The Symphony

During the Baroque era, the terms symphony and sinfonia were used to
describe many types of pieces, regardless of form or structure, likely due to
the words origins (sounding together).
The opera overture, an Italian form that featured three movements in
contrasting tempi (fast, slow fast) developed in the 1700s, and is
considered the likely forerunner to our current concept of the symphony.
Promoted largely by aristocracy in Vienna.
Late Haydn / Mozart, the form changed from three movements to four.
The number of major composers symphonies decreased from 101 (Haydn)
to 41 (Mozart) to 9 (Beethoven), signifying an increase in complexity and
artistic significance during the Classical period.

H. OWEN REED
La Fiesta Mexicana (1948)

About H. Owen Reed

Studied composition with a wide variety of composers, including
Howard Hanson, Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein, Roy Harris, and
Arnold Schoenberg.
Spent his career at Michigan State University from 1939-1976 (and
held the title of professor emeritus until his death just last year.
Taught many wind conductors and composers, including David
Gillingham and David Maslanka.
Many of his works incorporated traditional or folk music from various
cultures found on the North American continent (Mexican, Native
American, African American, Anglo American, etc.).

Commissioning and Conception

The piece came about as the result of a Guggenheim fellowship
awarded to Reed with the specific intent of writing a piece for band.
Studied Mexican folk music and culturally prominent music from other
sources including popular tunes, religious music, etc.
The source material he incorporated into the work included a march
(which Reed transcribed himself), an Aztec melody he purchased from
an ethnomusicologist who specialized in Aztec music, a medieval book
of Gregorian chant used in Catholic worship, and mariachi music.
Reed conceived it as a Mexican folk song symphony depicting a
typical fiesta.

Instrumentation
Included a broad variety of percussion instruments to literally
represent or evoke the source music.
Snare drum, bass drum, cymbals, maracas, tam tam, temple blocks,
tom toms, tubular bells, marimba.
Also utilized a small off-stage band.

Macro Analysis of La Fiesta

Mexicana
Mvt I: Prelude and Aztec Dance
The opening of the fiesta is depicted with tolling church bells and fireworks at
midnight. The celebrators gather in the court surrounding the old cathedral,
and rest until the church bells and fireworks return to signify morning. A
band is heard in the distance, and an Aztec dance can be heard.
Mvt II: Mass
A traditional latin chant is quoted to emphasize that, at its core, the fiesta is
a religious celebration.
Mvt III: Carnival
Lively public entertainment is evoked here: the circus, the market, the
bullfight, the town band, Mariachis, etc.

Micro-analysis: Why is this a

symphony?
Each movement is through- composed, and Reed notes that any
individual movement can be played as a stand-alone piece (and even
individual sections within each movement).
Opening theme: church bells and fireworks.
Parade.
Aztec Dance.
Chant.
La Negra (Mariachi song)
Recaptiulation in Mvt. III.

PAUL HINDEMITH
Symphony in Bb

About Paul Hindemith

Born in Nov. 1895 till Dec. 1963
Was one of the the principal German composers of the first half of the
20th century and leading music theorist.
Hindemith sought to revitalize tonality--the traditional harmonic
system that was being challenged by many other composers-- also
pioneered in the writing of Gebrauchsmusik (utility music)
Hindemith earned his living at an early age playing the violin in cafes,
dance bands and theatres.
While we played these small gigs his compositions were being heard
at international festivals of contemporary music. By the late 1920s,
Hindemith was regarded as the foremost German composer of his
generation.

Commissioning and Conception

Symphony in Bb was composed for the occasion of an invitation for
Paul Hindemith to guest conduct the premiere band of the US Army,
Pershing Own.
When first invited to appear, Hindemith requested a later date so that
he might have the time write a little something. That little
something being Symphony in Bb.
This piece was innovative, in that it was the first substantive,
extended, original work to be composed for the wind band.
HIndemiths use of orchestration was groundbreaking in terms of
depth of sonority he achieved with the ensemble and in his
development of themes through the use of texture and numerous
solo exposures.
In contrast to his Gebrauchsmusik compositions that were intended
for amateur musicians, Symphony in Bb was written for the mature,

Commissioning and Conceptions

Unlike Schoenbergs Theme and Variations, Hindemiths piece makes
no concessions to either the performers nor the audience.
A masterpiece of formal structure and thematic development, it has
become one of the cornerstones of the wind band rep.
Ironically, even though Symphony in Bb was not intended for
scholastic level ensembles, and Schoenbergs piece was, it is the
former piece that is more often performed by high school bands.
Symphony in Bb was premiered in Washington DC on April 5, 1951
by Pershings Own, with Hindemith conducting.

Instrumentation
Piccolo, 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 1 Eb Clarinet, 1 Solo Bb Clarinet, 3 Bb
Clarinets, 1 Eb Alto Clarinet, 1 Bb Bass Clarinet, 2 Bassoons, 2 Eb Alto
Saxes, 1 Bb Tenor Sax, 1 Eb Baritone Sax
1 Solo Bb Cornet, 3 Bb Cornets, 3 Trombones, 4 F Horns, 1 Baritone, 2
Basses
Timpani, Mixed Percussion (3 players)

Macro Analysis
Mvt. I
Symphony in Bb is a three movement work, with the movements
named simply after their stylistic indications:

Moderately fast, with vigor

Andantino grazioso
Fugue, Rather Broad
There are a number of themes that appear throughout the composition in
various guises. The interval of a perfect fourth is used extensively, facilitating
Hindemiths pantonal language. The resulting quartal harmonies give the piece
an angular, industrial quality, almost as though Hindemith anticipated his
countrys postwar high-tech economic recovery.

Macro Analysis
Each movement is divided into two parts. In the first movement the division occurs following mm.
77. The first part is characterized by a preponderance of triplet eighth not rhythms; in the second
part, the dominant rhythm is the dotted eighth/sixteenth note combination. Hindemith immediately
establishes the scope of the ensemble and the promise of the depth of his composition with a fully
scored figure on the opening downbeat.
There are several entrances of the main melody and its countermelody in another imitative, but not
strictly fugal, texture. As before, Hindemith adds instruments and density to the orchestration,
increasing the intensity into a moment of full ensemble involvement at mm. 147.
Hindemith achieves sonorous block voicing's through the simulation of the harmonic series as seen
in the open 5ths at the bottom of the chords and thirds placed relatively high up in the structures.

Macro Analysis
In contrast with the bulk of the multi-movement
pieces composed for the wind band, the scale, sophistication, and length
of this first movement, along with its highly developed formal structure,
would allow it to stand on its own as a complete piece of music. Perhaps
recognizing once again the conventions of the band world, Hindemith
could foresee that his first movement might be programmed as a standalong piece, so he designed it in such a way that it would seem complete
unto itself.

Why is this piece important?

Composer Vincent Persichetti, who himself contributed significantly to
the wind band rep. wrote an article discussing Hindemiths work in
1964.
He states, Band music is virtually the only kind of music in
America today which can be introduced, accepted, put to immediate
wide use, and become a staple of the literature in a short time.
With the post WWII boom in college and public schools band activity,
there was a growing population of directors hungry for well crafted
music for the wind band. HIndemiths contribution to the
advancement of wind band orchestrational practices is significant. He
demonstrates the manner by which a complex, contrapuntally-dense
composition can be constructed to take advantage of the wide variety
of instrumental colors available in the wind ensemble.

MORTON GOULD
Symphony for Band West Point

About Morton Gould

Child prodigy. He published his first composition before his seventh
birthday.
Hired as a pianist for the National Broadcasting Company in 1933. He
later became the music director for New Yorks WOR, where his
compositional life thrived.
He received a Pulitzer Prize in 1995 for Srtingmusic, an orchestral
piece.

Commissioning and Conception

Commissioned for the sesquicentennial the United States Military
Academy at Westpoint. (Along with 6 other compositions that were
commissioned.)

Invited by the commanding officer of the military band.

Premiered April 13th, 1952 at the military academy.

Gould conducted the premiere.
Gould continued to work with the band until he died. (Actually the day
before.)

Instrumentation
3 trumpets and 3 coronet parts. Each part is independent. Used for
antiphonal effects, and for color changes.
4th trombone part. Allows for a thicker scoring of the trombone
section, and for doubling the bass line while keeping a three part
harmony.
Marching Machine in the percussion section. The effect is that of feet
hitting the ground as if a formation of people were marching past.
(Used during the passacaglia.)

Macro Analysis of Symphony for

Band West Point
I. Epitaphs
Builds upon a pensive theme in clarinets and bassoons. Answered by
a brass chorale, and proceeding into a developing section. The
movement transitions into a passacaglia section, marked by an
ostinato in the trumpets and cornets. (Evoking a battle)
The passacaglia subject is presented in the tubas and repeated 10
times. After that, there is a return to the slow opening theme. The
movement ends quietly, evoking the bugle call Taps in tritones and
foreshadowing.

Macro Analysis of Symphony for

Band West Point (cont.)
II. Marches
This movement contrasts Epitaphs. Gould describes it as lusty and
gay in character. A stylization of marching tunes that parade past in
an array of embellishments and rhythmic variants. At one point there
is a simulation of Fife and Drum Corps which, incidentally, was the
instrumentation of the original West Point Band.
The movement, driven by markings such as boisterous, driving
onward, and faster and faster, ends with a transformed version of
the opening themes of the first movement.

Why Is This Piece Important?

Instrumentation was expanded to create a thicker texture and the use
of non-traditional instruments (marching machine) show forwardthinking.
Made full and idiomatic use of the color palette available in a wind
band setting.
The piece is in two movements, which was gaining popularity at the
time.

DAVID
MASLANKA
Symphony No. 3 (1991)

About David Maslanka

Studied at the University of Michigan with H. Owen Reed.

Reed was a huge supporter of Wind Ensemble literature and wrote several
pieces that remain in the core repertoire.

Taught at Kingsborough Community College for over 20 years.

Moved to Missoula, Montana and lives off of commissions from
compositions since 1990.
Maslankas Symphony No. 3 was one of the first pieces written after
his move to Montana.

Commissioning and Conception

Symphony No. 3 was commissioned by the University of Connecticut Wind
Ensemble and was dedicated to the conductor, Gary Green.
The composition was supported through a consortium, which included: the
University of Connecticut's Music Department as well as the Research Foundation
of the University of Connecticut
According to letters written to Gary Green, Maslanka worked on the Symphony in
parts, sending movements to Green as soon as they were finished.
The Symphony is a partly programmatic, explaining the story of the struggle
between the Native American people and cowboys.
The piece was finished in early 1991.
It has been performed only a handful of times and only one recording exists of the
Symphony.

Instrumentation
2 Piccolos

2 Eb Saxophones

2 Flutes

Bb Tenor Saxophone

Eb Baritone Saxophone

4 F Horns

3 Bb Trumpets

Eb Clarinet

3 Trombones

3 Bb Clarinets

Bass Trombone

Bb Bass Clarinet

Euphonium

Tuba

Double Bass

Piano Timpani

4 Percussion Parts

2 Oboes
English Horn

Bb Contrabass Clarinet
2 Bassoons
Contrabassoon

Macro Analysis of Movements

I. Moderate

A|B|A

II. Slowing

A|B|C|D|B|Coda

III. Very Fast

A|B|A

IV. Lament

7 sections, divided by solo instruments

V. Lament II

A|B|C|D|E|A

Brief Micro Analysis of Movement

I
Begins in a very unique way, with a C Major scale.
Quickly moves to the first modern compositional technique of Indeterminacy by having
the woodwinds improvise on a C major arpeggio.
Maslanka uses the basic outline of sonata form to begin his Symphony.
The A section divides into roughly three parts:

The C major scale with the first and second theme.

A dissonant B section.
A return of the first and second theme with a transition to the larger B section.

The B section of the movement is described by Maslanka as an evil little march.

This section culminates in a transition section that resembles the beginning of the A section.

The recapitulation begins with the resurgence of the two main themes followed by an
extreme thinning of orchestration in the coda.

Why Is This Piece Important?

It shows a mature, symphonic style comfortably situated in a wind
ensemble.
It is a massive work for wind ensemble, at 45 minutes.
The level of difficulty of the parts, combined with the idiomatic writing
is of a professional-level requiring a professional-level ensemble to
perform.
The use of indeterminate situations, extended techniques, expanded
harmonic and rhythmic language, and modern forms are all forwardthinking and accessible to the wind ensemble.

Conclusion
Music for wind ensemble changed between the years 1948 and 1991.
More universities began to have established wind ensembles.
We begin to see less vernacular band music(small pieces) and more
art music for band.
The amount of symphonies and symphony-like works for wind
ensemble triples between 48 and 91.
University wind ensemble directors push for new music and more
effort is made to commission new pieces.