Symphonic Essay

James Barnes

James Barnes

This work bears the designation Opus 133.

General Info

Year: 2012
Duration: c. 7:45
Difficulty: IV 1/2 (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Alfred Music
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $80.00; (digital) - $80.00   |   Score Only (print) - $10.00; (digital) - $10.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II-III
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
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-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV-V, including

• Bass Drum
• Bells
• Chimes
• Crash Cymbals
• Suspended Cymbal
• Snare Drum
• Tam-tam
• Tambourine
• Tom-toms (2; medium and low)
• Triangle (7")
• Vibraphone
• Woodblock
• Xylophone

Program Notes

Symphonic Essay is a dramatic work featuring brass fanfares, tonal pyramids, and startling polyharmonies. The mysterious undertones of the piece are interwoven with moments of lyricism, counterpoint, and a multiplicity of timbres and creative settings which culminate in a spectacular coda.

- Program note from publisher

Symphonic Essay was commissioned by the Troy (Mich.) High School Band The work was premiered at that school on February 2, 2010, with Brian Nutting conducting.

- Program note from score

Media

• Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

• Kennesaw (Ga.) State University Wind Symphony (Debra Traficante, conductor) - 4 October 2021
• Troy High School (Mich.) Band (Brian Nutting, conductor) – 2 February 2010 *Premiere Performance*

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. (2012). Symphonic Essay: [op. 133] [score]. Alfred Music Pub.: [Van Nuys, Calif.].
• Perusal Score