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American Big Top
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Contents
General Info
Year: 2018
Duration: c. 2:50
Difficulty: III (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: FJH
Cost: Score and Parts - $70.00 | Score Only - $7.00
Instrumentation
Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe
Bassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Contra Alto Clarinet
B-flat Contrabass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion
(percussion detail desired)
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
American Big Top can best be described as an American circus march that meets Charles Ives. Largely based on original material, the piece weaves in small anecdotal references to The Stars and Stripes Forever, Take Me Out to the Ballgame, The Yankee Doodle Boy, Yankee Doodle, The Star-Spangled Banner, and The Entertainer. The entire piece is based on the layering of melodies, harmonies, textures, and rhythms. As the piece develops, the layering becomes more and more complex, yet always with a splash of fun and humor. It is a highly energetic work that constantly throws a curve ball (no pun intended — well, maybe just a little) at the listener with just enough Americana thrown in to give it a homegrown feel without necessarily being categorized as a full-on patriotic work.
The piece was commissioned by the Arte Henry Middle School Honors Band (Cedar Park, Texas; Robert Herrings, conductor) on the occasion of their selection as the TMEA CCC Honor Band. Given that this was their third time being selected as honor band, the piece playfully uses the theme of “three” throughout, beginning immediately with groups of three that move through three different time signatures (including 3/8). In addition, The Stars and Stripes Forever reference only involves the trio section and the only part of Take Me Out to the Ballgame is “One! Two! Three strikes you’re out!” (Of course, we then hear the sound of a ball being hit!)
- Program Note from The Woodlands Concert Band concert program, 20 December 2018
Commercial Discography
None discovered thus far.
State Ratings
None discovered thus far.
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- Riverside High School (Painesville, Ohio) Wind Ensemble (David A. Schwartz, conductor) - 14 May 2019
- Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, Md.) Preparatory Wind Orchestra (Harland D. Parker, conductor) – 11 May 2019
- Cameron (Mo.) High School Symphonic Band (Blake Duren, conductor) – 28 April 2019
- Southern Mississippi University (Hattiesburg) Concert Band (James Standland, conductor) – 26 February 2019
- The Ohio State University (Columbus) Honors Gray Symphonic Band (Christopher Hoch, conductor) – 20 January 2019
- The Woodlands (Tex.) Concert Band (Bill Stutsman, conductor) - 20 December 2018 (2018 Midwest Clinic)
- Henry (Tx.) Middle School Band (Robert Herrings, conductor) - 16 February 2018 (2018 TMEA Conference, San Antonio) Premiere Performance*
Works for Winds by this Composer
Adaptable Music
- Arabian Dances (Adaptable Band) (2009/2021)
- Arith-Metric No. 1 (Adaptable Band) (2020)
- Blue Ridge Reel (Adaptable Band) (2013/2020)
- Colliding Visions (Adaptable Band) (2010/2020)
- A Little Matrix Music (Adaptable Band) (2020)
- Moscow, 1941 (Adaptable Band) (2006/2020)
All Wind Works
- African Journey (2001)
- Always United, Forever Strong (2013)
- American Big Top (2018)
- Among the Clouds (2004)
- Apollo (2008)
- Arabian Dances (2009)
- Arabian Dances (Adaptable Band) (2009/2021)
- Arith-Metric No. 1 (Adaptable Band) (2020)
- The Awakening (2003)
- Backstage Pass (2015)
- Beyond the Summit (2004)
- Blue Ridge Reel (2013)
- Blue Ridge Reel (Adaptable Band) (2013/2020)
- Breaking Point (2019)
- Bright Morning Stars
- Bringer of War (2017)
- Call of the Wild (2013)
- Camptown Variations (2001)
- Chant and Savage Dance (2005)
- Chesapeake Serenade (2002)
- Colliding Visions (Adaptable Band) (2010/2020)
- Comet Ride (2006)
- Conquest (2003)
- Courtly Dance and Procession (2004)
- Dragonfly (2001)
- Eagles Among Us (2017)
- Elements (2010)
- Enchantment (2014)
- Endless Rainbows (2013)
- Escapades (2005)
- Escape from the Deep (2010)
- Etowah (2008)
- Evocatio (2014)
- Falcon Fanfare (2012)
- Fanfare Canzonique (2003)
- Fanfare on a Theme of Imagination (2015)
- A Festive Fanfare (2017)
- A Festive Finale (2019)
- Fiesta de los Toros (2017)
- Flight (2005)
- Flight of the Griffin (2003)
- Forever... (2014)
- Fusion (2007)
- Gettysburg
- Grace (2016)
- Groove Music (2013)
- Haunted Clocks (2014)
- A Hero's Destiny (1999)
- Homage to Bharat (2018)
- A House Divided (2013)
- Hypnotic Fireflies (2013)
- Images of Ireland (2004)
- In Nature's Glory (2002)
- Incantation and Ritual (2004)
- Industrial Loops (2017)
- Infinite Hope (2018)
- Instant Christmas Spirit
- Into the Arctic (2015)
- Invictus (2000)
- Jingle Bell Tones
- Journey By Night (1998)
- Journey for a Soldier (2010)
- Joy in All Things (2012)
- Joy of Life (2015)
- Jungle Dance (2011)
- Kilauea
- Kindred Spirits (2009)
- Legacy
- Legend (2001)
- Legend of the Drop Bear (2016)
- A Light at the End of Forever (2016)
- A Little Matrix Music (Adaptable Band) (2020)
- Loudoun Praises
- Love and Light (2020)
- Lullaby to the Moon (2017)
- Majestica (2006)
- Marche Diabolique (2014)
- Metal (2013)
- Metamorphic Dances (2019)
- Midnight on Main Street (2009)
- Midnight Suite
- Midnight Mission (2006)
- Midnight Sky (2006)
- Midnight Madness (2007)
- Miramar Fanfare (2003)
- Moscow, 1941 (2006)
- Moscow, 1941 (Adaptable Band) (2006/2020)
- Motion (2006)
- Nevermore (2011)
- Not Afraid to Dream (2006)
- O Mio Babbino Caro (2000)
- Of Emperors and Chariots (2000)
- Olympia
- Open Space (2014)
- Parade of the Jesters (2002)
- Pele (2004)
- Phasing Thunder (2014)
- Pikes Peak (2019)
- Primal Dances (2018)
- Proclamation (2000)
- Proudly We Hail (as arranger) (1814/2002)
- Raging Machines (2008)
- Rain (2008)
- Renaissance Reimagined (2017)
- Reverberations (2009)
- Rhythms and Riffs (2008)
- Rippling Watercolors (2015)
- Rite of Passage (2000)
- Rocky Mountain Romp (2007)
- Sapier's Story
- Shadow Waltzes (2016)
- Shadows Unleashed (2013)
- Shenandoah Triptych (2002)
- Shrine of the Fallen (2016)
- Silence Overwhelmed (2010)
- Smithsonian Suite (2003)
- A Solitary Wish (2017/2018)
- Sound Prisms (2002)
- Sparks (2007)
- Spirit of the Stallion (2016)
- Spontaneous Beings (2017)
- Star Above, Shine Brightly (2001)
- The Star-Spangled Banner (as arranger) (1814/2014)
- Starscapes (2007)
- Summer Dances (2000)
- Summer Resounding! (2008)
- Summit City (2006)
- Sun Cycles (2012)
- Swirling Prisms
- Symphonic Episodes (2004)
- Symphony No. 1 for Brass (1998)
- Synthesis (2016)
- Temple of the Murals (2011)
- That Which Binds Us (2015)
- Three Celtic Dances (2008)
- Thrill Ride (2019)
- Through Courageous Eyes (2003)
- Trust in Angels (2017)
- Twittering Machine (2017)
- A View of the World (2001)
- Waves (2007)
- When Spirits Soar (2006)
- Whispering Winds (2003)
- Winged Victory (2007)
- Winter Dances (2001)
- Within the Castle Walls (2012)
Resources
- Brian Balmages, personal correspondence, January 2018
- Brian Balmages website Accessed 15 September 2020