Wind Band Rep.

[Levi12345]

What are some of you guys’ favorite pieces for wind band ? I’m trying to get more versed in the literature and some suggestions to listen to would be nice.

[Mark Horne]

Great pieces that were originally composed for wind bands:

Gustav Holst: First and Second Suites for Military Band

Ralph Vaughan Williams: English Folk Song Suite

Percy Grainger: Lincolnshire Posy

Most serious band musicians will have played each of these pieces multiple times over a musical career. They never get old in my opinion. Of course there are many other selections but these four should be on most people's top 10 list.

[GC]

Suite of Old American Dances, by Robert Russell Bennett.
Scenes From The Louvre and Variants on a Medieval Tune, by Norman Dello Joio.
Most works by Clifton Williams and Alfred Reed.
Most Sousa Marches, much of Karl King and Kenneth Alford.
Incantation and Dance, by John Barnes Chance.
A lot of classical transcriptions, not that much original work published since the 1980's.

[Ann Reid]

An Original Suite- Gordon Jacob
Symphonic Songs For Band- Robert Russell Bennett
Overture to “Candide” - Leonard Bernstein arr. Grundman
Moorside March- Gordon Jacob
Children’s March. Percy Grainger
Molly On the Shore
Hill Song #1
Hill Song #2
Capriol Suite- Warlock
Fugue a la Jig- J.S. Bach arr. Holst
Chorale and Alleluia- Howard Hanson
Symphony 6| Vincent Persichetti
Rhosymedre-Vaughn Williams- an exquisite piece not played as much as it ought to be
Vanished Army -Kenneth Alford - wonderful euphonium part

[timayer]

American Overture for Band by Joseph Wilcox Jenkins

(Sidenote: This piece has been overprogrammed in my life. Somehow I always end up playing it. I don't know if that's just something unique to me, though.)

De Meij Lord of the Rings

Holsinger Liturgical Dances

[mikebmiller]

Last summer I played the band transcription of Symphonic Dances from West Side Story with my college alumni band. I was playing 2nd trombone. That was both the hardest and most fun band piece I have ever played. It is around 20 minutes long and requires strong players on every part.

Also, David Maslanka has a ton of great music, but unfortunately, I have never had a chance to play any of it.

[timayer]

Second on Maslanka. His trombone concerto is incredible.

[Tom]

Stuff to listen to, from warhorses to contemporary:

Look here:
https://dallaswinds.org/recordings/

And here:
https://www.discogs.com/artist/3441651- ... -Orchestra

And here:
https://windstudies.music.unt.edu/recordings

And, if you only buy one "band" recording in your life, my opinion is that it should be this one:
https://www.discogs.com/Frederick-Fenne ... se/3989610

[mikebmiller]

I love the Holst suites, but I honestly think they have been done do death and there should be a 10 year moratorium on playing those things.

[JasonEuphonium]

Our wind ensemble is currently working on Dan Welcher's 6th Symphony, and it is absolutely fantastic. His "4 Places in the West" is also a wonderful piece.

Other favorites of mine:

Music of the Spheres - Phillip Sparke
Symphony No. 1 "The Lord of the Rings" - Johann de Meij
Most of Julie Giroux's library
The Frozen Cathedral - John Mackey
Music for Prague 1968 - Karel Husa

[Tom]

If we're just listing composers, you'd do well to get familiar with works by Claude T. Smith and Donald Grantham in addition to the many composers already mentioned. Some very technical tuba parts there, many written with military band players in mind. It is also worth getting familiar with some of the major transcriptions done for band by M.L. Lake and T. Moses Tobani and others as some of them include substantial tuba parts.

[Art Hovey]

James Barnes symphony #3:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HqFKXW ... 2A677D826E

The CT Symphonic Winds will be doing it in our next concert. Nice solo tuba passage near the beginning!

Earlier this evening I heard the Yale Concert Band do the "Rite of Spring", arranged by Terry Vosbein. That made my day. They really nailed it.

[phaymore]

Symphony for Band - Persichetti

[Ann Reid]

Gordon Jacob - Flag of Stars

First time I’ve heard this piece. What a wonderful surprise.

[hup_d_dup]

Valdres March • Johannes Hanssen
Greensleeves • Alfred Reed

[DavidBalcerzak]

James Barnes's Symphony # 3, it has a great tuba solo at the beginning of the piece.

[Steginkt]

There are two pieces for me that are recent and contemporary, but also complete masterworks of the genre.
The first would be Maslanka's Child's Garden of Dreams. This piece is a musical representation of the disturbing and biblical dreams of an extremely young girl before her death, and playing it changed my entire opinion of contemporary wind band repertoire. Here is the fifth movement.
https://youtu.be/FGWHJGNYDHE" target="_blank

The second would have to be John Mackey's Blue Cathedral.
I played Bass Trombone in a doubled trombone section in rememberance of the tragic loss of a trombone studiomate of mine in college. For me, the recording we made will always be the greatest. It is raw, and flawed.
The piece starts at 1:14:00
https://youtu.be/CBXS-cBALas" target="_blank

[Highpitch]

Of Sailors and Whales by McBeth

Suite on Celtic Folk Songs by Tatebe

Pretty good charts.

Dennis

[Dan Tuba]

Arioso - Bach
Fantasia in G major - Bach
Toccato and Fugue in D minor - Bach
American Faces - Holsinger
To Tame Perilous Skies - Holsinger
Ballet Sacra - Holsinger
Hounds of Spring - Reed
Russian Christmas Music - Reed
El Camino Real - Reed
God of Our Fathers - Claude T Smith
Eternal Father Strong to Save - Claude T Smith
Masque - MacBeth
Dance Movements - Phillip Sparke
Year of the Dragon - Phillip Sparke
The Lark Ascending - Phillip Sparke
The Lord of the Rings Symphony - DeMeij
Blue Shades - Tichelli
Amazing Grace - Tichelli
Early Light - Carolyn Bremer
Festival Overture on the American National Air, The Star Spangled Banner - Buck
Fort McHenry Suite - Julie Giroux
Celebrations - John Zdechik
A Hymn for the Lost and Living - Ewazen
Commando March - Barber
Symphony No 2.(Especially the Finale) - David Maslanka
Etc...
I could keep going, but I have way too many favorites, lol

[toobagrowl]

Lots of great ones listed, and there are a ton more. One more great one to add: "Chester" -- by William Schuman.