MacArthur Park
Jimmy Webb (arr. Bill Holcombe)
General Info
Year: 1967 / 1973
Duration:
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Pop vocal
Publisher: Hal Leonard
Cost: Score and Parts - Out of print.
For availability information, see Discussion tab, above.
Instrumentation
Condensed Score
Flute I-II-III (I doubles Piccolo)
Oboe
Bassoon
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
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-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
Electric Bass
Timpani
Percussion, including:
- Bells
- Drum Set
- Tambourine
- Vibraphone
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
MacArthur Park is a 1967 song by Jimmy Webb, originally composed as part of an intended cantata. Webb initially brought the entire cantata to The Association, but the group rejected it. Richard Harris was the first to record the song, in 1968; it was subsequently covered by numerous artists. Among the best-known covers are Donna Summer's disco arrangement from 1978 and Waylon Jennings' version recorded in 1969 and his recording of the song from 1976. Maynard Ferguson, Stan Kenton and Woody Herman all performed big-band jazz arrangements.
While it was a commercially successful song multiple times after it was released, MacArthur Park used flowery lyrics and metaphors (most famously, love being likened to a cake left out in the rain) that were considered by media such as the Los Angeles Times to be "polarizing" and "loopy".
- Program Notes from Wikipedia
Media
(Needed - please join the WRP if you can help.)
State Ratings
None discovered thus far.
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- Atascadero (Calif.) Community Band (Keith Waibel, conductor) – 30 August 2016
- Peninsula Symphonic Band (Palo Alto, Calif.) (Ted Henderson, conductor) - 23 November 2014
Works for Winds by This Composer
- By the Time I Get to Phoenix
- Didn't We Almost Have It All
- MacArthur Park (arr. Holcombe) (1967/1973)
- MacArthur Park (arr. Sheehan) (1967/)
- MacArthur Park (arr. Sparke) (1967/)
Resources
- Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music. "Jimmy Webb." Accessed 30 November 2014.
- MacArthur Park (Song), Wikipedia
- Webb, J.; Holcombe, B. (1973). MacArthur Park [score]. Canopy Music: [s.l.].