Tuba Concerto (Williams)

John Williams

John Williams (arr. Paul Lavender)

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General Info

Year: 1985 / 2013
Duration: c. 19:10
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Tuba and orchestra
Publisher: Hal Leonard
Cost: Score and Parts - Rental

Movements

1. Allegro moderato 7:10
2. Andante – 7:25
3. Allegro molto 4:30

Instrumentation

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

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

To celebrate the centenary of the Boston Pops Orchestra in 1985, Williams was commissioned to compose the Tuba Concerto, dedicated to Chester Schmitz, the group’s solo tuba player. Premièred in May of that year with Williams on the podium, the concerto highlights the technical and tonal ranges of both the tuba and its performer. A fragment from the Superman theme can be heard in the first movement. In the words of soloist Simon Wildman, “I’ve always thought this concerto was like a long Superman étude. The writing really seems to suggest flying, action punches, and soul-searching at the fortress of solitude.”

Williams has written about his concerto:

I really don’t know why I wrote it—just urge and instinct. I’ve always liked the tuba and even used to play it a little. I wrote a big tuba solo for a Dick Van Dyke movie called Fitzwilly, and ever since I’ve kept composing for it—it’s such an agile instrument, like a huge cornet. I’ve also put passages in for some of my pets in the orchestra—solos for the flute and English horn, for the horn quartet and a trio of trumpets. It’s light and tuneful and I hope it has enough events in it to make it fun.

- Program Note from United States Marine Band concert program, 16 August 2018

Commercial Discography

None discovered thus far.

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; Simon Wildman, tuba) - 16 August 2018
• Boston University Wind Ensemble (David J. Martins, conductor) – 20 November 2013 *Premiere Performance of Wind Ensemble Version*

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)
• America, the Dream Goes On (arr. Higgins) (1989)
• 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)
• The Cowboys (arr. Curnow) (1972)
• 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 "Home Alone" (arr. Lavender) (1990/1992)
• 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)

Resources

None discovered thus far.