Appalachian Overture

James Barnes

General Info

Year: 1983
Duration: c. 7:00
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Wingert-Jones Publications
Cost: Score and Parts - $70.00 | Score Only - $10.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II-III
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet (optional)
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-IV
Horn in F I-II-III
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV-V, including

Bass Drum
Bells
Crash Cymbal
Snare Drum
Suspended Cymbal
Tambourine
Triangle
Vibraphone (if available)

Program Notes

In 1983, the late composer/conductor Claude T. Smith invited me to write a work to help celebrate the 25th anniversary of Wingert and Jones Music Co. of Kansas City, the well-known publisher of Smith’s early works and one of the great retail sheet music Stores in Mid-America. I initially turned down the commission, because I could not fit another work into my writing schedule for 1984, but, after explaining my problem to Smith, we both agreed to take one of the works that I was writing for a high school honor band in North Carolina as my contribution to the anniversary celebration. The result was Appalachian Overture, which was premiered by the Alamance County Honor Band in the spring of 1984. The work was published that summer by Wingert and Jones, and it remains my only work in that catalogue.

The overture, in ABA form, is based on original material, but the middle melody is reminiscent of the sort of folk melody prevalent in the American southeast, where the Appalachian Mountains are located. It is a work of great excitement and energy, with the slower middle section allowing the listener a moment of repose before the driving da capo and the dramatic coda, in which the first and second themes are superimposed in counterpoint, finishes in a flash of brilliant sound and instrumental color.

- Program Note by composer

Media

Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown
Audio CD: University of Texas at El Paso Wind Symphony (Ron Hufstader, conductor) – 2013
Audio CD: Naniwa Orchestra Winds (Akio Marutani, conductor) – 2012

State Ratings

Arkansas: IV
Kansas: IV
Oklahoma: III-A
South Carolina: IV
Tennessee: IV. Complete
Virginia: IV

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

East Tennessee State University (Johnson City) Concert Band (Reilly Fox, conductor) - 21 October 2021
Florida State University (Tallahassee) University Symphonic Band (David Plack, conductor) - 11 October 2021
University of Kansas (Lawrence) Wind Ensemble (Jacqueline Dawson, conductor) – 13 September 2020
University of Oklahoma (Norman) Concert Band (Brian A. Britt, conductor) – 25 April 2016
Banda Unió Musical de Gata de Gorgos (Spain) (Joan Valentí Giménez Ortiz, conductor) – 2013

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

Westridge Overture (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Barber) (1983/1991/2021)
Yorkshire Ballad (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Barber) (1985/2021)

All Wind Works

All Pleasant Things (1998)
Alpine Holiday (2014)
Alvamar Overture (1981)
Appalachian Overture (1983)
Arioso and Presto (2001)
Autumn Soliloquy (1987)
Bayerisches Osterfest (2014)
Beautiful Oregon (2007)
Breckenridge
Brookshire Suite (1980)
Burnished Brass (2020)
Caribbean Hideaway
Carnaval in São Paulo (2003)
Centennial Celebration Overture (1986)
Century Tower (1984)
Chorale and Jubiloso (1998)
Chorale Prelude on a German Folk Tune (1986)
Citadel (2015)
Concerto for Euphonium (2011)
Concerto for Tuba (tr. Rogers) (1996)
Credo (2016)
Crossgate (1984)
Dance Variants (2017)
Danza Sinfonica (2005)
Desperate Pursuit (2010/2012)
Dexter Park Celebration (2017)
Dramatic Overture (2021)
Dream Journey (1997)
Eagle Bend (2000)
Eaglecrest (1984)
Eighth Symphony (2017)
Eisenhower Centennial (1992)
Escenas de los Aztecas (2012)
Fanfare and Capriccio (2001)
Fanfare and Processional (2018)
Fanfare for West Point
Fanfares and Alleluias (1996)
Fantasy Variations (1988)
Festival Concert March (1982)
Fifth Symphony (2003)
First Symphony. See: Symphony
Fourth Symphony (ed. Rogers) (1999/2001)
Foxfire (2001)
Golden Festival Overture
Goldene Kameraden (2014)
Heatherwood Portrait (1985)
High Plains Overture (1991)
Hobart Centennial March
Home on the Range (as arranger; harm. Ralston) (1873/1992)
Hope Arises
Hunter Park (1974)
Impressions of Japan (1994)
Inspiration Point (1997)
Inventions on Marching Songs (1996)
Invocation and Toccata (1982)
Jubilation Overture (2005)
Legend (1992)
A Leroy Anderson Portrait (as arranger) (1982)
A Light in the Wilderness (1995)
The Lightning Brigade (2018)
Lonely Beach (1993)
The Long Gray Line (1988)
Lyric Interlude (1980)
Malagueña (as arranger) (1928/2016)
Maracas from Caracas
Meditation (2017)
Ninth Symphony (2019)
Nulli Secundus (1999)
The Old Guard (1994)
Pagan Dances (1996)
The Perishing Rifles
Poetic Intermezzo (1985)
Porgy and Bess (as arranger) (1928/2002)
Prairie Winds Festival (2016)
A Prayer for Higashi Nihon (2011)
Quest (2016)
Rapscallion (1976)
Rhapsodic Essay (1999)
Ritmico (2018)
Riverfest (1985)
Romanza (1989)
Second Symphony (2000)
Seventh Symphony. See: Symphonic Requiem
The Silver Gazebo (1996)
Sixth Symphony (2006)
A Solemn Prelude (2003)
Sorcery Suite (2002)
Spitfire Overture (1991)
Stone Meadows (1987)
Sunflower Saga (1994)
Symphonic Essay (2012)
Symphonic Overture (1991)
Symphonic Requiem (2015)
Symphony (1974-75)
Symphony No. 1. See: Symphony
Symphony No. 2. See: Second Symphony
Symphony No. 3. See: Third Symphony
Symphony No. 4. See: Fourth Symphony
Symphony No. 5. See: Fifth Symphony
Symphony No. 6. See: Sixth Symphony
Symphony No. 7. See: Symphonic Requiem
Symphony No. 8. See: Eighth Symphony
Symphony No. 9. See: Ninth Symphony
Tchaikovsky Suite (as arranger) (1878/2004)
The Texans (1986)
Third Symphony (1997)
Threnody (2015)
Three Symphonic Fanfares (1989)
Toccata Fantastica (2001)
Torch Dance (1985)
Trail of Tears (1989)
Trailridge Saga (1988)
Tribute (2011)
Twin Oaks (2000)
Variants on a Moravian Hymn (1993)
A Very American Overture (1996)
Visions Macabres (1984/2006)
We the People (1990)
Westport Overture
Westridge Overture (1983/1991)
Westridge Overture (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Barber) (1983/1991/2021)
The Wild Blue Yonder (2008)
Wildwood Overture (2003)
Yama Midori (2003)
Yorkshire Ballad (1985)
Yorkshire Ballad (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Barber) (1985/2021)

Resources

Barnes, J. (1983). Appalachian Overture: For Band [score]. Wingert-Jones Music: Kansas City, Mo.