Beowulf

W. Francis McBeth

Subtitle: An Heroic Trilogy

This work bears the designation Opus 71.

General Info

Year: 1986
Duration: c. 9:30
Difficulty: V (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Southern Music Co.
Cost: Score and Parts - $130.00 | Score Only - $15.00

Movements

1. Herot: The Great Hall
2. Grendel: The Scion of Cain
3. Beowulf: A Feast of Life

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II-III
Oboe I-II
Bassoon
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 Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
Timpani
Percussion, including:

Bass Drum
Crash Cymbals
Chimes
Glockenspiel
Snare Drum

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Commissioned by and dedicated to Harry Pfingsten and the Avon Lake High School Shoremen Band, Avon Lake, Ohio.

- Program Note from publisher

Beowulf is an Old English epic poem consisting of 3182 alliterative long lines. It is possibly the oldest surviving long poem in Old English and is commonly cited as one of the most important works of Old English literature. It was written in England some time between the 8th and the early 11th century. The author was an anonymous Anglo-Saxon poet, referred to by scholars as the "Beowulf poet".

The poem is set in Scandinavia. Beowulf, a hero of the Geats, comes to the aid of Hroðgar, the king of the Danes, whose mead hall in Heorot has been under attack by a monster known as Grendel. After Beowulf slays him, Grendel's mother attacks the hall and is then also defeated. Victorious, Beowulf goes home to Geatland (Götaland in modern Sweden) and later becomes king of the Geats. After a period of fifty years has passed, Beowulf defeats a dragon, but is fatally wounded in the battle. After his death, his attendants bury him in a tumulus, a burial mound, in Geatland.

- Program Note from Wikipedia

Media

(Needed - please join the WRP if you can help.)

State Ratings

Arkansas: V
Georgia: VI
Iowa: IV
Indiana: ISSMA SENIOR BAND GROUP I
Kansas: V
Louisiana: V
Michigan: Senior High A
New York: Concert Band VI
North Carolina: VI
Oklahoma: V-A
South Carolina: VI
Tennessee: V
Virginia: VI

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Atlanta (Ga.) Youth Wind Symphony (Scott Stewart, conductor) - 5 October 2023
Central Michigan University (Mount Pleasant) Symphony Band (Robert Lidahl, conductor) - 18 April 2023
Western Illinois University (Macomb) Showcase Honor Band (Robert Meunier, conductor) – 22 February 2020
Encore Winds (Traverse City, Mich.) (Timothy Topolewski, conductor) - 15 March 2018
Tinley Park (Ill.) High School (Vince Aiello, conductor) – 28 April 2016
Middle Tennessee State University (Murfreesboro) Symphonic Band (Craig Cornish, conductor) – 1 March 2012
San Luis Obispo (Calif.) Wind Orchestra (William V. Johnson, conductor) – 5 December 1999

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

Battaglia (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Barber) (1967/2021)

All Wind Works

Air and Dance (2005)
Annabel Lee (2004)
Battaglia (1967)
Battaglia (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Barber) (1967/2021)
Beowulf (1966)
Caccia (1980)
Canticle (1969)
Cantique and Faranade (1967)
Canto (1977)
Capriccio Concertant (1976)
Cavata (1959/1981)
Chant and Jubilo (1963)
Chase (2006)
The Coventry (2003)
Daniel in the Lion's Den (1991/1994)
Divergents
Drammatico (1970)
Drayton Hall Esprit (1992)
The Dream Catcher (1997)
Estampie (2000)
The Feast of Trumpets (!982)
Festive Centennial (1974)
The Fifth Trumpeter (1989)
Flourishes (1982)
Grace Praeludium (1982)
Intermezzo from "Manon Lescaut" (as arranger) (1893/1984)
It is Well
Joyant Narrative (1966)
Kaddish (1976)
Keltic Dances (2004)
Lauds and Tropes (1997)
The Lions of North Bridge (2000)
Masque (1968)
Mosaic (!964)
Of Sailors and Whales (1989)
Praises (1984)
Reflections Past (1965)
The Sacred Flame
Scaramouche (2002)
The Sea Treaders (1996)
Second Suite for Band (1961)
The Seventh Seal (1972)
Third Movement from "Symphony No. 2" (Hanson) (as arranger) (1930/1983)
Symphonic Dance No. 1, "Comanche Ritual" (as transcriber) (1965/2013)
They Hung Their Harps in the Willows (1988)
This Land of El Dorado (1993)
Through Countless Halls of Air (1995)
To Be Fed By Ravens (1975)
To the Unknowns (1987)
When Honor Whispers and Shouts (1998)
When Rossi Strikes
Wine From These Grapes (1992)
With Sounding Trumpets (1987)

Resources

Beowulf, Wikipedia
McBeth, W. (1986). Beowulf: An Heroic Trilogy [score]. Southern Music: San Antonio, Tex.