Memorial piece for Youth wind ensemble and chorus - Music-Web Forums

Majesty · #1 21-11-2006, 01:39 AM

This is a piece for a youth wind ensemble, Baritone solo and youth chorus. Originally, I was comissioned to write a piece for the wind ensemble but the project grew into something bigger. I was given many restrictions as many of the students are of a beginner to interdediate level of musicianship. For that reason, the piece stays mostly in the key of C with hints of other tonalities such as, A minor, F major, etc.

The piece is constructed in three movements. The first movement is a memorial to those of the armed forces and continues right into the second movment which is a march. The third movment is a repetition of the first movement. The piece will be performed at a memorial day concert next year May.

The first movement uses the poem "The Memorial" for text.
In the second movement, the chorus sings "Ahs" and the third movment uses the poem "In Flanders Fields" for text.

Hope you enjoy.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/song...songID=4437615

reith · #2 02-12-2006, 12:45 AM

Originally Posted by Majesty

Hope you enjoy.

Certainly did! I love the way your diatonic harmony defies the conventional... the surprise progressions and the way cadential phrases always manage to resolve onto a (sometimes new) tonic with something added or an appoggiatura. It's very rich, harmonically and scored thoughtfully. I liked the change around 5:00. In a real performance the final bars could be brought off so triumphally.

Certainly sounds ceremonial; splenderous. You have a way...these things come off with terrific verve!

Reith

Majesty · #3 03-12-2006, 12:31 AM

Thanks for listening and for you comments. I'm glad you enjoyed the piece. I hope the students I wrote this for will enjoy it as well. Hopefully, I'll get a good recording out of the performance that I can post.

Stenir · #4 04-12-2006, 06:28 PM

I'd love to see a score. I'm in the military myself. Happy to see people support us through music!

MaestroX · #5 05-12-2006, 11:02 AM

Just had a listen Majesty its a nice piece and I absolutly love the melody at 00:47, I only wish it kept playing and was not interuppted but i think thats part of the character of this piece. I like the way you have the intruments bounching submelodies of each other which sounds particullary affective on the woodwind.

Majesty · #6 05-12-2006, 04:31 PM

Thank you for all your comments! It was a fun piece to work on.

What better way to support the military than with music?! I'm hoping the performance will rouse the hearts and minds of the audience. During the opening intro there will be a slide show of service men and veterans. I'm really looking forward it.

Stenir · #7 09-08-2007, 06:13 PM

Did you have a score for this, Majesty? I was looking through my PM and saw reference to this piece. I'd love to see that score (mainly because I hear things better when I see them on paper as opposed to just listening).

Majesty · #8 16-08-2007, 01:17 PM

Wow, must have been an old PM

I do have a score, but I have to dig it up. I remember I was making changes on it because the original student ensemble was so "strange" as far as instrumentation. I had decided to make some adjusmens in the score to make it more universal. Since then, I have started work on my opera, and the gloria. So, I'll have to dig up the score and see where its at.