Prairie Sketches
Sunday, Oct 5, 2025, at 1:30 PM
Dan Whisler Conducting
Scottish Rite Temple
463 Paseo De Peralta
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Admission is free and donations are appreciated.
Parking available at the venue
Join us for an afternoon of sweeping Americana, where bold frontier spirit, dust-laden dreams, and lush romanticism converge in a stirring celebration of resilience, beauty, and the boundless promise of the American landscape.
The Cowboys Overture
John Williams
John Williams' The Cowboys Overture vividly captures the sweeping drama and rugged charm of the American West. Composed for the 1972 film starring John Wayne, the piece transcends its cinematic roots to stand alone as a beloved concert work. With bold brass fanfares, lyrical strings, and driving rhythms, Williams paints a musical landscape of adventure, resilience, and frontier spirit. His masterful orchestration blends themes of youthful energy and pioneer grit into a thrilling overture that continues to resonate with audiences.
Dust Swirls Then Speaks
Douglas Davis
Commissioned for the 75th anniversary of John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, Dust Swirls, Then Speaks (2014) transforms literary themes of displacement, perseverance, and hope into a vivid orchestral journey. Using shimmering textures and dynamic instrumental interplay, Davis channels the imagery of migrating families and dust-laden winds across the Dust Bowl. The music crescendos from delicate, whispering motifs—suggestive of dust swirling in sunlight—to powerful declarations that echo the resilience and spirit of those drawn westward in search of a new life.
Symphony No. 2, "Romantic"
Howard Hanson
Howard Hanson's Symphony No. 2, nicknamed Romantic, remains a landmark of 20th-century American symphonic music. Composed in 1930 for the 50th anniversary of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, it reflects Hanson's passion for lush harmony and heartfelt expression. The symphony is a rich, melodic journey filled with soaring lines and warm orchestral colors. Deeply rooted in American sensibility, the work balances lyricism with structural clarity, offering a poignant and stirring listening experience..