Symphonic Overture

James Barnes

This work bears the designation Opus 80.

General Info

Year: 1992
Duration: c. 9:40
Difficulty: V (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Southern Music
Cost: Score and Parts - $175.00 | Score Only - $37.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II-III
Oboe I-II
English Horn (optional)
Bassoon I-II
Contrabassoon (optional)
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Contra-Alto Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Cornet I-II-III (all div. a2)
B-flat Trumpet I-II
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
Cello (optional)
String Bass (optional)
Harp (optional)
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV, including:

Bass Drum
Bells
Castanets
Chimes
Crash Cymbals
Guiro
Pop Gun
Sandpaper Blocks
Sleigh Bells
Snare Drum
Suspended Cymbal
Tam-tam
Tambourine
Triangles (2)
Vibraphone
Wood Block
Xylophone

Errata

In Parts:

B-flat Soprano Clarinet I: Number 25 is missing.
Horn in F I, 3 meas. before 4B: A natural, not a B.

Program Notes

This work was commissioned as a "large, Romantic-style overture" by Lt. Col. James M. Bankhead to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Air Force Band. The band premiered the work at the March 1991 American Bandmasters Association convention in Tempe, Arizona.

After a bold and extended introductory fanfare, followed by the principal theme in solo oboe, the middle section features a lengthy alto saxophone solo. A second fast development, including some special "champagne music" (complete with a cork sound for the celebration), recaps the opening fanfare in a presto coda.

- Program Note from Program Notes for Band

Media

Audio CD: The Naperville Winds (Sean Kelley, conductor) - 2022

State Ratings

Georgia: VI
Indiana: ISSMA SENIOR BAND GROUP I
New York: Concert Band VI
North Carolina: VI
South Carolina: VI
Virginia: VI

Musicfest Canada: B600

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

McAllen (Tx.) Wind Ensemble (Roger Olivares, conductor) - 10 May 2022
The Naperville (Ill.) Winds (Sean Kelley, conductor) - 9 December 2021
United States Air Force Band (Washington, D.C.) (Jason S. Plosch, conductor) - 11 June 2021
Edina (Minn.) High School Concert Band (Paul Kile, conductor) – 6 November 2017
Foothill Symphonic Band (Palo Alto, Calif.) (David Bruce Adams, conductor) – 12 March 2017
U.S. Military Academy (West Point, N.Y.) Band (Tod Addison, conductor) – 21 January 2017
University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Wind Ensemble (Angela Holt, conductor) – 12 October 2016
La Salle College (Philadelphia, Penn.) Wind Orchestra (NGAI Lung Ching, Kelvin, conductor) - 12 July 2014
San Luis Obispo (Calif.) Wind Orchestra (David Rackley, conductor) - 20 March 2010
Senzoku Gakuen College (Kanagawa, Japan) Wind Orchestra (James Barnes, conductor) – 24 December 2000 (2000 Midwest Clinic)

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. (1992). Symphonic Overture [score]. Southern Music: San Antonio, Tex.
Smith, Norman E. (2002). Program Notes for Band. Chicago: GIA Publications, pp. 37-38.