TWO SOLEMN PIECES

I. CHRISTUS FACTUS EST by Anton Bruckner

II. ANDANTE FESTIVO by Jean Sibelius

Arranged for concert band by Richard Thurston

Southern Music Company, 1999 (S759)

Two late works by Austrian composer Anton Bruckner (1824-1896) and Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) provide a wealth of phrasing and intonation opportunities for the high school concert band returning from a long summer break. The “Christus Factus Est” (Christ Became Man for our Sake) was written in 1884 for unaccompanied chorus and illustrates advanced style characteristics such as chromatically shifting harmonies, phrases ending in silence, and moods alternating between exhaltation and serene contemplation. The entire work is 79 measures in length (apx. 5:30 minutes) set in common time in the key center of d minor. Exposed parts are written for instrument pairs of trumpet/flute, bassoon/euphonium, and alto sax/horn. As with the following “Andante Festivo” this work includes only a skeleton timpani part.

The opening of a new factory in Finland in 1922 included a commission for Jean Sibelius to write “Andante Festivo” for string quartet. The work was expanded to full orchestra in 1930 and took on special historical and patriotic significance when the Russians invaded the small Baltic country in 1939. An impressive level of musical intensity is created when this short work is correctly interpreted harmonically and taken in context of the tragic event it is associated with by the Finnish people. The entire work is 75 measures in length (apx. 9:30 minutes with repeats) set in common time and in the key center of F major. I highly recommend the 1984 recording conducted by Neeme Jarvi with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra (BIS CD-222). The compact disk also includes Sibelius Symphony No.5 and Karelia Overture.

SPECIAL NOTE: Richard Thurston has skillfully scored both works in such a manner that they may be performed drawing from a woodwind or brass choir from the band (with added timpani). Both arrangements are well constructed and the additional time and effort dedicated to allowing this new ensemble flexibility will be appreciated by music directors who may now use these works for both large and small ensemble teaching.

ENGLISH WALTZ by Percy Aldridge Grainger

Set for Concert Band by Mark Rogers

Southern Music Company, 1999 (S737)

“Youthful Suite” was compiled in the 1940’s and written for both two pianos/four hands and later for full orchestra. The five movement work included “Northern March”, “Rustic Dance”, “Norse Dirge”, “Eastern Intermezzo” and now set for concert band by Mark Rogers the “English Waltz”. This 299 measure waltz is well suited for the experienced high school or college ensemble with significant musical strengths both technically and harmonically.

The waltz is taken “one to a bar” with the dotted quarter note=69. Displaced contrapuntal lines abound in the accompaniment (alto saxophone and horn ala “Lincolnshire Posy”) with the naturally expected demanding technical woodwind parts (including bassoon tenor clef) and frequent chromatic runs. While the basic melody material is reinvented over and over it is set in new voices and rotates through the key centers of Bflat major, Dflat major, Eflat major, and Gflat major with ease. With years of valuable experience editing the wind works of Grainger, Mark Rogers is also at home to share with the musicians more stylistically appropriate “Blue-Eyed English” markings.

On top of the technical and harmonic expectations of this arrangement the effect of instrumental texture must not be overlooked. The score includes parts for english horn, soprano saxophone, double bassoon, and alto, bass and double bass clarinet. This is in addition to important parts for harp, piano, double bass, timpani, marimba, xylophone, vibraphone, chimes, Swiss hand bells, and a wide variety of battery percussion! At first glance such a setting may be inhibitive in achievement and shear resources until we remember a trait that Grainger was well documented to support: flexible instrumentation. Although musically not for the “faint of heart”; at the core of this setting is the musical imagination of a genius of the wind band and surely not something that will be easily forgotten.