2018 Chamber Music Contest Entry
The Impossible Dream from Man of La Mancha
Program Notes

The Impossible Dream (The Quest) is the most popular song from the1965 Broadway musical Man of LaMancha and is also featured in the 1972 film of the same name. The song was composed by Mitch Leigh,with lyrics written by Joe Darion. It was awarded the Contemporary Classics Award from the Songwriter?sHall of Fame.

I have always found the lyrics of TheImpossible Dream extremely moving:

Todream the impossible dream,
To fight the unbeatable foe,
To bear with unbearable sorrow,
To run where the brave dare not go.

To right the unrightable wrong,
To love pure and chaste from afar,
To try when your arms are too weary,
To reach the unreachable star.

This is my quest,
To follow that star
No matter how hopeless,
No matter how far.

To fight for the right
Without question or pause,
To be willing to march
Into hell for a heavenly cause.

And I know if I'll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will be peaceful and calm
When I'm laid to my rest.

And the world will be better for this,
That one man scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage.
To fight the unbeatable foe.
To reach the unreachable star.

This arrangement for flute choir can be performed with asfew as 5 players or a full flute choir with multiple players on a part. It is scored for 3 flutes, alto flute, bassflute, and optional contrabass flute.

Broadway
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Ballad

Phyllis Avidan Louke is a flutist and award-winning composerand arranger with more than 70 published pieces to her credit. www.phyllislouke.com

A list of Phyllis Louke?s SMP publications with full lengthrecordings can be found at http://www.phyllislouke.com/compositions/digital-downloads-smp-publications/

Flute Quintet - Intermediate - Digital Download. This selection, "Carol of the Bells", also known as "Ring, Christmas Bells", is suitable for high school and college students and is perfect for Christmas concerts and church services. "Carol of the Bells' was written by the Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych in 1914 with lyrics by Peter J. Wilhousky. The song is based on the Ukrainian folk chant "Shchedryk", a New Year's song, known in English as "The Little Swallow", and utilizes a four-note ostinato which brings to mind the ringing of bells. Originally intended to be sung a capella by a mixed four-part choir it has since been recorded into over 150 versions and re-arrangements for various vocal and instrumental compositions. One version, "Ring, Christmas Bells", an English-language variant with Nativity-based lyrics, was written by Minna Louise Hohman in 1947. Regis Bookshar has now arranged the music for a Flute Quintet. Included are a score and a complete set of parts (16 pages). In addition to this version for 5 Flutes, many other arrangements of this selection are also available for a variety of instrumental ensembles, including Quintets, Sextets, Septets and Octets, as well as numerous other selections in a wide variety of styles. I would encourage you to search for other arrangements by Regis Bookshar. You may find something else which might interest you as well. I'm certain that this exciting arrangement will entertain both performers and audiences alike for years to come.