Sand Drifts (Scenes from a Mexican Desert, No. 1)

Homer C Nearing (1895-1986), was born in Springfield, Missouri, and graduated from the Kansas City Conservatory of music. During his career, he was a music professor and church musician from 1914 until 1920 in Texas. While there, he was inspired to compose his impressionistic organ suites by the history and terrain of the Southwestern United States.

"Scenes from a Mexican Desert" was published by H. W. Gray in 1921. It contains five movements and is without dedication.

I had intended to do these works as one upload, but the work is too large. So, rather than split it into 3 + 2, I'll do the movements individually.

Like all of Nearing's "depictive suites," this one does a nice job of "painting pictures" and conveying the place or situation to be shown.

"Sand Drifts" begins with a plaintive melody played upon the Solo Cor Anglais. After this, a chorale-like episode is heard. Wanting to make this sound "dry," I did this on the Swell Vox Humana alone without tremulant. After this, as small wind storm blows up, and this is effective shown by a "continuation" of the melody in the writing hand with persistent gusting of 32nd notes in the left. This is played upon the Choir flutes. After this, the opening ideas return, bringing the movement an arid and still closing of the scene.

The score is attached below, however I warn you that there are MANY mistakes, inconsistencies, and questionable accidentals throughout the entire suite!

Also attached is a photo of Homer Nearing and several photos of sand drifts in a Mexican desert.

Tomorrow: "The Cactus"