percussion motif under a lovely bucolic flute theme. ‘The Road to Jerusalem’ makes a haunting finale with elaborate passages against pulsating percussion. Scenes from the Holy Land is an effective and colorful work with deftly varied music and tackled by the musicians with skill and understated virtuosity Buss’ intimate style requires. It makes its effects with point and economy and would be a boon to flute and percussion duos searching for program material.” - The Gramophone, April 2005. Recorded on the Capstone Records "Howard J. Buss: Modern Times"

Performance duration (approx): 15'30"

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