Wadley Publications

The title of  Sonar’s Riddle  is an anagram of "Dr. Daniel Ross," and stands as a tribute to a musician known for both his kindness and humor.  Dr. Daniel F. Ross (1944-2019) was a Professor of Music at Arkansas State University, where he taught the double reed studio from 1968 to 2018. During his illustrious career, he became known as not only a world-class musician, but an innovator in the field of reed-making with his Ross Gouging Machine. As a performer, he served as Principal Oboist with the Arkansas Symphony and performed with the North Arkansas Symphony, Arkansas Philharmonic Orchestra, Tupelo Symphony, Delta Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, Nashville Symphony, the St. Louis Symphony, and the St. Louis Chamber Music Society. He was a frequent soloist with the Forum Sinfonia of Krakow, Poland, touring with them in the United Stated and Europe. He held the title of Visiting Professor of Oboe at the Academy of Music in Krakow, Poland and has been a soloist with the St. P...

Bombadil is a musical portrait of one of the lesser-known characters from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of  the Rings. While he never made it into the LOTR movies of the early 21st century, Tom Bombadil is  nonetheless a pivotal character in Tolkien’s epic novel, saving the hobbits from certain doom on more  than one occasion. The character is a wild juxtaposition of contradictions: at once fanciful and  fearsome; silly and sagacious; terrible and tender; whimsical and wise. While he seems childishly  ridiculous at times, Tom is undoubtedly one of the most ancient and powerful living beings in the  Tolkien mythology.  This composition attempts to capture the mystery and mischievousness of Tom Bombadil through rich, thick harmonies, angular melodic motion, and highly syncopated rhythms. The piano is treated as a full member of the duo, rather than mere accompaniment for the soloist, in this challenging sonatina. LISTEN on YouTube PURCHASE on SheetMusicP...