La Fiesta Brava (Paso Doble)

John Edmondson

A Stirring Spanish march that moves from woodwind flourishes to full band passages.

Ashokan Farewell

Jay Ungar Arr. Paul Lavender

The piece used as the theme music for The Civil War is called Ashokan Farewell. Ashokan Farewell as named for the Ashokan field Campus of the State University of New York. Ashokan is the name of a town, most of which is now under a magical body of water. Ashokan Farewell is written in the style of a Scottish lament or Irish Air.

The White Plume

John Phillip Sousa

John Phillip Sousa had collaborated with Edward M. Taber on a song intended to give support to the presidential campaign of James Gillespie Blane who was known as the "plumed knight." Blaine was the republican candidate and lost to Grover Cleveland in the election. In 1884, while director of the Marine Band, Sousa rearranged the song as a march and called it "The White Plume".

Gospel Echoes

Fred J. Allen

Churches of all denominations thrive in this part of the Bible Belt, and the singing associated with worship and old fashioned tent revivals is familiar to the residents of East Texas. It is still common to find people in this region who read the "shape notes" used to teach singing in the 19th century American churches and schools. Songs in this genre are melodic and heartfelt, and frequently have moving parts in the alto and tenor lines at the cadences: this composition for band has these features. This piece was inspired by an original gospel song composed by Carlisle band student Amanda Curtis. Though not an arrangement of her song, "Gospel Echoes" displays the same flavor in its style. Fred J. Allen is the Director of Bands at Stephen F. Austin. Mr. Allen wishes to point out that the title "Gospel Echoes" has two meanings. Not only does it describe the music which echoes through the legacy of East Texas, but it also can be read as a short declarative sentence: the "good news" in the Bible echoes, or resonates, in the lives of the musicians playing the piece.

Campbell River Sketches

Mark Williams

Mark Williams is one of our better writers of band literature. He has composed a piece that touches the British folk-song style with its melodious opening in the Ballad then progressing to the "March" with a rollicking jig-like flavor. The rhythmic motif in the introduction sets the feel for an exciting piece.

Pollywogs Lake Talk

Barry Ulman

Sax Quartet featuring Jennifer Riggs, Juan Cedillo, Roshell Lewis and Zavyon Rettig

Come Back to Sorrento

Harold L. Walters (special arr.)

featuring Mr. Wallace Read

This Italian folk song melody was written for the trumpet in this special arrangement by Harold L. Walters

BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC

(A Symphonic Portrait)

adapted and arranged by Theodore Maki

It began life in the 1850's as a hymn, presumable of the high-spirited revival type, to judge from its famous "Glory, Hallelujah!" Migrating northward, it entered the repertoire of an army regimental glee club stationed at Boston Harbor. At news of the hanging of John Brown at Harper's Ferry in 1859 new words were improvised, and the former hymn became a marching song known as "John Brown's Body." It was taken up by other regiments and finally reached Washington, D.C. where Julia Ward Howe, hearing it in December of 1861, was inspired to write the thrilling lyric that was to give the song its name. "The Battle Hymn of the republic" was published as a poem in The Atlantic Monthly in February, 1862, and it was largely on the strength of the first woman ever elected to the Academy of Arts and Letters. William Steffe is usually listed as the composer of this beautiful melody but the difficulty is that nobody is sure who did write it. One thing is certain, whoever wrote it achieved something which is the subconscious goal of every composer alive: to create something imperishable. This song cannot die, for it has taken root in too many American hearts. Theodore Maki, an outstanding arranger, has lavished all his skill in creating this symphonic portrait of the immortal "Battle Hymn of the Republic."