Alleluia (Thompson)
Randall Thompson (trans. Lewis J Buckley)
General Info
Year: 1940 / 1993
Duration: c. 5:55
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Choir
Publisher: Schirmer
Cost: Score and Parts - $49.27 | Score Only - $9.45
Instrumentation
Full Score
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II
Horn in F I-II-III
Trombone
Bass Trombone
Euphonium I-II
Tuba
Timpani
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
Alleluia is a piece for unaccompanied SATB chorus by Randall Thompson. Composed over the first five days of July in 1940, it was given its world premiere on July 8th of that year at the Berkshire Music Center at Tanglewood under the direction of G. Wallace Woodworth.
The work was written on a commission from Serge Koussevitzky, director of the Tanglewood Festival. Koussevitzky wanted a "fanfare" for voices to be performed at the opening exercises of the new Berkshire Music Center, and he asked Thompson to contribute such a piece. Instead of the joyous work expected of him, the composer produced a quiet and introspective piece. Thompson was inspired by the war in Europe, and the recent fall of France; given these events, he felt that to write a festive piece would be inappropriate. The text of the work consists of the word "Alleluia" repeated over and over again. The only other word in the text is "Amen", which is used once at the end. The end also divides the choir into seven parts.
Thompson once wrote that the Alleluia is:
a very sad piece. The word "alleluia" has so many possible interpretations. The music in my particular Alleluia cannot be made to sound joyous. It is a slow, sad piece, and ... here it is comparable to the Book of Job, where it is written, "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord."
The piece has become Thompson's most popular work, and is frequently performed today.
- Program Note from Wikipedia
Media
- Audio CD: Harrison High School Wind Ensemble (David W. Vandewalker, conductor) - 2007
- Audio CD: United States Coast Guard Band (Lewis J. Buckley, conductor) - 2002
State Ratings
- Georgia: VI
- Maryland: III
- Michigan: Senior High B
- Virginia: IV
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- Calvin University (Grand Rapids, Mich.) Wind Ensemble (Tiffany Engle, conductor) - 10 November 2023
- Denis Wick Canadian Wind Orchestra (Niagara Falls, Ont., Can.) (Mark Hopkins, conductor) - 19 May 2023
- Henderson State University (Arkadelphia, Ark.) Symphony Band (Shaun Popp, conductor) - 20 April 2023
- Nova Scotia Youth Wind Ensemble (Mark Hopkins, conductor) - 30 October 2022
- Solano Winds Community Concert Band (Fairfield, Calif.) (Bill Doherty, conductor) - 6 May 2022
- Rivers School Conservatory (Weston, Mass.) Youth Wind Ensemble (Jason Bielik, conductor)– 1 December 2019
- University of Minnesota Symphonic Band (John Zarco, conductor) – 26 October 2016
- Pomona (Calif.) Concert Band (Linda W. Taylor, conductor) – 7 July 2016
- The Eagles Band (Pittsfield, Mass.) (Carl Jenkins, conductor) - 8 November 2014
- Charlotte Concert Band (Donald Morris, conductor) - 5 November 2011
- Harrison High School (Kennesaw, Ga.) Wind Ensemble (David W. Vandewalker, conductor) – 21 December 2007 (2007 Midwest Clinic)
- United States Coast Guard Band (New London, Conn.) (Lewis J. Buckley, conductor) – 21 December 2002 (2002 Midwest Clinic)
Works for Winds by This Composer
- Alleluia (Thompson) (tr. Buckley) (1993)
- Best of Rooms, The (arr. Lambrecht) (1963/2016)
- Best of Rooms, The (arr. Grant) (1963/2017)
- Frostiana (arr. Hudson) (1984)
- Testament of Freedom (arr. Corley) (1942)
Resources
- Alleluia (Thompson), Wikipedia
- Thompson, R.; Buckley, L. (1993). Alleluia [score]. ECS Pub.: Boston, Mass.