Honor, Courage...Commitment
General Info
Year: 1996 / 1998
Duration: c. 12:40
Difficulty: VI (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Stormworks USA
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $135.00; (digital) - $120.00 | Score Only (print) - $45.00
Individual movements may be purchased separately.
Movements
1. Without Warning – 1:50
2. Without Hesitation – 5:00
3. GODSPEED! – 5:40 (optional)
Instrumentation
Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe
Bassoon I-II
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone I-II
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II
Bass Trombone
Euphonium I-II
Tuba/PAD Bass
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion, including:
- Bass Drum
- Chimes
- Crash Cymbals
- Hi-Hat
- Orchestra Bells
- Tam-tam (large)
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
Honor, Courage…Commitment is a three-movement tour de force for wind ensemble. Melillo composed the work at the request of the U.S. Navy, which asked him to write “something that will be like a victory at sea, only more … something filmic and dramatic, a monument to the spirit of the Navy!”
The first movement, Without Warning, features swirling runs in the upper winds, sinister harmonies in the brass, and violent percussive accents, bringing to mind a ship at sea caught off guard by a sudden squall. The second movement, Without Hesitation, begins with a reverent chorale in the low brass and winds, accompanied by fanfare-like interjections in the trumpets and percussion. This leads into a mercurial dialogue between solo flute and clarinet, and the movement closes with a bold fanfare by the full brass section. The final movement, GODSPEED!, can be performed as a standalone work and is composed in A-B-A form (fast-slow-fast). The opening section sparkles with energy and features heroic gestures in the brass and low winds, punctuated by searing runs in the upper winds. The middle section is more contemplative and features a lovely alto saxophone solo, which transitions to a recapitulation of the opening material for a rousing finale.
- Program Note from U.S. Marine Band concert program, 19 August 2021
Media
- Audio: Reference recording. Asahikawa Commercial High School (Hokkaido, Japan) Band (Jun Sato, conductor)- 2020
- Audio CD: St. Olaf Band (Timothy Mahr, conductor)
State Ratings
None discovered thus far.
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- United States Marine Band (Washington, D.C.) (Bryan P. Sherlock, conductor) - 19 August 2021
Works for Winds by This Composer
- America the Brave (1981)
- Aurora (1998)
- Ben Hur (as arranger) (1959/2008)
- Concerto for Violin and Band (2000)
- David (1995)
- The Defenders of Truefire! (1996)
- Escape from Plato's Cave (1993)
- Festival of Light! (1995)
- Finest Hour! (2000)
- Forbidden Fortress (1997)
- Giving!
- Godspeed! (1997)
- HAJJ (2000)
- Honor, Courage...Commitment (1996/1998)
- I Shall Hear in Heaven
- In a Cause Called "Glorious" (2001)
- In the Beginning (1992)
- Millennium (1997)
- O Come Holy Night! (1993)
- Once More Unto the Breach (2004)
- The Shoemaker (1999/2006)
- The Speech of Angels (1998)
- Stormworks
- Three Musical Haikus for Band (1984)
- Time to Take Back the Knights! (1999)
- Triumph at CHO-SIN! (1996)
- Under the Cover of Night ... Into the Light of Day! (1993)
- The Universe Below
- A Walk in Jurassic Park. See: In the Beginning
- Without Warning (1996)
- WU (2008)
Resources
- Stephen Melillo website Accessed 18 August 2021