Flourish for Glorious John

From Wind Repertory Project
Ralph Vaughan Williams

Ralph Vaughan Williams (orch. Boyd)


General Info

Year: 1957 / 1998
Duration: c. 1:45
Difficulty: III (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Ludwig Masters
Cost: Score and Parts - Out of print


Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute
Oboe
English Horn
Bassoon I-II
Contrabassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
B-flat Contrabass Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Saxophone
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Bass Saxophone
B-flat Piccolo Trumpet
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Flugelhorn
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Piano
Harp
Timpani
Percussion, including:

  • Bass Drum
  • Chimes
  • Crash Cymbals
  • Marimba
  • Snare Drum
  • Suspended Cymbal
  • Vibraphone


Errata

None discovered thus far.


Program Notes

Stunning! In fact, when Ralph Vaughan Williams premiered the work, the applause lasted so long that a second performance of the Flourish was given! Short in length, this is an excellent opener or encore in any concert program, and is filled with the beauty and texture that has made Vaughan Williams' work timeless.

- Program Note from publisher


Sir John Barbirolli was a distinguished British conductor of the mid-twentieth century whose many recordings bear witness to his great talents. He was a friend of Vaughan Williams and had led the Hallé Orchestra in premiere performances of the composer’s Seventh and Eighth Symphonies. To commemorate the 100th anniversary season of Manchester’s Hallé Orchestra and its great conductor, Vaughan Williams decided to write this short, colorful work. The piece opened the first concert of the 1957-1958 season and, after the composer was called on stage to join Barbirolli, a second performance had to be given owing to the enthusiastic applause showered on them by the audience.

- Program Note by William V. Johnson for the San Luis Obispo Wind Orchestra concert program, 15 October 2010


Media

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


State Ratings

  • Georgia: IV


Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

  • Austin (Tx.) Symphonic Band (Kyle Glaser, conductor) - 14 February 2023
  • Rowan University (Glassboro, N.J.) Wind Ensemble (Joseph Higgins, conductor) - 12 December 2022
  • Cornell College (Mt. Vernon, Iowa) Symphonic Band (Joshua W. Neuenschwander, conductor) - 10 December 2022
  • University of Tulsa (Okla.) Wind Ensemble (Andrew Anderson, conductor) - 18 April 2022
  • University of Minnesota (Minneapolis) Symphonic Band (Jerry Luckhardt, conductor) – 19 October 2021
  • West Chester University (Penn.) Concert Band (Seth Jones, conductor) – 24 April 2019
  • Williams College (Williamstown, Mass.) Wind Ensemble (Brian Messier, conductor ) – 7 December 2018
  • Genesee Valley (N.Y.) Wind Ensemble (Philip J. Briatico, conductor) – 29 April 2018
  • Ball State University (Muncie, Ind.) Symphony Band (Austin Hinkle, conductor) – 1 November 2017
  • Indiana University (Bloomington) Wind Ensemble (Stephen W. Pratt, conductor) – 14 February 2017
  • University of Minnesota (Minneapolis) Gold Campus Band (Alex Paquin, conductor) – 5 December 2016
  • Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.) Symphonic Band (Shawn Vondran, conductor) – 30 October 2015
  • Penn State University Symphonic Band (Dennis Glocke, conductor) – 4 October 2015
  • University of Illinois Hindsley Symphonic Band (Jesse Leyva, conductor) - 30 November 2012
  • San Luis Obispo (Calif.) Wind Orchestra (William V. Johnson, conductor) - 15 October 2010
  • 1999 CBDNA Small College Intercollegiate Band (Hershel Beasley, conductor) – 24 February 1999 (CBDNA 1999 National Conference, Austin, Tx.)


Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music


All Wind Works


Resources

  • Vaughan Williams, R.; Boyd, J. (1998). Flourish for Glorious John [score]. Ludwig Masters: Cleveland, Ohio.