The Lake of Sorrows

Tales from the Darklands, Part 2    By Randall D. Standridge

About Tales from the Darklands

A few years back, I created a narrative work for concert band entitled The Darklands Symphony, which told the tale of several characters and places that I have created over the years in my imagination through stories, art, and, finally, music.  All of the pieces were at the Grade 2-2.5 level, and were very well received.  I thought I was done with the Darklands.

I was wrong.

New stories and new figures have populated that world and I felt drawn to the subject matter again.  Thus, we are beginning a whole new volume, titled Tales from the Darklands.  Unlike the Symphony, the “Tales” series will not be one long story but, rather, small individual tales that give more back story and depth to the Darklands Universe.  Also, the entire “Tales” series will be written at the Grade 1-1.5 level, opening up the Darklands to a whole new level of players.  Each “Tales” piece will be accompanied by supplemental material online, which may be found at my website (beginning May 2021)

The Lake of Sorrows

Once, there was a goddess who roamed the forests that border the Darklands.  One day, a mortal man wandered into her domain, and she fell in love with him on sight.  For a time, they lived happily.  As the years passed, however, she remained beautiful and young, but he aged, as all mortals do.  Upon his death, the goddess was so overcome with grief that her tears formed a lake.  To this day, all who foolishly wander too close to the Lake of Sorrows are drawn into its dark waters…but they do not die.  They stand on the lake bed, looking upwards and weeping, as the eternal storms thunder and roil overhead.

Educational goals of the work:

-Expressive and noticeable dynamics

-Tone production and proper note length

-Navigating Slight Tempo Changes

-Teaching Chromaticism at a basic level and with limited range.  Copyable Chromatic exercise sheets have been included with this work and are keyed for all instruments