1. The transcription is authentic in choice of instrumental color. If the original orchestral work features melodic passages in the french horns then a transcription would be suspect to re-write it into a drastically different voice or tessatura.

2. The transcription is accurate in key and motivic material. The wind band transcription should be in the same key as the original work and refrain from changing or altering significant motivic or rhythmic patterns.

.3 The transcription is creative in response to communicating the overall style of the original work. Regardless of the type of ensemble, the overall spirit of the composer is retained for the musicians and audience to experience.

QUATTRO FIORI D’ FRESCOBALDI - (Duration 13:00)

By Girolama Frescobaldi / Wind Orchestration by John Boyd

Published by Ludwig Music (SWO-349)

This collection of four organ works by the baroque composer Girolamo Frescobaldi (1583-1643) highlights the musical possibilities that a wind band of mature instrumentation and a wonderfully crafted transcription can achieve. John Boyd has “tried to maintain the etched clarity of the Italian organs of Frescobaldi’s time and has kept some approximation of the effects obtained by different registrations on an organ”. Boyd uses all available resources and accepts no limitations when scoring this “suite” of organ transcriptions including independent english horn, string bass, contrabassoon and three flute lines. The challenging contrapuntal melodic lines written in independent voices will require a high level of ensemble awareness from any wind band.

The four movements are: I. Toccata - (74 measures) in common time and the key of C major; II. Canzone - (82 measures) an Allegro movement in 3/2 and 3/4 time in the key of C major; III. Toccata - (16 measures) a beautiful adagio brass choir setting in common time and in the key of C major; IV. Canzone - (93 measures) in 4/4 and 3/2 time in the key of F major. All four movements depend on a sincere approach to rubato and subtle dynamic inflection to correctly interpret the keyboard virtuosity of the original work.

A recording of QUATTRO FIORI is available on the compact disk “Tapestries” recorded by the Indiana State University Faculty Winds on the Truemedia Label (#D9611). Regardless of whether your ensemble plans to perform this piece this work, and especially the THREE CHORALE PRELUDES that follows, are more than worthwhile of your score study and examination. These works have the potential to expand your awareness of the wind band and wind orchestration that can later be applied to the interpretation of additional repertoire.

THREE CHORALE PRELUDES, OPUS 122 - (Duration 11:06)

By Johannes Brahms / Wind Orchestration by John Boyd / Edited by Frederick Fennell

Published by Ludwig Music (SWO-375)

Great band programs have long realized the benefits of teaching balance, blend and intonation with chorales. This set of late Brahms chorales (May and June of 1896) have often been attributed to his severe illness at the time; written merely a year before his death in 1897. They are expressive in harmonic and textural movement and present a beautiful resource for the “fine tuning” of an ensemble’s musical awareness (a sparse, but harmonically vital timpani part is included). It is difficult to remember the last time I’ve heard a chorale programmed on a band concert, but then again, these are not your ordinary homophonic J. S. Bach chorale arrangements.

I. “Behold, a Rose is Blooming” - (41 measures) an Andantino 3/4 chorale in the key of F major

II. “O God, Thou Faithful God” - (62 measures) an Andante 4/4 chorale in the key of Bflat major

III. “O World, I Now Must Leave Thee” - (31 measures) a Lento Maestoso 4/4 chorale in the key of F major

A recording of THREE CHORALE PRELUDES is available on the compact disk “Symphonic Movements” recorded by the Indiana State University Wind Ensemble on the Brain Label (BOCD 7507).