# The Concert Band Thread



## Trout (Apr 11, 2011)

The concert band genre seems to be an unfairly neglected part of classical music, especially in recent times when the repertoire has significantly grown. This thread is to introduce or at least bring attention to this ensemble that has flown under the radars of many. What are your favorite works? Conductors? Recordings? Anything concert-band-related! Please do share! Even if you are fairly new to the genre, please feel free to comment on our suggestions and share any experiences you have had.


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## Trout (Apr 11, 2011)

Here are what are considered 4 of the cornerstones of the repertoire:

Holst: _First Suite in E-flat major_





Holst: _Second Suite in F major_





Vaughan Williams: _English Folk Song Suite_





Grainger: _Lincolnshire Posy_
Playlist

Gotta love the British band music!


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

I'm kind of old-fashioned and have most or all of Fennell's recordings. Here's a famous old window-rattler.


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

I played this last year in my university's top wind ensemble, otherwise known as the Wind Orchestra. It was super intense, like a battle film taking place before your eyes (ears).


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Another very fine Holst: Hammersmith, Prelude and Scherzo.


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## Trout (Apr 11, 2011)

I really like some of the works of the modern band composer Frank Ticheli.

_Vesuvius_






_An American Elegy_ (which was composed in memory of those who were killed in the Columbine High School shooting in 1998)






_Blue Shades_


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

*Maslanka Symphony Number Four.*

Trout,

As a super addicted band junkie THANKS FOR STARTING THIS THREAD!!!!!

I would like for my initial entry I would like to introduce an absolutely awsome performance of Maslanka's _Forth Symphony_ by the United States Navy Band. Mallory Thompson, the director of bands at Northwestern, was the guest conductor.


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

If I may be so ignorant to ask....what is the difference between concert band vs. orchestra? Is it particular instruments? I'm just not familiar.


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## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

Sonata said:


> If I may be so ignorant to ask....what is the difference between concert band vs. orchestra? Is it particular instruments? I'm just not familiar.


Only winds and percussion, no strings. That is, at least the basic distinction.

Oh, and there are saxophones and euphoniums.


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## Trout (Apr 11, 2011)

arpeggio said:


> Trout,
> 
> As a super addicted band junkie THANKS FOR STARTING THIS THREAD!!!!!
> 
> I would like for my initial entry I would like to introduce an absolutely awsome performance of Maslanka's _Forth Symphony_ by the United States Navy Band. Mallory Thompson, the director of bands at Northwestern, was the guest conductor.


Thank you. I think your concert band post gave me the idea to start this thread. I'm glad that there are other people that appreciate the genre and this thread was not completely buried.

I really like the music I have heard of David Maslanka. _Give Us This Day_ is a great piece as well.


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## Meaghan (Jul 31, 2010)

Wow, Trout, I've played almost everything you've posted! (just not the 1st or 3rd Tichelli pieces) I've been in bands for 10.5 years; I guess that'll do it...


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## Trout (Apr 11, 2011)

Here are some more favorites, some more esoteric than others:

Schuman: _Chester Overture_:






Mackey: _Kingfishers Catch Fire_:











Bryant: _Suite Dreams_ (I suggest listening to Holst's First Suite first to really appreciate this piece):


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## Trout (Apr 11, 2011)

Hindemith: _Symphony in B-flat_:
















(posted separately as one post can only contain 5 videos)


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## Meaghan (Jul 31, 2010)

I am playing _Chester_ in a concert in two weeks!


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## drpraetorus (Aug 9, 2012)

Incantation and Dance by John Barnes Chance




Chant and Jubilo by Francis Macbeth




Festivo by Vaclav Nehlybel



Sousa, Stars and Stripes Forever. Tripple counterpoint.




Under the Double Eagle, F.J. Wagner (No relation to Big Dick Wagner)


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

Ah memories ! I literally grew up playing in concert bands all the way from elementary school , junior and senior high school, college on . All kinds of music, including transcriptions of orchestral repertoire by the great composers .


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## Trout (Apr 11, 2011)

Speaking of transcriptions, I like this concert band version of Finlandia, maybe even more so than its orchestral counterpart:






spablopablito's channel seems to have band transcriptions of quite a few well-known orchestral works, such as Pictures at an Exhibition, The Planets, and The Firebird. Some pieces, though, just don't seem to be quite right for band.


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## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

Transcriptions are fun!

In my wind band, we're playing transcriptions of John Adam's Lollapalooza and Hindemith's Symphonic Metamorphosis. Fun times, although Lollapalooza is IMPOSSIBLE! I must say that I actually think the concert band transcriptions are better than the originals. Probably because they are so wind-dominated to begin with.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Aksel said:


> In my wind band, we're playing transcriptions of John Adam's Lollapalooza and Hindemith's Symphonic Metamorphosis. Fun times, although Lollapalooza is IMPOSSIBLE!


Congrats on your hard work! And it's nice to see somebody else who enjoys Lollapalooza.


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## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

KenOC said:


> Congrats on your hard work! And it's nice to see somebody else who enjoys Lollapalooza.


It's really a lot of fun, but some of the rhythms, especially in the trombones are CRAZY! I mean, why are all the accents on the second semiquaver of the beat? The mind is boggled.

Oh, and I forgot to mention that we're playing both pieces for the Norwegian Concert Band Championships later this spring. Super excited!


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## drpraetorus (Aug 9, 2012)

I guess that I should include a disclaimer that this is an American perspective. I have no ide what the state of bands is in other countries. 

A problem that band or "Wind Symphony" music has is that once you are out of school there is almost no respect for it. It has an unwarranted reputation as being not as good a "real" orchestral music. There are very few professional wind symphonies. Most of the recorded music for the genre is from good university bands. Most performances of things like the Sousa marches are orchestral transcriptions. The military have some very good bands, especially the Marine Corps, but those are usually heard only on national or state holidays and not as a permanent part of a communitys musical life like orchestras. It is a matter of great social pride is a city has a first class orchestra. not many people care if it has anything resembling a professional or good community band. The only one that comes to mind is the Dallas Wind Symphony. That's kind of sad, actually.


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

*Tacoma band performs Sparke*

The Tacoma band from Tocoma, Washinton is one of the better community bands around. I found this excellent video of them performing the finale movement of Phillip Sparke's _Dance Movements_:


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## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

Hit it, Arnie!


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## Jaws (Jun 4, 2011)

arpeggio said:


> The Tacoma band from Tocoma, Washinton is one of the better community bands around. I found this excellent video of them performing the finale movement of Phillip Sparke's _Dance Movements_:


Wow!

In the UK a lot of people play in wind bands if they can't get into a community orchestra, so it tends to be considered as second best. I play in a wind band because I couldn't stand the low standards of the community orchestras in the greater London area where I live. My group has a different perspective than most other groups here in the UK in that we play concerts to raise money for charities. Ticket money doesn't go to support the band, it goes to charity. The concert programmes have to appeal to a wide audience, so we play a lot of arrangements of film and show music.

I wish we could increase the profile of UK wind bands, as I think the music compositions are more approachable for a community group than orchestral music is for community orchestras.


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## Lunasong (Mar 15, 2011)

Ecstatic Waters by Stephen Bryant.


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## Trout (Apr 11, 2011)

Here's an interesting piece by Charles Ives I encountered today:


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## TheVioletKing (Jan 9, 2013)

Some of my favorites that have not been posted:

John Mackey's *Redline Tango*






H. Owens Reed's *La Fiesta Mexicana*






Alfred Reed's *Russian Christmas Music*


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

*Russian christmas music*

I had an interesting Christmas season. I actually performed the _Russian Christmas_ in two concerts. One we did the original band version, the other an orchestral transcription. In the orchestral transcription the arranger wrote an awesome contrabassoon part. I got to play a lot of low sustained D's. When you are playing the real low note on the contra your whole body vibrates


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## Trout (Apr 11, 2011)

Thanks for bumping the thread. I suppose I can also share a few more pieces.

Samuel Hazo: _Perthshire Majesty_ - quite lyrical and powerful, although short






Clifton Williams: _Symphonic Dance No. 3 "Fiesta"_ - I'm not sure I can call this a favorite; however it is a very interesting depiction of a Latin America celebration.






John Corigliano: _Circus Maximus (Symphony No. 3)_ - One of the more well-known recent pieces of band literature and a pretty large-scale piece as well. It is quite thrilling.






It is quite interesting that you bring up Alfred Reed as I was just delving more into his compositions fairly recently.


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## TheVioletKing (Jan 9, 2013)

I Love Alfred Reed, he is definitely one of my favorite Concert Band composers. I got to play the Orchestra version of Russian Christmas Music and I have to be honest, I think the original band version is better.

One of my favorite Alfred Reed Pieces other than Russian Christmas Music is *El Camino Real*


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## Trout (Apr 11, 2011)

Thanks for the recommendations. I think Reed's _Russian Christmas Music_ is an outstanding work and his _Armenian Dances_ are nice but a little uninteresting for me. Still, I am pretty interested to hear some of his other pieces, such as the one you just posted.



arpeggio said:


> I had an interesting Christmas season. I actually performed the _Russian Christmas_ in two concerts. One we did the original band version, the other an orchestral transcription. In the orchestral transcription the arranger wrote an awesome contrabassoon part. I got to play a lot of low sustained D's. When you are playing the real low note on the contra your whole body vibrates


As a bass clarinet player who has doubled on contra-alto and contra-bass clarinet, I think I can relate to this.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

I just joined a concert band. I'm in over my head a little, as its a first experience. The band is playing some cool stuff, one piece was by Malcolm Arnold. English composers of the 20th century seem to have a good band composing tradition. If only my clarinet had been working properly...


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

clavichorder said:


> I just joined a concert band. I'm in over my head a little, as its a first experience. The band is playing some cool stuff, one piece was by Malcolm Arnold. English composers of the 20th century seem to have a good band composing tradition. If only my clarinet had been working properly...


Welcome to the world of band junkies. According to your profile you are from Washington State. Are you familiar with the Tacoma Band? One of the above posts is a video of the them.


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## TheVioletKing (Jan 9, 2013)

How can we forget someone sooooooo very important to Concert Band: Eric Whitacre

Equus






October






and of course Lux Aurumque


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

*Army Band, Scatterday & Husa*

I just got home from a concert of the US Army Band with guest conductor Mark Scatterday of the Eastman Wind Ensemble. They performed Husa's _Prague 1968_; Prokofiev's _March Op. 99_; David Maslanka's _Symphony No. 8_ and Roberto Sierra's _La Salsa Sinfonia #3_. It was outstanding.

What would probably confound many anti-modernists is that the Husa, an atonal, 12-tone work, received a standing ovation. I have a friend who plays saxophone with the Band. He told me that because of the nature of the Husa, the Band Members were concerned how the audience would react. They were pleasantly surprised.

There will be an encore performance 7:30pm est on Friday, February 15 at Bruckner Hall; Fort Myer, VA. There will be a live audio broadcast of that performance: http://www.usarmyband.com/event-calendar.html


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## david johnson (Jun 25, 2007)

i recall playing Music for Prague when it was still in manuscript!
here is a classic -
Elegy for a Young American by LoPresti


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## OboeKnight (Jan 25, 2013)

I like just about anything from Steven Reineke. Especially Fate of the Gods, Witch and the Saint, and Goddess of Fire. He seems to have a token oboe solo in every piece, so what's not to like? 

Maslanka's Mother Earth is really fun to play. Lots of crazy meter changes.

Also Song for Lyndsay by Andrew Boysen is absolutely beautiful.

Maybe I'm un-American, but I really can't stand marches  if it weren't for the obnoxious trills in the upper woodwinds I'd probably die of boredom.


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

*Boring Bassoon Parts*



OboeKnight said:


> Maybe I'm un-American, but I really can't stand marches  if it weren't for the obnoxious trills in the upper woodwinds I'd probably die of boredom.


The bassoon parts are even more boring.


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

In March, my Wind Orchestra is going to do a Schwantner concert, playing a first-time performance of his trilogy of wind orchestra works: _...and the Mountains Rising Nowhere_, _In Evening's Stillness..._, and _From a Dark Millennium_. No wind ensemble has _ever _played all 3 in one concert, and I'm glad to be a part of it. It's to celebrate Schwantner's 70th birthday, and he might even come to the concert. Each piece is really really good, and together, they all seem to tell a single idea, like a symphony. Schwantner composed the pieces at different times in his life, but he had imagined that they somehow went together. Now my Wind Orchestra will realize that idea.


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## Trout (Apr 11, 2011)

I just heard David Maslanka's A Child Garden of Dreams live last night. It was a really great programmatic piece of music that, I thought, well depicted the strange and terrifying dreams a little girl had about a year before her death. See http://www.davidmaslanka.com/wind-ensemble/a-childs-garden-of-dreams/ for the full program notes, if you are interested.

Here is a performance of the piece in five movements:


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

*Maslanka*



Trout said:


> I just heard David Maslanka's A Child Garden of Dreams live last night. It was a really great programmatic piece of music that, I thought, well depicted the strange and terrifying dreams a little girl had about a year before her death. See http://www.davidmaslanka.com/wind-ensemble/a-childs-garden-of-dreams/ for the full program notes, if you are interested.
> 
> Here is a performance of the piece in five movements:


This was the first Maslanka piece that I had ever heard. Of all of his works it is still my favorite.


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

Note: On Saturday March 23 the City of Fairfax Band will be performing _Godzilla Eats Las Vegas_.

View attachment Gozilla Eats Las Vegas.PDF


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

*Blue Shades by Frank Ticheli*

The City of Fairfax Band will be doing one great piece at our next concert on May 11. 2013: Blue Shades by Frank Ticheli. Awsome!!!!!


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

*We nailed it!!!!!*



arpeggio said:


> The City of Fairfax Band will be doing one great piece at our next concert on May 11. 2013: Blue Shades by Frank Ticheli. Awsome!!!!!


We nailed it. Our clarinet soloist received an ovation after playing the big solo. I know it is unkosher to applaud during a classical piece but she nailed it as well.


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

*Syler, Blue-Colgrass, Dream Dancer-Sleeper, Piano Concerto*

Currently listen to the following: http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/Drilldown?name_id1=59027&name_role1=1&bcorder=1&comp_id=174178


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

*Northern Virginia Youth Wind Symphony*

I just got home from a concert with the Northern Virginia Youth Wind Symphony. The big work on the concert was the Morton Gould _West Point Symphony._ This is an incredibly difficult work to perform and they did a good job.

It is when I attend concerts like this I become skeptical of classical music is dead crowd. It was encouraging to listen to these fine young people perform such a demanding work.

There was a good size audience, not just the parents. They were very appreciative of the music.

Most of the music was by living composers and the only light work was an arrangement of "Yankee Doodle" by Morton Gould. The only 19th century work was a non-Sousa march.


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## Classical Saxophonist (Oct 11, 2013)

I actually prefer concert bands over orchestras. The sound is more blended and full-sounding than an orchestra.


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## isridgewell (Jul 2, 2013)

The Hindemith Symphony for Band is awesome.

Check out the recordings of RNCM wind orchestra, also the work of Nigel Clarke; especially Samurai


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

*H. Owen Reed*

I just learned that H. Owen Reed just passed away. He was 103:

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/lsj/obituary.aspx?pid=168984521


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## rodlloyd (Feb 2, 2014)

I play Baritone Horn in my local symphonic band. There are also two Euphoniums.

I am interested to know the ideal mix of Baritones and Euphoniums [how many of each]


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## QuietGuy (Mar 1, 2014)

Copland's own transcription of his _Outdoor Overture_? Hazo's _Sevens_


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Of course there's always room for a work of genius, Persichetti's Sixth Symphony for band.


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

*Philip Sparke-Orient Express*

Check out my post in the Latest Purchases Thread: Philip Sparke-Orient Express


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

Persichetti was a true genius... and band music elevated to the nth degree for sure


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

*Mahler for Band!!!!!!!!!!!!!*

Check out my entry in the "Latest Purchases" concerning a new (?) transcription of Mahler's _First Symphony_ for band: http://www.talkclassical.com/1006-latest-purchases-214.html#post845603


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

*RITE OF SPRING meet the United States Marine Corps Band*

I attended his concert with Maestro Giancarlo Guerrero, the current conductor of the Nashville Symphony, conducting the United States Marine Corps Band.

I located videos of the concert. The program was Michael Daugherty's _Bells for Stokowski_, Kurt Weill _Concerto for Violin and Winds_ and a transcription of Stravinsky's _Rite of Spring_.

Although the performance of _The Rite_ blew me away HIP people should avoid the video. It would probably give them a stroke.

Daugherty was present. He was a cool guy. Another living composer who is awesome.


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## Medtnaculus (May 13, 2015)

Not quite Concert Band, but (British) Brass Bands are closely related:
















My favourites. Playing these is great fun.


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## Elizabeth de Brito (Feb 10, 2016)

Trout said:


> Here are some more favorites, some more esoteric than others:
> 
> Schuman: _Chester Overture_:
> 
> ...


Kingfishers catch fire is incredible!!!! love it, have you heard what John Mackey says about bands vs orchestras?


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## Caleb Hammer (Jun 25, 2016)

*Into Existence- Concert Band Composition*

Hello all,

I've just completed my first concert band work, and it was premiered by Portage Northern High School in Southwest Michigan. It is a very challenging grade 5 work, and is a big show stopper. It is all about chaos and the destruction of matter via antimatter. I hope you all enjoy:

View on my site:
http://calebhammer.com/into-existence/
Video score:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqmPOqSsc0xMlbToaYUKsxQ
Soundcloud:

__
https://soundcloud.com/calebhammer%2Finto-existence-official-caleb-hammer

Please email me at [email protected] if you would like this work for free. I am currently trying to get my music out there and pick up more opportunities only, not make money off of it just yet.

Enjoy the rest of your day,

Caleb Hammer
www.calebhammer.com
[email protected]


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## Klassik (Mar 14, 2017)

arpeggio said:


> Trout,
> 
> As a super addicted band junkie THANKS FOR STARTING THIS THREAD!!!!!
> 
> I would like for my initial entry I would like to introduce an absolutely awsome performance of Maslanka's _Forth Symphony_ by the United States Navy Band. Mallory Thompson, the director of bands at Northwestern, was the guest conductor.





Trout said:


> I just heard David Maslanka's A Child Garden of Dreams live last night. It was a really great programmatic piece of music that, I thought, well depicted the strange and terrifying dreams a little girl had about a year before her death. See http://www.davidmaslanka.com/wind-ensemble/a-childs-garden-of-dreams/ for the full program notes, if you are interested.


These are two great works by David Maslanka. I recommend the Jerry Junkin/Dallas Wind Symphony recording on the Reference Recordings label which contains these two pieces along with _In Memoriam_. The CD is called Garden of Dreams. The performances are excellent and the fidelity of the audio is amongst the best I've heard on my stereo.

If someone is looking for a general intro into concert band music, I recommend this Dallas Wind Symphony Sampler CD from Reference Recordings. It has bits and pieces from several performances conducted by Fennell, Junkin, and Howard Dunn including the last movement of Maslanka's 4th. I'm a Houstonian so I hate to give Dallas credit for anything, but the Dallas Wind Symphony is a real gem.


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## Totenfeier (Mar 11, 2016)

Trout said:


> Here are what are considered 4 of the cornerstones of the repertoire:
> 
> Holst: _First Suite in E-flat major_
> 
> ...


Holy Cripes, those Holst and Vaughn Williams pieces just blasted me forty years back into high school instantly. Been there, done that, got the band t-shirt to prove it. The Song Without Words from Holst's Second Suite and the second song from the Vaughn Williams were sheer joys to play, and immensely important in developing my musical appreciation of line, phrase, melody and tone.

Dammit, Trout - I'm crying. "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I..."


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