Masque

W. Francis McBeth

This work bears the designation Opus 44.

General Info

Year: 1968
Duration: c. 8:00
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Keiser Southern Music
Cost: Score and Parts - $140.00 | Score Only - $8.75

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe
Bassoon I-II
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat 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
Baritone
Bass
Timpani
Percussion, including:

Bass Drum
Chimes
Crash Cymbals
Glockenspiel
Gong
Snare Drum
Suspended Cymbal
Tambourine
Triangle
Vibraphone

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Francis McBeth’s Masque was commissioned by the University of Central Arkansas (State College of Arkansas, at the time) for the opening of their new fine arts auditorium in 1968. The first performance, by the college’s concert band, was conducted by Homer Brown.

The title refers to a type of courtly entertainment much favored in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century England, involving acting, singing, ballet, acrobatics, and elaborate costumes and sets. The McBeth work aims to capture the spirit of those diversions without any specific reference.

- Program notes by David Goza

Masque is in a rounded three-part form, with the middle section differentiated from the flanking sections by its slower tempo and the absence of the persistent rhythmic motives of the earlier section. McBeth crafts the entire work from a small three-note motive first heard in the open measures of the work.

- Program notes by California State Long Beach concert program, 29 November 2012

Masque is in a contemporary idiom familiar to followers of concert band music -- not unusually experimental but nevertheless making use of twentieth-century devices. For example, Masque uses a variety of percussion instruments, has nontraditional harmonies, and makes use of short motifs for melodic interest. Two themes serve as the basic material for the entire piece; one is rhythmic, being heard only in the fast sections, and the other is a melodic three-note motif, which is developed during the entire course of the work.

- Program notes from University of North Carolina, Greensboro, University Band concert program, 3 October 2016

Media

Audio: Reference recording; ensemble and conductor unknown
Audio CD: Naniwa Orchestral Winds – 2011

State Ratings

Alabama: Class A
Arkansas: IV
California: V Class A
Florida: V
Georgia: IV
Iowa: III
Indiana: ISSMA SENIOR BAND GROUP II
Louisiana: IV
Michigan: A
Minnesota: Category 2
Mississippi: IV-A, V-A, VI-A
North Carolina: V
New York: V
South Carolina: V
Tennessee: IV
Virginia: V

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Kennesaw (Ga.) State University Wind Symphony (Daniel Lee, conductor) - 26 April 2023
Oakville High School (St. Louis, Mo.) Wind Symphony (Vance Brakefield, conductor) – 27 February 2020
Purdue University (West Lafayette, Ind.) Symphonic Band (Matt Conaway, conductor) - 22 February 2020
Stephen F. Austin State University (Nacogdoches, Tx.) Symphonic Band (Chris Kaatz, conductor) – 30 January 2020
Sacramento (Calif.) State University Concert Band (Matthew Morse, conductor) – 25 November 2019
Brigham Young University (Provo, Utah) Symphonic Band (Kirk Saville, conductor) – 1 November 2019
University of Nevada Reno Concert Winds (Reed Chamberlin, conductor) – 23 October 2019
Bowling Green (Ohio) State University University Band (Bruce Moss, conductor) – 3 May 2019
Miamisburg (Ohio) High School Wind Symphony (Steve Aylward, conductor) - 14 November 2018
University of Wisconsin-Parkside Wind Ensemble (Laura Rexroth, conductor) – 18 October 2018
University of Florida (Gainesville) Tuesday/Thursday Night Band - 18 April 2018
Baylor University (Waco, Tx.) Symphonic Band (Isaiah Odajima, conductor) – 21 March 2018 (CBDNA 2018 Southwestern Conference, Houston, Texas)
University of California, Los Angeles, (UCLA) Wind Ensemble (Travis J. Cross, conductor) – 6 November 2017
California All-State High School Concert Band (Michelle Rakers, conductor) - 19 February 2017 (2017 CASMEC Conference, San Jose)
University of North Carolina, Greensboro, University Band (William L. Lake, Jr., conductor) – 3 October 2016
Interlochen Center for the Arts (Michigan) Adult Band Camp (Thomas Riccobono, conductor) - 14 August 2016
New Edmonton (Alberta, Canada) Wind Sinfonia (Raymond Baril, conductor) – 16 July 2015 - WASBE Conference, San Jose, Calif.
California State Long Beach Symphonic Band (Anthony Johnny, conductor) - 29 November 2012

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

Goza, David. W. Francis McBeth's Masque: A Brief Commentary.
McBeth W. Francis. (1968). Masque, for Symphonic Band [score]. Southern Music: San Antonio, Texas.