Ceremonial Music

Written for the 100th Anniversary Celebration of-John Williams has written ceremonial music for many major events and ceremonies but of all these occasional pieces Summon the Heroes is the most elaborate and musically complex. It was composed for the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996 and performed at the opening ceremony. As with all of John Williams’s ceremonial compositions this work makes an ideal brass band work that will bring the house down as a concert opener.

Ceremonial Hymn du compositeur hollandais Menno Bosgra est une oeuvre de caractère solennel et méditatif. Les belles mélodies qui ornent cet hymne soutenues par des motifs rythmiques réguliers offriront à votre auditoire un agréable moment de réflexion et de détente. Ceremonial Hymn est également une excellente oeuvre de concours.

Ceremonial Entry is a non-programmatic introductory work in which the timpani?s set a slow movement supported by a long pedal in the basses. Interrupted by signal like motifs the dynamics gradually increase resulting in a heroic trumpet-call. The motion becomes rounder and is followed by a section which brings to mind the rhythmical cadence of galley slaves rowing. As the opening slow movement returns a climax follows similar to the ?Pini di Roma? from the Italian composer Ottorino Respighi. Ceremonial Entry was composed to celebrate the 25th Frysk Fanfare Festival.

Ceremonial Hymn du compositeur hollandais Menno Bosgra est une oeuvre de caractère solennel et méditatif. Les belles mélodies qui ornent cet hymne soutenues par des motifs rythmiques réguliers offriront à votre auditoire un agréable moment de réflexion et de détente. Ceremonial Hymn est également une excellente oeuvre de concours.

Ceremonial Entry is a non-programmatic introductory work in which the timpani?s set a slow movement supported by a long pedal in the basses. Interrupted by signal like motifs the dynamics gradually increase resulting in a heroic trumpet-call. The motion becomes rounder and is followed by a section which brings to mind the rhythmical cadence of galley slaves rowing. As the opening slow movement returns a climax follows similar to the ?Pini di Roma? from the Italian composer Ottorino Respighi. Ceremonial Entry was composed to celebrate the 25th Frysk Fanfare Festival.

Book 2-The second volume of Ceremonial Music for Organ celebrates the twenty-first anniversary of the first anthology. Following the principles of its predecessor this new selection collects under one cover music equally suitable for use liturgically in recital or in teaching. Its rich stylistic variety embraces repertoire from the seventeenth century to the present day.

The 32 pieces in this anthology have all been specially chosen by Robert Gower because they have a touch of grandeur and are guaranteed to make a striking impression on any audience or congregation! Given such an inclusive interpretation of ceremonial the contents cover a range of moods and periods from baroque to contemporary from stately to extrovert from major-key exuberance to minor-key gravitas. All the pieces are immediately attractive and accessible both to the player and to the listener and virtually all the works here will be popular at weddings as voluntaries or for recitals. With a few exceptions most of the music is not difficult and hasbeen wonderfully set here for Organ Manuals and Pedals. Alongside established favourites by Handel Elgar Boellmann Mendelssohn and Purcell there are contemporary pieces by Francis Jackson Herbert Sumsion Grayston Ives Bob Chilcott and John Madden. You will soon find this volume proving to be an essential addition to the organist’s library.

Historical information about Händel's Water Music Suites is limited, but certainly these works were intended for two, possibly three, parties given by King George I on the Thames River, London, between 1715 and 1736. Händel and his orchestra played on a barge. Since then the some twenty-two separate original pieces have been organized into three Suites and nicknamed 'Water Music?, each having a separate key and likely corresponding to these river parties. This transcription of Water Music Suite II for saxophone quartet has two purposes: to make this music available to saxophonists for performance and education, and to provide in one volume the entire Suite II. The exception to the latter, because of the limits of endurance, is the exclusion of the short Adagio, a brief interlude between the fi rst two movements. Included though are the Allegro, Hornpipe, Minuet, Lentement, and Bourree. These works were originally meant for an outdoor performance, and one of the original intentions of the saxophone was to play in French military bands, also an open-air purpose. The original scoring of brass, woodwind, and string instruments (but no continuo) transcribe well for saxophones. Matching the ranges of instruments of the original to the saxophone quartet was a primary objective. In addition, this arrangement strives to disperse melodic material to all four saxophones so as to make the arrangement pleasing to all the members of the quartet while providing variety to an audience. Any dynamic, articulation, and tempo markings are to be taken only as suggestions so as to allow interpretation by the performers. The musical study and performance of all styles while using examples of composition and performance that represent excellence is necessary for saxophonists who wish to be well-rounded musicians. For the above reasons saxophonists are urged to listen to recordings of the original orchestration in order to learn and imitate proper interpretation of Baroque style. There are currently a number of excellent recordings of Handel's Suites on period instruments, such as (but not limited to) those by conductors John Eliot Gardiner, Christopher Hogwood, and the ensemble Tafelmusik. The Lewis-Clark State College Saxophone Quartet has for many years enjoyed performing Suite II for concerts, ceremonies and social settings, and I thank Advance Music for the opportunity to bring these great works to the profession. / 4 Saxophones (SATBar)