Circus Music for Concert Band

[Z-Tuba Dude]

Does anyone know where to find circus band arrangements (Merle Evans' stuff comes to mind!), for concert band?

A community band that I work with, has been asked to play for a local event, for which that kind of music would be perfect. I know that the marches were typically taken very fast (which can be a challenge for a community band!), but anyone who has experience with circus playing that they think might be of help, please share!

Thanks!

[OOMPAH]

[Tubaryan12]

http://www.circusmusic.org/index.htm" target="_blank

The Windjammers Unlimited is a 501(c)3 historical music society that is dedicated to the preservation of traditional music of the circus.

If you find anything you like on this website, see if you can download the parts for free here:

http://www.bandmusicpdf.org/

Go to search, then agree, then when the new search window pops up, just type circus into the keyword window, hit search again and you will get a list of everything they have under that category.

Check it out, and show the North Royalton Community Band some love (of which I am a proud member).

[J. Laux]

My college community band played The Big Cage by Karl King for our first concert, great song but it gets crazy fast by the end. I believe we got the music from JWPepper.com.

[pierso20]

You could try and find the Circus Bee by F. Fennel, thats a good one that features low brass in the second string. I think i recall it being marked at quarter = 160

It is a cool piece....working on it right now......and that low brass feature is pretty tricky and tiring........maybe not the best for a community band...MAYBE. It can definitely be done though. The low brass will appreciate the challenge.

I believe the march is actually by Fillmore.

[scottw]

Aside from the usual circus marches like Circus Bee, Barnum and Bailey's Favorites, etc., there is a new-ish piece that is easily played by community bands called," Under the Big Top" which is made up of parts separated by whistle, such as the entry, elephants, aerialists, clowns, etc. Cute and easy.

[DonShirer]

Several years ago I wrote a circus medley ('Circus Echoes') which has been successfully played by both a top university ensemble and a community band. Many of its sections are evocative of specialized acts (elephants, big cats, etc) which are not particularly fast. Those that are up tempo were written with community bands in mind (and ours had no trouble with them). Let me know if you are interested. (Required shameless plug disclosure here.)

[scottw]

Several years ago I wrote a circus medley ('Circus Echoes') which has been successfully played by both a top university ensemble and a community band. Many of its sections are evocative of specialized acts (elephants, big cats, etc) which are not particularly fast. Those that are up tempo were written with community bands in mind (and ours had no trouble with them). Let me know if you are interested. (Required shameless plug disclosure here.)

Is this piece published, Don? If so, how would a band order it?

[Dan Schultz]

http://www.bandmusicpdf.org/

Go to search, then agree, then when the new search window pops up, just type circus into the keyword window, hit search again and you will get a list of everything they have under that category.

Check it out, and show the North Royalton Community Band some love (of which I am a proud member).

Ed Ballenger, donated his library of circus marches to bandmusicpdf shortly before his death last year. He was an avid member of 'Windjammers' and an all-around good guy. A euphonium player... but I forgave him for that!

[David Richoux]

There is a massive amount of Circus Band music (and many CDs in this style) at http://www.barnhouse.com/ Click [books] at the left side of the
page, and then click [Vintage Band Collections/March Books] or explore the other sections.

Not for free, but available in a variety of formats.
(I got this info from Jim O'Briant on the TubaEuph list, by the way...)