SKU: PR.114414450

ISBN 9781598064087. UPC: 680160597635. 9x12 inches.

Inspired by the tale of a legendary folk hero, Adolphus Hailstork’s tour-de-force for trombone and piano is a riveting portrayal of the steely strength and stamina of John Henry, a former slave who helped build the American railroads and ultimately outperformed a steam engine. This composition uses quotes from the spiritual Every Time I Feel the Spirit and the folk song The Ballad of John Henry. For advanced players. Duration: 13’__________________________________________Text on the scanned back cover:JOHN HENRY'S BIG(MAN vs. MACHINE)FOR TROMBONE AND PIANOInspired by the tale of the legendary hero, Adolphus Hailstork’s tour-de-force for trombone and piano is a riveting portrayal of the steely strength and stamina of John Henry, a former slave who helped build the American railroads and ultimately outperformed a steam engine.
PROGRAM NOTES by the ComposerJohn Henry was born a slave in the 1840’s or 1850’s. It is important to remember that no one knows for sure if John Henry existed or is a tall tale created by writers. That is one of the things that makes the legend so intriguing.According to the legend, he grew to stand 6 feet tall, 200 pounds – a giant in that day.Though the story of John Henry sounds like the quintessential tall tale, it is certainly based, at least in part, on historical circumstance. There are disputes as to where the legend originates. Some place John Henry in West Virginia, while recent research suggests Alabama. Still, all share a similar back-story.In order to construct the railroads, companies hired thousands of men to smooth out terrain and cut through obstacles that stood in the way of the proposed tracks. One such chore that figures heavily into some of the earliest John Henry ballads is the blasting of the Big Bend Tunnel, more than a mile straight through a mountain in West Virginia.Steel-drivin’ men like John Henry used large hammers and stakes to pound holes into the rock, which were were then filled with explosives that would blast a cavity deeper and deeper into the mountain. In the folk ballads, the central event took place under such conditions. Eager to reduce costs and speed up progress, some tunnel engineers were using steam drills to power their way into the rock. According to the great American tall tales, on hearing of the machine, John Henry challenged the steam drill to a contest. He won, but died of exhaustion, his life cut short by his own superhuman effort.This composition uses quotes from the spiritual Every Time I Feel the Spirit and the folk song The Ballad of John Henry.JOHN HENRY’S BIG was composed for trombonist David Jackson.

SKU: HL.233494

UPC: 888680682170. 5.0x5.0x0.15 inches.

The hit single from John Legend's studio album Darkness and Light, the song celebrates living in the moment: I don't know who's gonna kiss you when I'm gone/So I'm gonna love you now like it's all I have..

SKU: HL.329281

UPC: 840126905656. 5.0x5.0x0.15 inches.

From John Legend's Christmas album Legendary Christmas, here is an easy rock shuffle and secular song for the holiday season. Lending itself to lush choral writing this up beat song will leave everyone smiling.

SKU: CL.012-3697-75

Dramatic and powerful, Legend of the Ancient Hero tells the musical story of a warrior in ancient times who risked his life to save his country from being conquered. Benjamin Yeo is a talented young composer from Singapore who has combined exciting rhythmic elements and a contrasting lyrical section that will make this programmatic work the highlight in your band concert, contest or festival performances! Solos for flute, trumpet and saxophone also provide opportunities to feature the best in your band. Simply exceptional!

About Gems of the Concert Band

A series of transcriptions and other works in varying styles, representative of the programming of the Great American Classic Concert Band era of a century ago, as exemplified by John Phillip Sousa, Edwin Franko Goldman, Karl L. King, and Leonard B. Smith