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Festival Prelude, A

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Alfred Reed

Alfred Reed


General Info

Year: 1962
Duration: c. 4:40
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Edward R. Marks Company/Hal Leonard Corporation
Cost: Score and Parts - $75.00   |   Score Only - $7.50

Instrumentation

Full Score
Piccolo
Flutes I-II
Oboes I-II
Soprano Clarinet in Eb
Soprano Clarinet in Bb I-II-III
Alto Clarinet
Bass Clarinet
Contra Alto Clarinet in Eb or Contrabass Clarinet in Bb
Bassoon I-II
Alto Saxophone I-II
Tenor Saxophone
Baritone Saxophone
Cornet I-II
Trumpet I-II-III
Horn I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
Contrabass
Timpani
Percussion (4) including

  • Bass Drum
  • Cymbals (crash)
  • Snare Drum
  • Triangle


Errata

None discovered thus far.


Program Notes

This work was composed for the 25th Anniversary of the Tri-State Music Festival, located in Enid, Oklahoma. In the score, Alfred Reed wrote:

The music is built up entirely from one main theme and two fanfare-like figures that occur throughout the score. After an opening flourish developed from the first of these fanfare phrases, the main theme is presented in a sweeping unison by the woodwinds, saxophones, cornets, with brass interjections. This leads to the second of the fanfare figures, which builds up to another statement of the main theme by the full band. After a powerful climax, the main theme is once again stated, this time by a richly melodic texture of woodwinds, horns, and saxophones in a quiet, legato variation, in contrast to what has gone before. The second fanfare figure resumes, and, after building up to another climax, the main theme is presented as a processional march, with the first fanfare as a contrapuntal accompaniment. The close is a final statement of the main theme, developed in massive brass chords to a thundering conclusion.

- Program Note by composer


Written in 1956, this work was dedicated to and premiered by the Phillips University Band of Enid, Oklahoma, with the composer conducting, as part of the 25th anniversary of the Tri‐State Music Festival. Alfred Reed said, “The work was conceived specifically in terms of its title as an opening kind of piece...the music was to establish a bright and brilliant mood throughout, with no other connotation in mind.” Two fanfare‐like motifs and a main theme occur throughout the composition using the brass and woodwinds separately and combined to impart tone color and majesty. In 1991, the composer commented, “A Festival Prelude was originally written for performance by a university group of players, and I do recall there having been some difficulties with some of the more demanding textures of the work at that time, 34 years ago. I also recall not offering the work for performance for nearly four years after its first performance, despite the willingness of the publisher I was then connected with to accept it, on the ground that I did not feel there were a sufficient number of high school bands in the country who could cope with it as a whole.”

- Program Note from Program Notes for Band


Commercial Discography


State Ratings

  • Florida: IV
  • Maryland: IV

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

  • San Luis Obispo County (Calif.) Senior Honor Band (Shannon Kitelinger, conductor) – 19 February 2020
  • Truman State University (Kirksville, Mo.) Wind Symphony II (Jennifer Rubin, conductor) – 21 November 2019
  • Nashville (Tenn.) Youth Wind Ensemble (Greg Snyder, conductor) – 20 November 2019
  • University of Nevada Reno Concert Winds (Reed Chamberlin, conductor) – 23 October 2019
  • Southeast Missouri State University (Cape Girardeau) Wind Symphony (Martin Reynolds, conductor) – 30 April 2019
  • University of Florida (Gainesville) Monday Concert Band (Michael Patrick Halcovage, Jr., conductor) – 26 February 2019
  • University Of North Carolina, Greensboro, University Band (J. Benjamin Jones, Conductor) – 19 February 2019
  • Penn State University (University Park) Concert Band (Herbert Payung, conductor) – 4 December 2018
  • Iowa State University (Ames) Symphonic Band (Michael Golemo, conductor) – 2 December 2018
  • University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire University Band (Randal C. Dickerson, conductor) – 26 November 2018
  • Baldwin-Wallace College (Berea, Ohio) Symphonic Band (Andrew Buckley, conductor) – 19 October 2018
  • Sacramento (Calif.) State University Concert Band (Matthew Morse, conductor) – 17 October 2018
  • Henderson State University (Arkadelphia, Ark.) Symphony Band (Steven M. Knight, conductor) – 11 March 2018
  • Foothill Symphonic Winds (Palo Alto, Calif.) (David Bruce Adams, conductor) – 11 March 2018
  • Parkland College (Champaign, Ill.) Concert Band (Larry Stoner, conductor) - 4 March 2018
  • The Ohio State University (Columbus) Collegiate Winds (Soojin Lee, conductor) – 27 February 2018
  • Northwest Missouri State University Wind Symphony (Alysa Orchard, conductor) – 20 February 2018
  • Central Michigan University (Mount Pleasant) University Band (James Batcheller, conductor) – 5 December 2017
  • Shenandoah Conservatory (Winchester, VA) Concert Band (Brian T. Harris, conductor) - 14 November 2017
  • United States Military Academy Band (West Point, N.Y.) (Larry Barton, conductor) – 4 September 2017


Works for Winds by this Composer


Resources

  • Miles, Richard B., and Larry Blocher. 2002. Teaching Music Through Performance in Band. Volume 4. Chicago: GIA Publications. pp. 413-420.
  • Reed, A. (1962). A festival prelude [full score]. Hal Leonard Corporation, Milwaukee, Wisc.
  • Smith, Norman E. (2002). Program Notes for Band. Chicago: GIA Publications, pp. 492.
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