TITLE: "Ode to Joy" from Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9

ARRANGER: Elliot Del Borgo

PUBLISHER: FJH Band Series

GRADE: 2

PERFORMANCE TIME: 3:50

This setting of "Ode to Joy" deserves our attention for the depth of contrapuntal writing and form development that is accomplished within a Grade 2 work for young band. Del Borgo creatively augments and manipulates the main thematic material to build musical destinations instead of merely sating the theme four times and writing a coda. This creativity is accompanied by sound orchestration in a balance between areas of tutti band and highlighted woodwind and brasswind sections; therefore increasing the demand on ensemble. Split parts are written for flutes, clarinets, trumpets, and trombones (with baritone/euphonium as optional trombone 2). Percussion writing is excellent with a well-defined bell part, timpani (3), snare and bass drum, triangle, tom-tom, and suspended cymbal. The entire work is in the key of concert Eflat major with limited ranges and interval skips. Rhythmic patterns do not exceed the difficulty level of dotted quarter notes and eighth notes. "Ode to Joy" will be a terrific musical step in the development of a young band program by providing quality learning material with music that students and the community will respect.

TITLE: Emerald Bay

COMPOSER: Greg Gruner

PUBLISHER: FJH Band Series

GRADE: 1

PERFORMANCE TIME: 1:40

The challenge of finding quality wind literature is not only limited to grade 5 works for advanced high school band. Beginning band works must excel at providing the compositional elements that can make sequential learning possible and also be exciting at the same time; "Emerald Bay" is just such a work. For example, all too often beginning band works only allow the clarinets and trumpets to play the melody, but in "Emerald Bay" all of the instruments are scored with the melody at least once during the piece.

All instruments remain within the one octave range in the key of concert Bflat major throughout the piece with interval skips no larger than a perfect fifth. All parts are unison except clarinets and trumpets (oboe, bassoon and baritone saxophone parts are included). Percussion includes bells (which mirrors the flute part), snare and bass drum and crash cymbals. An eight bar percussion feature includes flams and five and nine stroke rolls for the snare drums. The real outstanding feature of "Emerald Bay" is the trombone part that includes limited glissandos between first and sixth position. It is difficult to think of a better way to draw positive attention and excitement to a young, developing trombone section than adding such an effect into a beginning band work; the students and audience are sure to enjoy the contribution. With all of the balanced strengths of "Emerald Bay" it will truly be an educational and entertaining work to program on a future concert.