Looking for any leads on a good arrangement for college or HS level wind band for US Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard theme songs as one piece - I know I have heard a few over the years, but a web search does not turn up any immediate hits. Not too fancy - just interesting!
If you know of something, please let me know on or off list (probably a few others might want to know!)
I was wondering why I could not find it. I went looking for a link to a publisher to post here to help you out. But, I think almost every band around has a copy of this. Surley, someone can help you here. ..... I corrected my spelling BTW .
Armed Forces '72 by Thomas Knox is a great arrangement but may be a bit difficult, depending on your band's skill level. You could also just play the melody sections out of the DoD versions (or any version, for that matter) of each march. Give the drums a simple, military-sounding cadence to play before each tune (in 6/8 before the Air Force) and voila: instant medley! That slight break between tunes also gives you or your MC a chance to introduce the next song. Sounds hokey, but it's quite effective. I can send you a recording of both instances if you like, just let me know.
The Marines I have seen around the world have the cleanest bodies, the filthiest minds, the highest morale, and the lowest morals of any group of animals I have ever seen. Thank God for the United States Marine Corps!
- Eleanor Roosevelt
The link below does not mention full band publications, but Jari can be contacted by phone or email and he is responsive. He may be able to send it as a PDF file.
Your woodwinds need to be proficient and there are keys like G, Db, and Gb.
USMCTuba wrote:Armed Forces '72 by Thomas Knox is a great arrangement but may be a bit difficult, depending on your band's skill level. You could also just play the melody sections out of the DoD versions (or any version, for that matter) of each march. Give the drums a simple, military-sounding cadence to play before each tune (in 6/8 before the Air Force) and voila: instant medley! That slight break between tunes also gives you or your MC a chance to introduce the next song. Sounds hokey, but it's quite effective. I can send you a recording of both instances if you like, just let me know.
We do that in two bands I am in - by ear! However, the need is for a fully worked out arrangement with transitions, printed on marching band size stock. What I have found so far from DoD sites are just melody lines - not full band arrangements. If I were better at it I would do it myself, but I found out the hard way that my skills for even slightly complicated arrangements are weak...
Just checked out a sample of the Knox arrangement on Amazon- we can do it! Now the hard part will be finding it on paper!
oldbandnerd wrote:"Armed Forces Salute" is the most popular .
This is probably the one by Bob Lowden, available for concert band or orchestra......
This arrangement is POP. That's too bad because it seems to be the one that all others are compared to.
Dan Schultz
"The Village Tinker" http://www.thevillagetinker.com" target="_blank
Current 'stable'... Rudolf Meinl 5/4, Marzan (by Willson) euph, King 2341, Alphorn, and other strange stuff.
One thing I did not consider when I suggested the Knox arrangement (which sounds curiously identical to the Buckley that Tom suggested...) is the order of the songs. The senority of each service determines the order the songs should be played: Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard. When a service band plays a medley they traditionally save their own for last; that medley was arranged for The Marine Band, so "A Marine's Hymn" is last. The Clark and Gilpin has the Air Force last, making it also technically incorrect for unaffiliated performance. Perhaps Villanueva's arrangement has the songs in the proper order. Personally, I'm a huge fan of Armed Forces '72 and I don't think any of the Marines in your audience will complain about being "saved for last," so to speak! Likewise with whatever you choose to play, I suppose...just a little FYI.
The Marines I have seen around the world have the cleanest bodies, the filthiest minds, the highest morale, and the lowest morals of any group of animals I have ever seen. Thank God for the United States Marine Corps!
- Eleanor Roosevelt
We use a piece called the "Armed Forces on Parade", the five service songs in their march arrangements. We omit the intro's on all of them using a cadence as the intro and a roll-off between songs. Works very well.
