"The Sleeping Place of the Stars" is a piece of band music literature written by Ralph Ford. He was commissioned by the Homewood, Alabama Middle School Band to write the tune, with the inspiration coming from a poem of the same title written by Ethel Armes. The poem contains the line "I have found the sleeping place of the stars. It is in Shades Valley... down, way down into the depths of Green Eternal...".
Shades Valley was once a very dense forest, located at the present-day site of Homewood, Alabama. Lying against the Appalachian mountains, the foliage was so thick that even local Native Americans frequently got lost in the valley while hunting. Even so, the Native Americans held annual rituals there to welcome the arrival of Spring.
The Sleeping Place of the Stars is divided into parts. Flute solos, accompanied by light oboe or clarinet parts, are a recurring theme in the piece. The piece opens with what could be considered the main theme of the entire piece.
The piece then moves into the part called the Valley of Darkness. This section features the rainstick. There is whispering amongst some of the woodwind instruments, and a notable flute solo is performed here.
The following passage is entitled The Green Corn Dance, the name of the local Indian's Spring ritual. This part includes foot stomping, hand clapping, and vocal "hahs" among some of the woodwinds. After the Green Corn Dance, the piece moves back into the main theme of the song, Shades Valley.
The piece then soars into Depths of Green Eternal, a part which has a half-time feel, and the piece ends.
"The Sleeping Place of the Stars" was published in 2002 and is played by bands of varying ages across America, including marching bands, middle school and high school bands.
Famous quotes containing the words sleeping, place and/or stars:
“If the soul doth think in a sleeping man without being conscious of it, I ask, whether during such thinking it has any pleasure or pain, or be capable of happiness or misery? I am sure the man is not, no more than the bed or earth he lies on. For to be happy or miserable without being conscious of it, seems to me utterly inconsistent and impossible.
”
—John Locke (1632–1704)
“Why are we never quite at ease in the presence of a schoolmaster? Because we are conscious that he is not quite at his ease in ours. He is awkward, and out of place in the society of his equals. He comes like Gulliver from among his little people, and he cannot fit the stature of his understanding to yours.”
—Charles Lamb (1775–1834)
“The bay-trees in our country are all withered,
And meteors fright the fixèd stars of heaven.
The pale-faced moon looks bloody on the earth,
And lean-looked prophets whisper fearful change.
Rich men look sad, and ruffians dance and leap;
The one in fear to lose what they enjoy,
The other to enjoy by rage and war.
These signs forerun the death or fall of kings.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)