Chimes of Liberty, The

Edwin Franko Goldman

General Info

Year: 1922 / 1937
Duration: c. 3:15
Difficulty: III (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Piano
Publisher: Feist
Cost: Score and Parts – Out of print.

For availability information, see Discussion tab, above.

Instrumentation

Condensed Score
D-flat Piccolo
Flute
Oboe
Bassoon
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
B-flat Bass Saxophone
B-flat Cornet Solo-I-II-III
E-flat Horn or Alto I-II-III-IV
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion, including:

Bass drum
Chimes
Crash cymbals
Snare drum

Errata

Basses. m.36, beat 1: After the Trio, clarify quarter note (G) should read half note (G)
Basses. m.49, 1st ending: After the Trio clarify 1st ending bracket (above staff), misprinted in some parts.

Program Notes

One of his most popular marches, “The Chimes of Liberty” reflected Goldman’s pride in his country. His concern for other countries and world peace was evident as well: the march was written in 1922 to commemorate the Washington Conference for the Limitation of Armaments. The chimes are featured prominently, carrying the melody in the trio. The march also boasts a piccolo solo that rivals the piccolo solo in John Philip Sousa’s march The Stars and Stripes Forever.

- Program Note by Marine Band

Chimes of Liberty is a military march by Edwin Franko Goldman (1878–1956). It vies with On the Mall (another march) as Goldman's greatest hit.

Many think Chimes of Liberty is a re-working of the Liberty Bell (march) by John Philip Sousa; however, although the influence of Sousa on Goldman is unquestionable, the two marches are totally different, being written by different composers, each with a different tone. Nonetheless (like Sousa's Liberty Bell) Goldman's Chimes of Liberty does use chimes. It follows the regular march pattern: IAABBCDCDC. This march was written prior to 1922, when Goldman recorded it for the Victor Talking Machine Company, but he revised it at least once before publishing the 1937 edition now largely in use.

Chimes of Liberty is considered one of the most lively and tuneful marches ever written, and possibly America's greatest march not by Sousa, after National Emblem March by Edwin Eugene Bagley. It doesn't sound right without the chimes, but the piccolo is equally important. The piccolo solo is more distinctive than the piccolo part of any other march with exception of "The Stars and Stripes Forever" by Sousa.

- Program Note from Wikipedia

Goldman's pride in his country is reflected in such titles as Builders of America, America Grand March, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Freedom Forever, and Old Glory Forever. He was also concerned with other countries and with world peace. During a radio address regarding the status bands (over the NBC affiliate station WTAM in Cleveland, Ohio), Goldman stated, "I hope that strictly 'military bands' will soon have no military duties – and that wars will be a thing of the past." Like many of his marches, this chimes specialty has a robust introduction, a variety of dynamics and well-written countermelodies in the first two strains, and a simple and singable melody in the trio.

- Program Note from Program Notes for Band

Media

Audio: Reference recording. U.S. Marine Band
Audio CD: U.S. Air Force Tactical Air Command Band - 2011

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

United States Coast Guard Band (New London, Conn.) (Jeff Spenner, conductor) - 11 April 2022 (Southern Connections Tour, 2022)
Ringgold Band (Reading, Penn.) (Charles Ebersole, conductor) – 23 April 2019 (ACB 2019 Annual Convention (Woodcliff Lake, N.J.))
United States Marine Band (Washington, D.C.) (Bryan P. Sherlock, conductor) - 16 August 2018
Merion Concert Band (Lower Merion, Penn.) (Nathan Snyder, conductor) - 2016

Works for Winds by This Composer

The ABA March (arr. Lisk) (1931/2003)
Birthday March (ed. Leidzén) (1937)
A Bit of Syncopation
Boy Scouts of America (1931)
The British Grenadiers (arr. Tobani) (1915)
The Bugler (tr. Leidzén) (1943)
Bugles and Drums (1936)
Cheerio March (1933)
Cheerio March (arr. Erickson) (1933/1968)
Cheerio March (arr. Vinson) (1933/1999)
The Children's March (arr. Lake) (1934)
The Chimes of Liberty (1922/1937)
The Chimes of Liberty (arr. Custer) (1922/1995)
Chimes of Liberty (arr. Schissel) (1922/1998)
Christmas March (1940)
Christmas March (arr. Rogers) (1940/2016)
Espanita
Fantasia in G, BWV 572 (as arranger) (1703-7/1957/2012)
The Free Lance March (as arranger) (1906/1959)
Golden Gate March (1939)
Illinois March (trans. Leidzén) (1953)
Interlochen Bowl (1934)
Jubilee March (arr. Leidzén) (1937)
Jupiter (Goldman) (arr. Tobani) (1915)
Kentucky March (1949)
Let Freedom Ring (1932)
My Old Kentucky Home (arr. Tobani) (1915)
On Guard
On Parade (arr. Lisk) (1934/2009)
On the Air
On the Alert (1931)
On the Campus
On the Farm
On the Go
On the Green
On the Heights
On the Hudson (1940)
On the Hunt
On the Mall (1923)
On the Mall (arr. Lake) (1923)
On the Mall (ed. Lisk) (1923/2004)
On the Mall (arr. Leidzén) (1923/1938)
On the Pier
On the Road
Onward-Upward (1931)
The Pride of America (arr. Laurendeau) (1912)
Scherzo
Springtime Fancies
Star of the Evening
Sunshine and Shadows
V.F.W. (arr. Leidzén) (1949)

Resources

Chimes of Liberty, Wikipedia Accessed 16 August 2018
Smith, Norman E. (2002). Program Notes for Band. Chicago: GIA Publications, pp. 237.