Eric Ewazen

Shadowcatcher

Edward Curtis, the great American photographer, traveled the American West during the early decades of the 20th century, taking literally of tens of thousands of photographs of Native Americans, chronicling their ancient lifestyle - capturing a time and place destined to disappear in the onrush of the modern age. His mysterious, beautiful and powerful photographs had a distinctive play of light and dark, and the Native Americans dubbed him the 'Shadowcatcher'.

Four of his photographs are the inspiration for this composition. I. Offering to the Sun (Tewa, 1925), II. Among the Aspens (Chippewa, 1926), The Vanishing Race (Navajo, 1904), IV. Dancing to Restore an Eclipsed Moon (Kwakiutl, 1914).

Commissioned by the American Brass Quintet, the orchestral version was written for the Orquesta Sinfonica Carlos Chavez of Mexico City, the Wind Ensemble Version for Butler University, and recorded by the American Brass Quintet with the Juilliard Wind Ensemble for New World Records. A reduction for quintet and piano is also available from the publisher.