Story Behind The Song

I went to a house concert featuring the d'Alene Woodwind Quintet which was v ery enjoyable. Aferwards, I asked James Sullivan Clarinetist, if he would like me to write a piece of music for the group. He agreed. I had earlier talked with Kim Brown of the Post Falls Historical Society about writing a musical show about the history of Post Falls so I decided to incorporate the two projects, using the quintet as the starting place for an expanded piece to be performed in Post Falls about the local history.

Song Description

Post Falls Suite - The River of Life Program Notes This woodwind quintet describes musically the history of a small rural community and focuses no water as the giver and sustainer of life in several movements. Movement 01 - Winter - This rollicking 6/8 movement in A minor depicts the dancing of snowflakes around the town and surrounding forests. Movement 02 - Chief Andrew Seltice - This movement depicts the native life of Chief Andrew Seltice who had two wives in sequence and 25 children. Chief Seltice was a shrewd businessman who sold the land to one of the first pioneers named Frederick Post. Movement 03 - Deer hooves clattering on the sidewalk. This movement depicts the lively rhythms of a herd of deer running through a sleepy section of town at night. Movement 04 - Frederick Post - This movement depicts Post Falls Founder, businessman Frederick Post who founded and built mills, factories and infrastructure in the late nineteenth century. Movement 05 - Swimming in the Post Falls Canal - This movement depicts children swimming in an irrigation canal running parallel to the Spokane River on a hot summer day. Movement 06 - Snow Storm - This movement depicts the epic blizzard in the winter of 1968-1969 which dumped over 168 inches of snow in the area and kept roads closed and people isolated for over a week. Movement 07 - Heborn - This is the German city from which Frederick Post immigrated and is now the sister city of Post Falls with cultural exchanges. Movement 08 - The Q'emiln Legend - This movement depicts the legend of a native youth who was sucked into a whirlpool and descended into the underworld where after numerous adventures he emerged back into the world. The legend is a metaphor for the journey of life we all undertake and the expanded knowledge and wisdom we acquire over time. Again the importance of the river to sustain life is emphasized. Movement 09 - Pearl Harbor - This discordant movie depicts the start of World War I