What are your favorite pieces for wind band?

[arpthark]

Discuss. Doesn't have to have a ripsnort tuba part or anything.

[edfirth]

Universal Judgement

[DonO.]

Holst First Suite in Eb.

[bloke]

Band directors (still today...??, only around here...??, only in the past...??) seem (seemed?) to view Lincolnshire Posey as "the ultimate band composition" (typical brag: "Our band performed Lincolnshire Posey 'at contest'.") I've never played it, and (admittedly) listening to it never held my attention nor captured my imagination.

I'm pretty impressed with La Fiesta Mexicana - H. Owen Reed.
I even liked it the first time I heard it performed by kids.
(me: probably 16 years old, when the second-stringers were up there on stage playing it...It was a BETTER and MORE IMPRESSIVE piece than any of the things that had been programmed for the "first band" play - and - actually - we had some pretty good pieces programmed.)
Later - having heard a recording of the Marine Band playing it - it was amazing.

I myself have NEVER had an opportunity to play La Fiesta Mexicana.

[hrender]

"Incantation and Dance" by John Barnes Chance.
"American Overture" by Joseph Jenkins.

[DonO.]

"Incantation and Dance" by John Barnes Chance.
"American Overture" by Joseph Jenkins.

I really like American Overture, but you have to have a rock solid French horn section to not flub that opening!

[dp]

[Mary Ann]

I agree about American Overture, and yup about the horn section. I've played it several times, and as I have aged I admit to leaving out the parts that I was likely to flub. Better that than messing it up for others.

[bloke]

snooty (with really sincere apologies) critique of Dragon:

- wonderful playing...too early in the piece (imo) for the tubas to be dropping octaves.
- hate to say it but a bunch of great fiddles just sound better than a bunch of great clarinets (shimmer...another couple of octaves of resonance).

I have NO idea what/who/where the Capitol Symphony is...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18nN_3lrqok

[Jperry1466]

Both of the Holst Military Suites
La Fiesta Mexicana - Alfred Reed
Almost anything by John Barnes Chance
Sells-Floto Triumphal by Karl King https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nxl9DBX-NeM
Melody Shop - Karl King
Hands Across the Sea - Sousa

Yes, I'm an old band director and a march guy.

[arpthark]

Carmen Dragon's "America" is the first time lots of kids encounter a C-flat in the key signature in the wild.

[dsfinley]

Maslanka 4 is my all time favorite work. It elicits a lot of emotion.

[LibraryMark]

“Rocky Point Holiday” has been a favorite of mine for a long time. It took on a bit more of a special meaning when I moved up here.

In my opinion, one of the better pieces for exploring the voices accessible in the modern wind band.

[tubanh84]

Maslanka 4 is my all time favorite work. It elicits a lot of emotion.

I'll extend that to any Maslanka. I got to work with him once, and he was an inspiring musician to play for.

I'll add the Bach Gigue Fugue.

Elsa's Procession.

Everything else I was thinking about has already been listed.

[arpthark]

“Rocky Point Holiday” has been a favorite of mine for a long time. It took on a bit more of a special meaning when I moved up here.

In my opinion, one of the better pieces for exploring the voices accessible in the modern wind band.

Huh, I didn't realize that was in RI.

I'll add Nelson's "Sonoran Desert Holiday," though I prefer Rocky Point.

[YorkNumber3.0]

.

[hrender]

Couple more I thought of:

English Folk Song Suite by Ralph Vaughan Williams
Russian Christmas Music by Alfred Reed

[arpthark]

Couple more I thought of:

English Folk Song Suite by Ralph Vaughan Williams
Russian Christmas Music by Alfred Reed

Oh man. Those almost go without saying!

I should've said, "what is your favorite wind band piece BESIDES works by Alfred Reed, Holst, RVW, Sousa and Grainger?" Although, they are classics for a reason.

[matt g]

Stating the obvious…

Stuff like Grainger really shines, imo, when it’s the bare bones minimum for part coverage.

Other works, like Reed, work really well with massive bands with doubling (or more) per part.

There’s a transcription of Kalinnikov #1 that works really well for a large ensemble.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphon ... alinnikov)

[Paulver]

Oh Man!!!
Too many to list, and I can't remember half of them right now.