Please see today's blog post from Dave Wacyk, one of our graduate conducting students, who will be conducting the first two movements of the Mozart C Minor Serenade on our next concert on November 5. Enjoy! 1781-1784 was a productive year for Mozart’s contribution of repertoire for winds. It was during this time that he wrote his Serenade in C-minor. In 1782 Emperor Joseph II (who loved the sound of wind instruments) set forth to create his Kaiserlich-Königliche Harmonie, or

Written for a brass ensemble, Percy Grainger's Duke of Marlborough Fanfare is a shorter work for winds that, in many ways, is an underperformed and under appreciated piece for the medium. Program notes are below, as well as a recording. Percy Grainger's Duke of Marlborough Fanfare takes its inspiration from an 18th-century broadside ballad, probably written relatively close to the event it portrays--namely the Battle of Ramillies (1706) between the English and French. The ver

Today's post will feature more band music from Warren Benson as we explore The Leaves Are Falling. Benson began composition of the piece on November 22, 1963 the date of the assassination of John F. Kennedy and the work uses the Martin Luther hymn tune Ein' feste Burg (A Mighty Fortress). The piece is extremely important in the history of band music and was considered exceptionally important and groundbreaking at the time of its composition. Below you can find program notes o

Ralph Vaughan Williams and Gustav Holst are in many ways kindred spirits in the world of classical music and especially band music. Both were English composers fascinated with English folk song and both of them wrote multiple pieces for military band that have become staples of the wind band repertoire. Today's blog post will focus on Vaughan Williams's "Folk Song Suite." Below you can find program notes and a recording. English Folk Song Suite-Wikipedia page The program note

Today's blog will feature another piece by Frank Ticheli - Blue Shades. Program notes are below as well as a recording. Frank Ticheli, Blue Shades University of North Texas Wind Symphony, Eugene Corporon, conductor These notes are from http://www.windband.org/ This composition reflects Frank Ticheli’s love for the traditional jazz music that he heard so often while growing up near new Orleans. Blue Shades was his opportunity to express his own musical style in this medium. He

Since it's the end of the summer, a piece entitled Postcard would seem to be appropriate. Below you can find information on Frank Ticheli's Postcard, and a recording. These program notes are by the composer. Postcard was commissioned by my friend, colleague, and mentor, H. Robert Reynolds, in memory of his mother, Ethel Virginia Curry. He requested that I compose not an elegy commemorating her death, but a short energetic piece celebrating her life. In response, I have compos

In a similar vein to yesterday's post, today's blog post will focus on Gordon Jacob's Music for a Festival. You can find program notes and a recording below. The notes are from a review of the CD "A Festival of Music." Gordon Jacob followed closely in the footsteps of Vaughan Williams and Holst in the early part of the twentieth century. Together they enriched the repertoire and raised the status of the military band, and of symphonic wind bands in general, as perceived by th

Today's post will focus on another classic for large wind ensemble: Gordon Jacob's William Byrd Suite. Jacob wrote many pieces for band (which we will explore more of in the near future), but the William Byrd Suite is probably his most famous. Extensive program notes below are by Brian Doyle, as well as recordings. William Byrd Suite I. The Earle of Oxford's Marche II. Pavana III. Jhon Come Kiss Me Now IV. The Mayden's Song V. Wolsey's Wilde VI. The Bells William Byrd (1543-1

Below are program note and a recording of Vincent Persichetti's Masquerade for Band Vincent Persichetti: Masquerade for Band, Op. 102 "The President's Own" United States Marine Band, Col. Michael J. Colburn, conductor Vincent Persichetti: Masquerade for Band, Op. 102 (1966) Masquerade, a theme and set of ten variations, is a realization of examples and exercises that can be found in Persichetti’s book, Twentieth Century Harmony. Reflecting his ever-present sense of humor, Per

Continuing with the music of Vincent Persichetti, today's blog post will focus on his Divertimento. Along with the Symphony (see yesterday's post), these two are widely considered Persichetti's two best works for bands. You can read two different sets of program notes below and hear a recording. Vincent Persichetti, Divertimento, Op. 42 University of North Texas Wind Symphony, Eugene Corporon, conductor Below are program notes by James Huff of the Claremont Winds. The Diverti