Midway March

John Williams

John Williams (arr. Paul Lavender)

General Info

Year: 1976 / 2010
Duration: c. 4:15
Difficulty: V (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Hal Leonard
Cost: Score and Parts - $195.00   |   Score Only - $25.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo/Flute III
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
Eb Clarinet
Bb Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
Eb Alto Clarinet
Bb Bass Clarinet
Eb Alto Saxophone I-II
Bb Tenor Saxophone
Eb Baritone Saxophone
Bb Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium (Bass Clef & Treble Clef)
Tuba
String Bass
Piano
Harp
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III, including:

• Bass Drum
• Bells
• Crash Cymbals
• Snare Drum
• Xylophone

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

In the classic World War II motion picture Midway (1976), John Williams created one of the most riveting and powerful marches ever heard on the silver screen. This authentic edition brings all the energy and excitement of this composition to the wind band format.

- Program Note by publisher

The Battle of Midway was a victory that some say was the turning point of the U.S. war against Japan during World War II. The jaunty nature of the march celebrates the victory but omits the high cost of a battle. The victory was so important to American morale that the name found its way into the lexicon of the country. Chicago’s Midway Airport, for example, was named for the battle. Key to the victory was the breaking of the Japanese Naval encryption codes. The war had been going badly for the U.S. and the Japanese planned to deliver a devastating blow to finish off the U.S. fleet at Midway. However, due to the U.S. Signals Intelligence breaking the Japanese encryption code, the U.S. was able to plan a counterattack that led to eventual victory, although with great loss of U.S. life.

Williams references the code in his march with a repetitive set of staccato notes in the brass. The march was composed in 1976 as part of the soundtrack for an epic movie. Despite its big-name cast, the movie was not a smashing success, but in June 1992, a more successful re-edit of the extended version aired on the CBS network commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Midway. Regardless of the success of the film, the score produced one of Williams’s most popular marches, Midway March.

- Program Note by the Austin (Texas) Symphonic Band concert program, 7 February 2015

Commercial Discography

None discovered thus far.

Audio Links

• Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

• University of Iowa (Iowa City) Symphony Band (Richard Mark Heidel, conductor) – 29 February 2020
• University of Iowa (Iowa City) Symphony Band (Mark Mark Heidel, conductor) – 12 November 2019
• Austin (Tx.) Symphonic Band (Bill Haehnel, conductor) – 10 February 2019
• University of California, Los Angeles, (UCLA) Wind Ensemble (Travis J. Cross, conductor) – 7 March 2018
• Iowa City (Iowa) New Horizons Band (Nolan Hauta, conductor) - 18 June 2017
• Allan Hancock College (Santa Maria, Calif.) Concert Band (Greg Orwell, conductor) – 11 March 2017
• Oakland (Calif.) Municipal Band (Troy Davis, conductor) – 4 July 2016
• Ventura County (Calif.) Concert Band (Julie Budd, conductor) – 8 November 2015
• Virginia Grand Military Band (Loras John Schossel, conductor) - 23 May 2015
• Austin (Texas) Symphonic Band (Bill Haehnel, conductor) - 7 February 2015
• Austin (Texas) Symphonic Band (Richard Floyd, conductor) - 29 September 2014
• University of North Carolina Symphony Band (Evan Feldman, conductor) - 5 December 2011

Works for Winds by this Composer

• The Adventures of Han (arr. Lavender) (2018)
• Adventures of Mutt, The (arr. Lavender) (2008)
• Adventures on Earth from "ET the Extra-Terrestrial" (tr. Paul Lavender)
• American Journey (Williams) (arr. Lavender) (1999/2012)
• Call of the Champions (arr. Moss) (2002)
• Cantina Band (arr. Kalver) (1977/2014)
• Catch Me If You Can (arr. Bocook) (2011)
• Chillers and Thrillers (arr. Moss) (2006)
• Complete Harry Potter, The (arr. Brubaker) (2013)
• Concerto for Tuba and Orchestra (arr. Lavender) (1988/2016)
• Coronation March from "Star Wars" (arr. Burden) (1977/1978)
• Cowboys, The (arr. Curnow)
• Cowboys, The (arr. Bocook) (Grade III) (1972)
• Cowboys, The (arr. Bocook) (Grade V) (1972/2007)
• Dance of the Witches (arr. Lavender) (1987)
• Dartmoor, 1912 (arr. Bocook) (2011)
• The Empire Strikes Back (tr. Bullock) (1980)
• Escapades (arr. Bulla) (2002/2012)
• Excerpts from "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" (arr. Bulla) (1978/2009)
• Excerpts from "Far and Away" (arr. Lavender) (1992/1996)
• Fanfare for Fenway (2012)
• Fanfare from E.T. The Extraterrestrial (arr. Lavender) (1982)
• Flight to Neverland (arr. Lavender) (1991/2016)
• For New York (arr. Lavender)
• For the President's Own (2013)
• Harry Potter Symphonic Suite (2001)
• Harry's Wondrous World (arr. Brubaker) (2003)
• Harry's Wondrous World (arr. Lavender) (2006)
• Highlights from "Hook" (arr. Heide) (1995)
• Highlights from "Jurassac Park" (arr. Vinson) (1993)
• Highlights from "Return of the Jedi" (arr. Jennings; orch. Lavender) (1983)
• Home Alone 2, Lost in New York (arr. Lavender)
• Home Alone Christmas, A (arr. Lavender) (1990/2006
• Hymn to New England, A (arr. Lavender)
• Hymn to the Fallen (arr. Lavender) (1998/1999)
• Hymn to the Fallen (arr. Sweeney) (1998/2000)
• Indiana Jones Selection (arr. Heide) (1981)
• Jedi Steps and Finale (arr. Lavender) (2015)
• John Williams: A Fantasy of Flight (arr. Smith) (2002)
• John Willams: Evening at Pops (arr. Higgins) (1987)
• John Williams in Concert (arr. Lavender) (1992)
• John Williams Swings (arr. Bocook) (2011)
• Jurassic Park Soundtrack Highlights (arr. Lavender) (1993)
• Liberty Fanfare (arr. Curnow) (1986/2002)
• Liberty Fanfare (arr. Bocook) (1986/2010)
• Liberty Fanfare (arr. Lavender) (1986/)
• Lincoln (arr. Bocook) (2013)
• March from "1941", The (arr. Lavender)
• March of the Resistance (arr. Lavender) (2015)
• Men of the Yorktown (arr. Lavender)
• Midway March (arr. Lavender) (1976/2010)
• Midway March (arr Curnow) (1976/1990)
• Midway March (arr. Moss) (1976/1994)
• The Mission Theme (arr. Lavender) (1987)
• Music for Brass (2014)
• Olympic Fanfare and Theme (arr. Curnow) (1984)
• Olympic Spirit, The (1988)
• Olympic Spirit, The (tr. Bocook) (1988/1996)
• Olympic Spirit, The (tr. Rose) (1988)
• Olympic Spirit, The (arr. Curnow) (1988)
• Olympics: A Centennial Celebration (arr. Moss) (1996)
• Out of Sea and the Shark Cage Fugue (arr. Bocook) (1975/2011)
• Parade of the Slave Children (arr. Walker) (1984/1997/2002)
• Patriot, The (arr. Lavender) (2015)
• A Prayer for Peace (arr. Moss) (2006)
• Raiders March (tr. Lavender) (1981/2004)
• Raiders of the Lost Ark Medley (arr. Bullock) (1981)
• The Rebellion Is Reborn (arr. Bocook) (2017)
• Scherzo for Motorcycle and Band (arr. Lavender)
• Scherzo for X-Wings (arr. Lavender) (2016)
• Selections from "E.T." (The Extra-Terrestrial) (arr. Cacavas) (1982/2002)
• Selections from "Superman Returns" (arr. Lopez) (2006)
• Selections from the "Star Wars" Saga (arr. Story) (1977/2006)
• Sinfonietta
• Soaring with John Williams (arr. Smith) (2007)
• Somewhere in My Memory (arr. Moss) (1991/200-?)
• Sound the Bells! (1993)
• Star-Spangled Banner, The (arr Williams) (as arranger) (1814/2004)
• Star Wars: Episode I, The Phantom Menace (arr. Smith)
• Star Wars: Episode II, Attack of the Clones (arr. Smith) (2002)
• Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge
• Star Wars: Main Title (arr. Bulla) (1977/2006)
• Star Wars Medley (arr. Burden) (1977)
• Star Wars Medley (arr. Tatgenhorst) (1977)
• Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Closing Credits) (arr. Lavender) (2016)
• Star Wars: The Marches (arr. Brubaker) (1977)
• Star Wars Saga (arr. Bulla) (2017)
  • The Imperial March (arr. Bulla) (1980/2008)
• Star Wars Saga (arr. Meij) (1987)
• Star Wars Trilogy (arr. Hunsberger) (1977/1997)
• Suite from the Star Wars Epic, Part I (arr. Smith) (1977/2007)
• Suite from the Star Wars Epic, Part II (arr. Smith) (1977/2007)
• Suite from "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" (arr. Lavender) (2015/2016)
• Summon the Heroes (arr. Lavender) (1996)
• Superman (arr. Lowden)
• Superman March (arr. Lavender) (1978/2008)
• Symphonic Marches (arr. Hamers)
• Symphonic Suite from "Far and Away" (arr. Lavender) (1992/2013)
• Symphonic Suite from "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" (arr Bocook) (arr. Bocook) (2016)
• Theme from "JFK" (arr. Lavender) (1991)
• Theme from "Schindler's List" (arr. Custer) (1994)
• Theme from "Schindler's List" (arr. Moss) (1993/2008)
• Theme from "Superman" (arr. Holcombe) (1979)
• Theme from "Superman" (arr. Nowak) (1979)
• Theme from "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" (arr. Ployhar) (1982/1985)
• Trumpet Concerto (arr. Lavender) (1996/2016)
• Tribute to the Film Composer (arr. Lavender)
• Tuba Concerto (arr. Lavender) (1985/2013)
• Viktor's Tale (arr. Lavender) (2004/2008)
• Viktor's Tale (arr. Rasmussen) (2004)
• Wide Receiver (arr. Lavender)
• With Malice Toward None (arr. Lavender) (2012/2015)
• Young Person's Guide to John Williams (arr. Bocook) (1991)

References

None discovered thus far.