Maryland native Gary Fagan (b. 1951) has a long relationship with James Madison University in Virginia, having studied there in the 1970s and returned to teach there in 2009. He was also a high school band director in that area for 34 years before retiring that same year. He has had dozens of pieces for wind band published, and several of those have been performed at the Midwest Clinic. Fagan’s 2009 A Jamestown Trilogy comes with the following program note (links added):
A Jamestown Trilogy is a three-movement suite inspired by the story of Captain John Smith and his crew, who sailed from England on December 20, 1606 in three small ships, the Discovery, Susan Constant and Godspeed. They first landed at Cape Henry on April 26, 1607 and then sailed up the James River where, on May 14, 1607, they landed on a site they named Jamestown.
In 1608, Smith was captured by the Powhatan Indians. Legend has it that he was considered a threat to the Indians because of his interest in metals and in searching for a waterway west. Smith was sentenced to death and placed on a stone alter to be killed when a twelve year old Indian Princess rescued him. Matoaka, nicknamed Pocahontas (Playful One), the daughter of Powhatan, chief of the confederacy, threw her body across Smith’s and saved his life.
The Trilogy names its movements after each of the ships. The first is triumphant and proud, the second introspective, and the third dance-like. There is no video recording of this to be found on the internet, so visit J. W. Pepper for a professional audio recording of the complete trilogy.
Learn more about A Jamestown Trilogy from J. W. Pepper, Alfred Music, and this score preview.