Description

This rich and lush concert band setting of Stan Rogers’ iconic folk anthem, Northwest Passage, is sure to connect with audiences and musicians alike. With its sweeping melodies and rich harmonies, this channels the earthy baritone of its original Canadian singer. It features an opening euphonium solo then tells both a hopeful and melancholy story as the melody is moved through every member of the ensemble.

While it is primarily for concert band, the recording below features Bella Rogers as a guest soloist.

Program Notes:

Stan Rogers’s deep, earthy baritone voice is a part of the fabric of Canadian folk music. He often sung of the east coast and the Canadian experience, with stories about regular people experiencing the hardship, joys, and everything in between across the Maritimes, the Prairies, the West Coast, and the North. He died in a plane crash in 1983, just thirty-three years old, leaving behind a legacy of incredible folk music.

One of those pieces is the folk anthem Northwest Passage, recounting one explorer’s pursuit of fame throughout his life seeking the sea route of the same name, only to come up empty-handed. The original alternates between solo voice and barbershop chorus without any instrumental accompaniment, which made this a particularly unique song to set for band.

This piece moves me every time I hear it. Its sweeping melodies, rich harmonies, and melancholy lyrics pull me in with each passing listen. When I heard it the first time, I knew it would make an amazing setting for band. The premiere was performed by the concert band at Canadian Mennonite University in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, featuring Bella Rogers—Stan’s only grandchild—as violin soloist.