Symphonic Concert March
Giouse Bonelli (ed. and arr. Nicholas Falcone)
General Info
Year: 1915? / 1968
Duration: c. 6:45
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Southern Music Co.
Cost: Score and Parts - $159.00 | Score Only - $24.00
Instrumentation
Full Score
Condensed Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet Solo-I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Contra Alto Clarinet
B-flat Contrabass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Cornet Solo-I-II-III
B-flat Trumpet I-II
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Piano
Timpani
Percussion, including:
- Bass Drum
- Crash Cymbals
- Snare Drum
Errata
- Flute, m.136 (9th bar of the Trio), m.155 (5 bars before H): Rhythm should be same as before, not two quarter notes.
- Oboes, m.173, beat two: add dot to 8th note (rhythm should be a dotted 8th-16th).
Program Notes
Symphonic Concert March was never intended for the parade ground, but, as its title indicates, for the concert hall. Its flowing melodies, contrasting rhythms, and contrapuntal material are too intricate for the march, and too fast for the standard military pace. Bonelli has employed themes which reappear often throughout the composition. Following the trio, the finale again returns to the motive of the introduction in resplendent form. This arrangement is by Nicholas Falcone, an Italian immigrant who became director of the University of Michigan Band in 1927.
Concerning the composer, Leonard Falcone (the arranger’s brother) writes: "In Italy composers of marches and other small pieces were never given biographical information nor program notes concerning their music. My brother Nicholas and I played the Bonelli march with our home town band in Italy about sixty years ago (around 1915). I remember seeing the front page of the conductor score (in manuscript) and the only thing written on it was BONELLI."
- Program Note by the Eastern Wind Symphony from the CD Symphonic Collage.
Very little is known about composer Giouse Bonelli, despite the fact that his Symphonic Concert March has become a staple in the canon of music for concert band and wind ensemble.
His compositional style is clearly derived from the Italian school of smooth, flowing melodies, clear contrapuntal lines, and contrasting rhythmic material. The presence of leitmotifs throughout
the piece leaves no doubt as to Bonelli’s traditional classical training. This arrangement by Nicholas D. Falcone is the most popular version of the piece. Falcone was a virtuoso clarinetist
but was also known as educator, composer, and conductor during his career. His most prominent position was as leader of the University of Michigan Bands during the first part of the twentieth
century.
- Program Note from United States Marine Band concert program, 16 June 2022
Media
- Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown
- Audio CD: Eastern Wind Symphony (Howard H. Silvester, conductor) - 2001
State Ratings
None discovered thus far.
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- Texas Tech University (Lubbock) Concert Band (Joel Pagán, conductor) - 25 September 2023
- Lakewood Ranch (Fla.) Wind Ensemble (Joe Miller, conductor) - 27 November 2022
- United States Marine Band (Washington, D.C.) (Kevin Sedatole, conductor) - 16 June 2022
- Purdue University Fort Wayne (Ind.) Symphonic Band (Daniel Tembras, conductor) - 28 April 2022
- Franklin High School (Elk Grove, Calif.) Wind Ensemble (Matt Mackey, conductor) - 4 December 2019
- Michigan State University (East Lansing) Symphony Band (John T. Madden, conductor) – 1 December 2016
- Hodgson Winds (University of Georgia, Athens) (Cynthia Johnston Turner, conductor) – 16 October 2015
- Walnut Creek (Calif.) Concert Band (Harvey Benstein, conductor) - 10 March 2015
- Reno (Nev.) Wind Symphony (Edward C. Harris, conductor) - 4 March 2015 (80th Annual ABA National Convention)
- ACB 2013 Convention Band (Allen E. Beck, conductor) - 6 April 2013 (ACB’s 35th Annual Convention (San Ramon, Calif.)
- Michigan State University (East Lansing) Wind Symphony (Kenneth G. Bloomquist, conductor) – March 1, 2012 (ABA 2012 Annual Convention (Indianapolis, Indiana))
- Austin Symphonic Band (Richard Floyd, conductor) - 25 February 2011
Works for Winds by This Composer
Resources
- Bonelli, G.; Falcone, N. [1968]. Symphonic Concert March [score]. Southern Music Co. : San Antonio, Tx.