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Notable Marches and Suites for Band

Concert Band Program Notes

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13 views3 pages

Notable Marches and Suites for Band

Concert Band Program Notes

Uploaded by

KBHR47
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

The Black Horse Troop...............................................................

John Philip Sousa


(1854 – 1932)
Fredrick Fennell, the esteemed conductor of the Eastman Wind Ensemble has
brought us this edition of one of Sousa’s greatest marches and in that edition
provided the following program notes:
The Black Horse Troop march was completed December 30, 1924
at Sousa’s Sands Point, Long Island estate. It was played for the
first time about ten months later on October 17, 1925, at a concert
of the Sousa Band in the Public Auditorium, Cleveland, Ohio – and
I was there. I had not been to such an even as this one; I remember
that as Sousa’s march was being played, Troop A rode onto the
stage and stood behind the band to the tumultuous cheering of all.
The March King enjoyed a long relationship with the men and
horses of Cleveland’s Ohio National Guard Cavalry, known as
Troop A.

Toccata for Band.............................................................................Frank Erickson


(1923-1996)
Frank Erickson is well known for his works for wind band, many of which have
become standards in the repertoire. He received both his bachelors and masters
degrees from the University of Southern California, studying under Halsey
Stevens. He later taught at University of California, Los Angeles and also San
Jose State College. A prolific orchestrator for concert bands, Erickson also wrote
Arranging for the Concert Band, an text that is still in use by many colleges.

Toccata for Band has been extremely popular among high school and college
bands ever since its publication in 1957. Organized in rudimentary sonata form,
the toccata is a wonderful teaching piece using two ideas that are initially
expressed in the opening sections of the piece. The first is a quick and rhythmic
theme featuring the trumpets and clarinet, while the second idea is slow and
lyrical, first stated by a solo horn. Notes by Janice Suban.

Suite Fraçaise.................................................................................. Darius Mihaud


(1892 – 1974)
I. Normandie
II. Bretagne
III. Ile De France
IV. Alsace-Lorraine
V. Provence
Darius Milhaud wrote the Suite Fraçaise in 1945 on commission from the
publisher, Leeds Music Corporation, as part of a contemplated series of original
works for band by outstanding contemporary composers. His first extended work
for winds, Suite Francaise was premiered by the Goldman Band in 1945. The
composer provided the following notes about the Suite:
The five parts of this suite are named after French provinces, the very ones in
which the American and Allied armies fought together with the French
underground for the liberation of my country – Normandy, Brittany, Ile-de-France
(of which Paris is the center), Alsace-Lorraine, and Provence. I used some folk
tunes of the provinces. I wanted the young Americans to hear the popular
melodies of those parts of France where their fathers and brothers fought to
defeat the German invaders who in less than seventy years have brought war,
destruction, cruelty, torture, and murder, three times, to the peaceful and
democratic people of France.

Symphony No. 1 (In Memoriam Dresden, 1945).............................Daniel Bukvich


(1954 – )
I. Prologue
II. Seeds in the Wind
III. Ave Maria
IV. Firestorm
Symphony No. 1 (In Memoriam Dresden, 1945) was written as Dan Bukvich’s
master’s thesis. The piece was originally conceived by Dan to fulfill the
requirements of a composition assignment he had dealing with contemporary
notation and “using sounds beyond normal instrument sounds. It had to deal with
the realization of an entire piece of music from one germ of an idea,” says
Bukvich. This work succeeded in launching the career of Dan Bukvich into
national prominence.

The idea for the symphony derived from a conversation he once had with the
legendary jazz artist Louie Bellson. They were talking about the music of Duke
Ellington, and a favorite chord he often used, based on the pitches C, Db, E, G.
The harmonic and melodic elements of the piece are based primarily on this
chord.

There is a program underlying Symphony No.1. It is meant to depict the fierce


Allied bombing attacks on Dresden, Germany, on February 13–14, 1945, which,
according to most recent estimates, killed between 25,000 and 30,000 people.
The four movements are derived from “The Destruction of Dresden”, an historic
account of the bombings written by David Irving. Through modern notation, the
human voice, and unusual adaptations of traditional wind instruments, Bukvich
creates powerful, haunting timbres which evoke many of the emotions
surrounding this tragedy. By both accident and design, Bukvich created a
contemporary work for winds and percussion which, to this day, is considered
amoung his most important contributions to the band repertoire. Bukvich
downplays the significance of the piece saying, “I didn’t have any message in the
Dresden symphony; I had to complete an assignment on graphic notation.”

American Salute................................................................................Morton Gould


(1913 – 1996)
Morton Gould was one of the most prolific composers of American history,
publishing his first composition, Just Six, when he was only six years old. By
eighteen, he was staff pianist at Radio City Music Hall, at twenty-one, the
conductor of the WOR Mutual Radio. When Gould moved to CBS in the 1940s,
his music reached an audience of millions. He composed in many genres;
besides music for Broadway, films, and television, his symphonic works were
being performed by the likes of Leopold Stowkowski and Arturo Toscanini. His
creativity has been recognized in numerous ways: a Pulitzer Prize (1995), a
Kennedy Center Honors Award (1994), 12 Grammy nominations (and one
Grammy award in 1966), to name but a few.

During World War II, Gould composed several settings of march tunes from the
allied nations for performance on a March, 1943 United States Government
Radio program. American Salute, a set of variations on When Johnny Comes
Marching Home was written overnight, Gould beginning at dinner time and
finishing it in time for the 9:00 a.m. broadcast the next day! Despite its relatively
rapid genesis, American Salute has remained Gould's most popular and
oftperformed work. This transcription is skillful provided by Philip Lang.

Common questions

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Daniel Bukvich employed several innovative compositional techniques in "Symphony No. 1 (In Memoriam Dresden, 1945)" to convey the tragedy of the Dresden bombings. He used contemporary notation and explored unconventional sounds including human voice and modified wind instruments to create a haunting auditory experience. The harmonic framework is based on a chord inspired by Duke Ellington, infusing emotional depth. These elements combine to evoke the chaos and sorrow associated with the bombings, enhancing the symphony's narrative impact .

The movements in Bukvich's Symphony No. 1 are designed to chronologically narrate the events and emotional aftermath of the Dresden bombings. Each movement reflects a facet of the historical tragedy—from the anticipation in "Prologue" to the devastating impact in "Firestorm." This structure allows Bukvich to present a comprehensive musical portrayal of the event, capturing both the immediate destruction and the enduring legacy of loss, aptly translating history into emotionally charged music .

In Symphony No. 1, Daniel Bukvich's inclusion of 'sounds beyond normal instrument sounds' was a crucial component of his artistic exploration. These sounds were incorporated to redefine the musical experience, allowing him to evoke the horrific intensity of the Dresden tragedy. Techniques such as vocalization and novel wind instrument adaptations helped him transcend traditional sound palettes, creating compelling emotional textures that align with the symphony's thematic content .

"The Black Horse Troop" march reflects John Philip Sousa's long-standing relationship with the Ohio National Guard Cavalry's Troop A, as it was written in their honor and often associated with their presence. The unique aspect of its premiere was the actual involvement of Troop A, who rode onto the stage while the march was played during a Sousa Band concert in Cleveland, evoking a tumultuous and enthusiastic response from the audience .

Frank Erickson's extensive training under Halsey Stevens at the University of Southern California and his teaching roles at various universities profoundly influenced his composition of 'Toccata for Band.' The work's structured organization in a rudimentary sonata form reflects Erickson's academic grounding, while the piece has become a staple in educational settings due to its pedagogical value, illustrating Erickson's commitment to developing band repertoire that serves both performance and educational purposes .

Darius Milhaud's "Suite Française" embodies historical context and cultural homage by naming each movement after French provinces that were significant in the Allies' liberation of France during World War II. The piece incorporates folk tunes from these regions, thus serving as a tribute to the area's cultural heritage and recognition of the sacrifices made during the liberation efforts against German occupation. Through this compositional choice, Milhaud bridges the past and present, allowing American audiences to connect with the regions where their forebears fought .

The dual thematic structure in Erickson's "Toccata for Band," consisting of a quick, rhythmic theme and a slow, lyrical theme, highlights contrast and encourages technical and expressive development. This structure allows educators to focus on teaching musical form and thematic development, making it a valuable tool in an academic setting while engaging students in both technical precision and emotional expression .

"American Salute" exemplifies Morton Gould's skill in blending rapid composition with enduring impact by demonstrating his ability to swiftly craft a complex set of variations. Composed overnight for a radio program, the piece's incorporation of "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" allows it to resonate with patriotic sentiment, maintaining popularity and frequent performance. Gould's adeptness at distilling musical ideas under time constraints was complemented by Philip Lang's transcription, securing the piece's place in American music repertoire .

Milhaud's inclusion of folk tunes in "Suite Française" enhances the cultural and historical narrative by rooting each movement in the specific regional identities and historical significance of the provinces named in the suite. These tunes serve to personalize and contextualize the music, transporting the listener to the geographical and cultural setting of each movement, and highlighting the area's role during World War II, fostering a deeper emotional connection to the liberation story .

Gould's "American Salute" illustrates the intersection between historical events and musical expression by transforming a Civil War-era song, "When Johnny Comes Marching Home," into a World War II musical statement. Through its variations, Gould reflects on the themes of war and homecoming, capturing the resilience and patriotic spirit associated with the wartime era. This piece's continued popularity suggests that it continues to resonate as a powerful historical and patriotic symbol .

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