Unfortunate Band of the Iron Brigade, The
General Info
Year: 2018
Duration: c. 4:15
Difficulty: III (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Lovebird Music
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $60.00
Instrumentation
Full Score
Flute
Oboe
Bassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II
Horn in F
Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
Timpani
Percussion, including:
- Bass Drum
- Crash Cymbals
- Glockenspiel
- Snare Drum
- Tenor Drum
- Xylophone
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
During the Civil War, a group of infantry units from Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana came to be known as the “Iron Brigade” for their toughness and bravery. That respect, however, did not extend to the brigade’s band, who earned a different reputation … as the worst musical unit in the entire Union army. Their sad performance and discipline problems eventually forced the government to completely restructure the way musical units were organized. This whimsical march tells the story of "that contemptible band." Young musicians will learn history, become more familiar with tunes of the era, and have a lot of fun.
The march begins with the only tune that old band could play, The Village Quickstep. They played it so badly, and so slowly, that soldiers marching in review had to hold one foot in the air waiting for the next beat of the music. After a build-up of wrong notes and rude noises, the brass section starts a new tune -- representing the soldiers' singing to drown out the terrible band. The wrong notes gradually fall away as the war continues and the band is finally disbanded.
- Program Note from publisher
Commissioned by Peak Music Festivals.
- Program Note from score
Media
State Ratings
None discovered thus far.
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- Dallas (Tx.) Winds (Jerry Junkin, conductor) - 4 July 2022
Works for Winds by this Composer
- Adeste Fideles (2006)
- Alpine Legion (1983/2007)
- Ark of Hope, An
- Ave Maria (Bach-Gounod) (as arranger) (1853/2004)
- Away in a Manger (arr. Kirkpatrick and Wilberg; setting Lovrien) (1987/2017)
- Biergarten Mazurka
- Calliope Rag (as arranger) (1906/2018)
- Christmas Sing-Along (1997)
- Colonial Medley (as arranger) (2005)
- Diminished Minor Alterations (2018)
- The Hill Country Theme (as arranger) (1966/2019)
- Karusselbrise (Carousel Breeze)
- Lakeshore Picnic
- Last Silent Noël (as arranger) (2018)
- Midwesterner, The
- Minor Alterations (2007)
- Minor Alterations No 2 (2010/2013)
- Minor Forty-Niner (2021)
- Monkey Business (1999/2007)
- Old Ironsides (as arranger)
- Procession of Nations
- Seven Cities of Gold (2003)
- Texas, Our Texas (as arranger) (1924/2018)
- Texas Star (1997/2007)
- A Texas Tribute (2021)
- To Awaken a Sleeping Giant
- Tubilustrium (2001)
- The Unfortunate Band of the Iron Brigade (2018)
Resources
- David Lovrien website – Accessed 4 July 2022
- Perusal score