Be Glad Then America

William Schuman

This work is the first movement of Schuman's "New England Triptych."

General Info

Year: 1957 / 1975
Duration: 5:45
Difficulty: VI (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Orchestra
Publisher: Theodore Presser
Cost: Score and Parts - $145.00 | Oversize Full Score Only - $45.00 | Full Score Only - $12.50 | Oversize Full Score of Complete Triptych - $65.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
English Horn
Bassoon I-II
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
Bass Saxophone
B-flat Cornet I-II-III
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III (III optional)
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion (4 players) including:

Bass Drum
Cymbals
Glockenspiel
Snare Drum
Tubular Bells

Errata

In Score:

All winds, m.230-238: All notes preceding rests should be staccato
High Woodwinds, m.203-204: Accent w/staccato hard to read
Piccolo, m.70: Count 1 is Db not Eb
Piccolo, m.83: E F# F#, not F G# G#
Piccolo, m.87: All notes are F# not G#
Piccolo, m.260: Tongue 1st note of count two
Piccolo, m.288: Add accent
Flutes, m.43: Add div.
Flutes, m.58: Add div.
Flutes, m.70: Count 1 is Db not Eb
Flutes, m.260: Tongue 1st note of count two (picc. cues)
Oboe I, m.260: Tongue 1st note of count two
Oboe, Last note: Final note should be a top line F. Some of the notes are clearly a G; some are ambiguous.
English Horn, m.28: 2nd note is D
English Horn, m.51: F not G
English Horn, m.58-60: F E D C B B F#
English Horn, m.83-85: All notes are F# not G or G#
English Horn, m.86: 1st two notes are F# not G or G#
English Horn, m.97: D# C#, not E# D#
Bassoon I-II, m.35: Add cresc.
Bassoon I-II, m.37: Add ff
Bassoon I, m.269: Count 2 is B not D
Bassoon II, m.38: D not F
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I, m.29: 4th note F# not F
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I, m.97-98: F# E Eb, not G# F Fb
B-flat Soprano Clarinet II, m.23: Last note is F# not G
B-flat Soprano Clarinet II, m.210-213: Slur 8 notes starting on count two
B-flat Soprano Clarinet III, m.36: Last note G# not G
B-flat Soprano Clarinet III, m.71: C# not D#
B-flat Soprano Clarinet III, m.75: 2nd note is D not C
B-flat Soprano Clarinet III, m.94-98: Pitches should be same as Horn I
B-flat Soprano Clarinet III, m.283: Add accent
E-flat Alto Clarinet, m.83-87: All notes are G# not A#
E-flat Alto Clarinet, m.91-93: 1st two notes are G# D#, not A# E#
E-flat Alto Clarinet, m.275: Count 2 is G not F#
B-flat Bass Clarinet, m.35: Add cresc.
B-flat Bass Clarinet, m.37: Add ff
E-flat Alto Saxophone I, m.83-87: All notes are G# not A#
E-flat Alto Saxophone I, m.91-93: 1st two notes are G# D#, not A# E#
E-flat Alto Saxophone I, m.260: Tongue 1st note of count two (ob. cues)
E-flat Alto Saxophone II, m.33: Last note G not F#
E-flat Alto Saxophone II, m.83-87: All notes are D# not E#
E-flat Alto Saxophones I-II, m.189: Slur 2nd and 3rd notes
E-flat Alto Saxophones I-II, m.205: D not A
E-flat Alto Saxophones I-II, m.230: Rhythm should match baritone Saxophone
B-flat Tenor Saxophone, m.186: Add accent to last note
Bass Saxophone, m.35: Add cresc.
Bass Saxophone, m.37: Add ff
Bass Saxophone, m.58: 1st note staccato
Bass Saxophone, m.59: Accent without staccato
Bass Saxophone, m.65: Count 2 is two eighth notes
B-flat Cornet III, m.101: Add tenuto to 1st note
B-flat Cornet II-III, m.177: Add staccato to 1st note
B-flat Cornet II-III, m.179: Count 3 is D# not D
B-flat Cornet III, m.216-217: Slur and add tenutos to all notes
B-flat Cornet III, m.224-227: Slur groupings should match other cornets
B-flat Cornet I-III, m.305: fff not ff
B-flat Trumpet II, m.63: Accent count 1
B-flat Trumpet I-III, m.209: Add breath mark between 3rd, 4th notes
B-flat Trumpet II, m.220: Both notes on count 2 are D not E
Horn in F I-IV, 25: Add div.
Horn in F III-IV, m.66-68: Slur 3, Slur 2 - not slur 5
Trombone I, m.177: Last pitch is a sixteenth note
Trombone I-III, m.250: Count 2 is Fb not Db
Baritone, m.43: Add ff
Tuba, m.51: F not G
Tuba, m.186: 3rd note is Ab not Gb
Timpani, m.288-289: All notes are F not E
Tubular Bells, m.306-307: Tie between quarter notes is missing

In Parts:

Piccolo, m.80: Add tenuto to 1st note
Piccolo, m.288: Add accent
Flute I, m.80: Add tenuto to 1st note
Flute II, m.80: Add tenuto to 1st note
Flute II, m.285: Add accent
Oboe I, m.217: Add staccato
Oboe II, m.217: Add staccato
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I, m.80: Add tenuto to 1st note
B-flat Soprano Clarinet II, m.210-213: Slur from m. 210 (count 2) to 213 (count 1)
B-flat Soprano Clarinet III, m.71: C# not D#
E-flat Alto Clarinet, m.275: Count 2 is G not F#
B-flat Bass Clarinet, m.35: Add cresc.
B-flat Bass Clarinet, m.37: Add ff
B-flat Bass Clarinet, m.250: fff not ff
Bassoon I-II, m.35: Add cresc.
Bassoon I-II, m.94: Add tenuto to the last note
Bassoon I-II, m.269: Top divisi plays B not D on count 2
E-flat Alto Saxophone I, m.205: 4th line D not A
E-flat Alto Saxophone I, m.230: Count 2 is a 4th space Eb dotted 1/8 note, followed by a 4th space Eb 1/16 note. These notes should be slurred and marked with tenutos
E-flat Alto Saxophone II, m.33: Last note is G not F#
E-flat Alto Saxophone II, m.205: 4th line D not A
E-flat Alto Saxophone II, m.230: Count 2 is a 3rd line Bb dotted 1/8 note, followed by a 3rd line Bb 1/16 note. These notes should be slurred and marked with tenutos
B-flat Tenor Saxophone, m.186: Add accent to the last note
B-flat Tenor Saxophone, m.230: Count 2 is a 2nd space Ab dotted 1/8 note, followed by a 2nd space Ab 1/16 note. These notes should be slurred and marked with tenutos
E-flat Baritone Saxophone, m.89: Count 2 is G# not G
Bass Saxophone, m.35: Add cresc.
Bass Saxophone, m.37: Add ff
Bass Saxophone, m.58: Add staccato to the first note
Bass Saxophone, m.59: Accent should not include a staccato marking
Bass Saxophone, m.65: Count 2 should be two 1/8 notes, not a dotted 1/8 and a 1/16 note
Bass Saxophone, m.246: Add accent
Bass Saxophone, m.269: First pitch (A) is below range, should be one octave higher
Bass Saxophone, m.273: First pitch (A) is below range, should be one octave higher
B-flat Cornet II, m.179: Last note is D# not D
B-flat Cornet III, m.77: C# not D#
B-flat Cornet III, m.179: Last note is D# not D
B-flat Cornet III, m.216-217: Add tenutos and slur all
B-flat Cornet III, m.224-225: All of m. 224 should be slurred to count 1 of m. 225
B-flat Cornet III, m.225-227: Slur missing from m. 225 (count 2) to m. 227 (count 1)
B-flat Cornet III, m.227: Remove the printed slur
B-flat Trumpets, m.41: First note is 4th space Eb not C
B-flat Trumpets, m.63: Add accent to the bottom divisi, count 1
B-flat Trumpets, m.209: Breath mark should be placed at the upbeat of count 2
B-flat Trumpets, m.282: add legato
Trombone I, m.230: Count 1 is Cb not C
Trombone I, m.250: Count to is Fb above the staff not Db
Trombone II, m.250: Count to is Fb above the staff not Db
Trombone III, m.250: Count to is Fb above the staff not Db
Baritone BC, m.43: Add Senza Sord.
Baritone TC, m.43: Add Senza Sord.
Tuba, m.51: F not G
Tubular Bells, m.306-307: Tie between quarter notes is missing

Program Notes

Be Glad Then, America was freely transcribed for concert band by the composer from the first movement of New England Triptych - Three Pieces for Orchestra after William Billings. When Jesus Wept and Chester, the other two pieces, were also transcribed for band by the composer and are published separately. When programmed to be played as a group, the three pieces should be performed in the following order:

1. Be Glad Then, America
2. When Jesus Wept
3.Chester

William Billings is described by William Bentley, of Salem, a contemporary, as "the father of our New England music. Many who have imitated have excelled him, but none of them had better original power. He was a singular man, of moderate size, short of one leg, with one eye, without any address, and with an uncommon negligence of person. Still he spoke and sang and thought as a man above the common abilities."

Billings, born in Boston in 1746, started his career in life as a tanner's apprentice, but soon gave up this trade for music, in which he was apparently self-taught. He organized singing schools, composing music for them which was all the more welcome because relations with England had reached the breaking point and the colonists were glad to have their own native music. Billings's many "fuguing tunes" achieved great popularity, but by the time he died in 1800 this kind of music gradually fell into disfavor, leaving Billings poor and neglected. Today, given the prospective of history, we see Billings as a major figure in American music. His indomitable spirit still shines through the sturdy tunes he wrote.

- Program note from score

Media

Audio CD: Keystone Wind Ensemble (Jack Stamp, conductor) - 2005
Audio CD: West Chester University Wind Ensemble (Andrew Yozviak, conductor) - 2018

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Eastman School of Music (Rochester, N.Y.) Wind Orchestra (Mark Scatterday, conductor) - 17 October 2022
San Luis Obispo (Calif.) Wind Orchestra (Jennifer Martin, conductor) – 8 May 2022
The Ohio State University (Columbus) Wind Symphony (Daniel Farr, conductor) - 24 April 2022
Las Vegas Academy (Nev.) Wind Ensemble (David Macabee, conductor) - 29 September 2021
Texas Tech University (Lubbock) Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Pershauna Johnson, conductor) - 8 May 2021
Whitworth University (Spokane, Wash.) Wind Symphony (Richard Strauch, conductor) - 14 November 2020
University of Chicago (Ill.) University Wind Ensemble (Nicholas J. Carlson, conductor) – 23 February 2020
University of Massachusetts Lowell Wind Ensemble (Daniel Lutz, conductor) – 5 December 2019
Ohio University (Athens) Wind Symphony (William Talley, conductor) – 24 September 2019
University of Virginia (Charlottesville) Wind Ensemble (William Pease, conductor) – 28 April 2019
Southern Adventist University (Collegedale, Tenn.) Wind Symphony (Ken Parsons, conductor) – 7 April 2019
Keene (N.H.) State College Concert Band (Joshua E. Long, conductor) - 1 November 2018
Eastman School of Music (Rochester, N.Y.) Wind Orchestra (Mark Scatterday, conductor) – 23 September 2018
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Wind Orchestra (Christopher J. Woodruff, conductor) – 2 June 2018
University of Arizona (Tucson) Wind Ensemble (Chad R. Nicholson, conductor) - 26 April 2018
University of Wisconsin-Parkside Wind Ensemble (Laura Rexroth, conductor) – 8 March 2018
Harding University (Searcy, Ark.) Wind Ensemble (Mike Chance, conductor) – 22 February 2018
Boston University (Mass.) Wind Ensemble (David Martins, conductor) – 16 November 2017
University of North Texas (Denton) Wind Ensemble (Nicholas E. Williams, conductor) – 26 September 2017
Indiana University (Bloomington) Symphonic Band (Eric M. Smedley, conductors) – 26 September 2017
University of Cincinnati (Ohio) College-Conservatory of Music Wind Ensemble (Kevin Holzman, conductor) – 18 September 2017

Works for Winds by This Composer

American Hymn (1981)
Anniversary Fanfare (1969)
The Band Song (1967)
Circus Overture (tr. Owen) (1944/1972)
Dedication Fanfare (1969)
George Washington Bridge (1950)
New England Triptych (1956)
Newsreel in Five Shots
Prelude for a Great Occasion (1975)
Variations on "America" (as orchestrator, trans. Rhoads)

Resources

Magie, Gregory Alden. (1966) “Conducting William Schuman’s New England Triptych.” D.M.A. dissertation. Los Angeles: University of California.
Marks, M. A. "William Schuman’s wind band setting of Be Glad Then, America (1975): Its history, analysis, and orchestration." 2005. University of Oklahoma, DMA dissertation.
Pearlmutter, Alan, and Jacques Voois. (1987, Spring-Summer). “William Schuman’s ‘New England Triptych’ and the music of William Billings.” Journal of the Conductor’s Guild 8(2 & 3), 48-57.
William Schuman website