Festive Overture, A

Alfred Reed

Alfred Reed

General Info

Year: 1963
Duration: c. 8:00
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Hal Leonard
Cost: Score and Parts - $115.00   |   Score Only - $7.50

Instrumentation

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

• Bass Drum
• Snare Drum
• Cymbals
• Bells
• Xylophone
• Triangle

Errata

In parts:

• E-flat Alto Saxophone II, Letter F+7: 5th note should be G-flat, not an F
• E-flat Baritone Saxophone, Letter F-1: 2nd note should be a D-flat, not a C
• B-flat Trumpet I, Letter J+7: Slur starts from the second note, not the first note
• String Bass, Letter D: Add an accent to both notes

Program Notes

A Festive Overture was commissioned by the Tri-State Festival, held annually under the auspices of the Music Division of Dickinson State College in Dickinson, North Dakota, for performance at the 1963 Festival. The first performance took place on November 2nd, 1963, at the concluding grand concert of the festival, with the Dickinson State College Symphonic Band under the composer's direction.

The score is in traditional overture form, a brilliant opening allegro followed by a reflective, lyrical interlude, and concluding with a return to the first themes and mood. The entire work is built on three motifs, which are heard in the first section, with the middle section developed from one of these, which first appears as the bass line to the main theme. In the course of the work, the full resources of the modern, integrated concert band are called upon, to present these motifs in constantly varied forms and combinations, and in scintillating tone colors.

The wording of the commission presented a basic challenge: that of writing a major work on the highest musical level and yet capable of performance by a good high school band. We believe that this challenge has been met, and are proud to offer this work as a contribution to the modern school and concert band repertoire.

- Notes by the publisher

Media

• Audio CD: Royal Artillery Band (Terry Davis, Conductor)

State Ratings

• Alabama: Band Class AA
• California: Grade V Class A
• Florida: FBA Band Grade V
• Georgia: Georgia Band Grade V
• Iowa: IHSMA Band Grade IV
• Indiana: ISSMA Senior Band Group I
• Louisiana: Band 2011 Grade IV
• Michigan: Senior High Class B
• Minnesota: Band Grade II, Category 2
• North Carolina: Concert Band Grade V
• South Carolina: Band Grade V
• Tennessee: Grade V
• Virginia: Concert Band Grade V

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

• University of Windsor (Ont., Can.) Wind Ensemble (Trevor Pittman, conductor) - 1 April 2023
• James Madison University (Harrisonburg, Va.) Concert Band (Amy Birdsong, conductor) - 4 December 2022
• East Tennessee State University (Johnson City) Concert Band (Reilly Fox, conductor) - 15 April 2021
• Oklahoma City (Okla.) University Wind Philharmonic (Matthew Mailman, conductor) – 27 February 2020
• University of North Carolina Ashville Wind Ensemble (Fletcher Peacock, conductor) - 29 April 2018
• New Orleans (La.) Concert Band (Charles Taylor, conductor) – 15 October 2017
• Parkland College (Champaign, Ill.) Concert Band (Larry Stoner, conductor) - 10 May 2014
• Gold Coast Wind Ensemble (Clinton H. Dawley, conductor) - 24 November 2013
• Carrollton Wind Symphony (Jim Moen, conductor) - 08 Mar 2013

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

• Come, Sweet Death (Flex instrumentation) (as transcriber; arr. Benson) (1736/1976/2019)
• A Festival Prelude (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Haga) (1962/2019)
• Two Bagatelles (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Clark) (1983/1997/2010)

All Wind Works

• Acclamation!
• Alleluia! Laudamus Te (1973)
• Arioso (as arranger) (1729/1998)
• Armenian Dances (1972-1978)
  • Armenian Dances, Part One (1972/1974)
  • Armenian Dances, Part Two (1978)
• Around the World in 80 Days: Selections (as arranger; ed. Rogers) (1957/2017)
• Autumn Leaves (as arranger; ed. Rogers) (1947/2017)
• Ballade (1956/1999)
• Bachianas Brasileiras No. 4 Suite (as arranger) (1965)
• Berceuse and Finale from "The Firebird" (as editor; arr. McAlister) (1910/2005)
• The Big East March (1997)
• Canto e Camdombe
• Carmen (as editor; tr. McAlister) (1875/2000)
• A Celebration Fanfare (1989)
• A Ceremonial Fanfare (1971)
• Ceremony of Flourishes (1964)
• Chanson Triste (as arranger) (1878/1989)
• Characteristic Dances from "The Nutcracker Suite" (as editor with McAlister; tr. Rogan) (1892/2001)
• Children's Suite (2000)
• A Christmas Suite (1974)
• Chorale Prelude in E minor (1953/1966)
• A Christmas Celebration (1987)
• A Christmas Intrada (1980)
• Clear Track Polka (as arranger) (1869/2000)
• Come, Sweet Death (as arranger) (1736/1976)
• Come, Sweet Death (as transcriber; arr. Benson) (1736/1976/2019)
• Concertino (as arranger; ed. McCathren) (1811/1962)
• Concertino for Marimba and Winds (1993)
• Concerto for Trumpet and Winds (1995/1997)
  • Sonata
  • Slow Blues, Jazz Waltz
  • Song, Samba
• Curtain Up! (1991)
• Dance of the Hours (as editor; tr. Kennedy) (1876/)
• Danza Caribe (1986)
• Deck Thyself, My Soul, With Gladness (as arranger) (1653/1724/1990)
• Divertimento for Flute and Band (1998)
• Double Wind Quintet (1975)
• East and West (2003)
• El Camino Real (1985)
• El Camino Real (arr. Longfield) (1985/2013)
• The Enchanted Island (1980)
• The Entertainer (as arranger) (1902/1974)
• Evolutions (1993)
• Exhortation and Praise (2003)
• Fanfare and Processional (2005)
• The Fantasticks (as arranger) (1966)
• Fantasy on "Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair" (as arranger) (1973)
• A Festival Prelude (1962)
• A Festival Prelude (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Haga) (1962/2019)
• A Festive Overture (1963)
• Fifth Suite for Band (1995)
• Fifth Symphony (1995)
• Finlandia (as editor; tr. McAlister) (1900/2004)
• First Suite for Band (1975)
• Five Cameos (2002)
• Five Dances for Five Clarinets and Band
• Forget Me Not, O Dearest Lord (as arranger) (c. 1736/1985)
• Fourth Suite for Band (1994)
• Fourth Symphony (1992)
• French Suite
• Funiculi Funicula (as arranger) (1880/1994)
• The Garden of Proserpine
• Giligia (2000)
• Golden Eagle (1989/1995)
• Golden Jubilee (1987)
• The Golden Year (1997)
• Greensleeves (1993/2011)
• Gypsy Dance (as arranger) (1872/1997)
• Havana Moon
• Highlights from "Exodus" (as arranger) (1960/1962)
• Highlights from Walt Disney's "Mary Poppins" (as arranger) (1963/1965)
• The Hounds of Spring (1981)
• Huldigungsmarsch (as editor) (1864/2002)
• Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 (as editor; tr. McAlister) (1853/2002)
• Hymn Variants (1992)
• I Left my Heart in San Francisco (as transcriber; ed. Rogers) (1954/1963)
• Imperatrix (1972)
• In Dulci Jubilo (as arranger) (1970)
• In Memoriam (1972)
• Intrada Drammatica (1968/1992)
• Jazz Waltz. See: Concerto for Trumpet and Winds
• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (as arranger) (1723/1981)
• Jidai (2001)
• Joyeux Noël (Brass Ensemble) (1998)
• Joyeux Noël (Wind Ensemble) (1998/2001/2002)
• A Jubilant Overture (1970)
• A Jubilant Overture (arr. Conaway) (1970/2011)
• The King of Love My Shepherd Is (1995)
• L’Arlésienne Suite No 2 (as editor, with McAlister) (1872/2002)
• Laid-Back Rag
• Light Cavalry Overture (as editor; tr. McAlister) (1866/2003)
• A Little Concert Suite (1984)
• Lumberjack Overture
• Macarena (as arranger) (1992)
• Mancini! (as arranger) (1965)
• March Grandioso (as arranger) (1901/1969)
• Mary Poppins (as arranger) (1964/2006)
• Might and Majesty
• Millennium III (1999)
• Mr. Music (1990)
• The Music-Makers (1968)
• Music for Hamlet (1973/2018)
• Music in the Air! (2000)
• The Music Man: Highlights (as arranger) (1957/1959)
• My Fair Lady (as arranger) (1956/?)
• My Heart Is Filled With Longing (as arranger) (c. 1710/1986)
• Nimrod (as arranger) (1899/1965)
• Nocturne (as arranger) (1886/1953/1975)
• A Nordic Trilogy (with Erickson and Davis) (1967)
• A Northern Legend (1972)
• O Little Town (as arranger)
• O Most Wonderful (as arranger)
• Ode for Trumpet (1956)
• Old and New (2002)
• Othello (1977)
• Our Father Who Art in Heaven (as arranger) (1710/1988)
• Passacaglia (1967)
• Pavane for a Dead Princess (as orchestrator; ed. McAlister) (1899/1988)
• Piccolo Concerto in C major (as arranger) (1728-29/1962/1969)
• Pilgrim's Chorus (as arranger) (1845/1991)
• The Pledge of Allegiance (1970)
• Pomp and Circumstance Military March No. 1 (as editor; tr. Retford) (1907/2000)
• Pomp and Circumstance Military March No. 2 (as editor; tr. Retford) (1907/2000)
• Pomp and Circumstance Military March No. 3 (as editor; tr. Retford) (1907/2000)
• Pomp and Circumstance Military March No. 4 (as editor; tr. Retford) (1907/2000)
• Praise Jerusalem! (1986)
• Prelude IV (as arranger) (1722/1983)
• Prelude and Capriccio (1978)
• Prelude, Op. 9, No. 1 (as arranger) (1894/1985)
• Prelude to Act III from "Lohengrin" (as arranger, with McAlister) (1850/2006)
• Presentation of the Silver Rose (as arranger) (1910/1988)
• Pro Texana (1984)
• Punchinello (1974)
• Radetzky March (as arranger) (1848/1993)
• Rahoon (1965)
• The Ramparts of Courage (1995)
• Rosalind in the Forest of Arden (2005)
• Rushmore (1981)
• Russian Christmas Music (1944)
• Russian Christmas Music (arr. Curnow) (1944/1990)
• A Sacred Suite
• Salutations! (1995)
• Samba. See: Concerto for Trumpet and Winds
• Seascape: A Dramatic Intermezzo (1962)
• Second Century (1986)
• Second Suite for Band (1980)
• Second Symphony (1979)
• Selections from Walt Disney's "Mary Poppins" (as editor; arr. Kostal) (1963/1964)
• Serenade (1966)
• Seventh Suite for Band (2002)
• The Severn Suite (as arranger) (1973)
• Siciliana Notturno (1977)
• Silver Shadow (1998/1999)
• Sine Nomine (as arranger) (1906/1976)
• Sixth Suite for Band
• Slavonic Folk Suite (1953/1987)
• Slow Blues. See: Concerto for Trumpet and Winds
• Sonata. See: Concerto for Trumpet and Winds
• Song. See: Concerto for Trumpet and Winds
• Song of the High Cascades
• Song of Threnos (1964)
• A Springtime Celebration (1991)
• The Strenuous Life (as arranger) (1902/1974)
• Sumus Futuro (1999)
• A Symphonic Prelude (1963)
• Symphony for Brass and Percussion (1952/1967)
• Symphony No. 1. See: Symphony for Brass and Percussion
• Symphony No. 2. See: Second Symphony
• Symphony No. 3 (1988)
  • Variations on the Porazzi Theme of Wagner (1882/1988)
• Symphony No. 4. See: Fourth Symphony
• Symphony No. 5. See: Fifth Symphony
• Tannhäuser Grand March (as editor; tr. McAlister) (1847/2005)
• Tarantella (1996)
• Testament of an American (1974)
• Theme from "Lawrence of Arabia" (as arranger) (1963)
• Third Suite for Band (1982)
• Third Symphony. See: Symphony No. 3
• Three Chorales (as arranger; ed. McAlister) (?/2013)
• Three Revelations from the Lotus Sutra (1984)
• Three Symphonic Preludes (as arranger)
• Thunder and Lightning (1999)
• The Tsar's Farewell (as arranger) (2001)
• Twelfth Night (2003)
• Two Bagatelles (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Clark) (1983/1997/2010)
• Two Bagatelles (1983/1995)
• Two Bagatelles for Concert Band (1983/1997)
• Two Bagatelles for Four Trombones (1983)
• Variations on the Porazzi Theme of Wagner. See: Symphony No. 3
• Victory! (2005)
• Vilia (as arranger) (1905/1990)
• Vilabella March (as editor) (1970)
• Viva Musica! (1984)
• Wapawekka (1963)
• With Trumpets And Drums (1992)

Resources

• Reed, A. (1963). A Festive Overture: For Concert Band [score]. Frank Music: New York.