Band Concert Band - Grade 2

SKU: CF.YPS200

Composed by Matthew R. Putnam. Young Band (YPS). Set of Score and Parts. With Standard notation. 8+2+4+2+2+5+2+2+4+4+6+3+3+2+1+3+16+4+4+2+2 pages. Duration 2:15. Carl Fischer Music #YPS200. Published by Carl Fischer Music (CF.YPS200).

ISBN 9781491152201. UPC: 680160909704. Key: D minor.

Step right up, ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, step right up! See the exotic, the strange, and the magical at the Cirque de L’étrange, or “Circus of the Strange.” This piece evokes a bygone era when circuses and carnivals provided people from all walks of life a chance to see human and animal oddities. Cirque de L'étrange is an original concert march written in standard march form, but its sound is anything but standard. This piece is playable by younger groups and is a great way to expose students to the march form and style without sounding like your typical march.
Step right up ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, step right up! See the exotic, the strange, and the magical at the Cirque de L’étrange. Welcome to the Cirque de L’étrange, known in English as the “Circus of the Strange.” This piece evokes a time of a bygone era, a time when circuses and carnivals provided people from all walks of life a chance to see human and animal oddities that were sources of both delight and horror. While many of these sideshow attractions were deemed fraudulent, it did not deter the crowds from flocking to be shocked and awed. I have always held a special place in my heart for the showmanship of carnivals, because my grandfather dearly loved them. For much of his life, he worked at fairs and carnivals selling cotton candy and candy apples. A large portion of my days when growing up were spent running around fairgrounds and helping my grandfather with his stand. He imparted in me a love for the cunning, magic, and sheer joy that only carnivals and circuses can bring. In Cirque de L’étrange, I sought to capture the the mirthful, yet uncanny mood of the carnivals that I grew up exploring, thus transporting you to a different time.Cirque de L'étrange is an original concert march written in standard march form, but its sound is anything but standard. This piece is playable by younger groups, as it is a great way to expose students to the march form and style while not sounding like your typical march.Opening in D minor, the piece combines the playful feel of a march and a macabre tango. The second time through the First Strain (mm. 5-23), the upper woodwinds and bells add a second counter melody based in D harmonic minor, which heightens the peculiar nature of the piece. The Second Strain (mm. 24-43) by contrast, is a little more upbeat, thus evoking the magical ebullience of a circus, which is further highlighted by the xylophone part. The Second Strain ends in the key of F major and sets up the transition to the Trio in the key of G minor. The Trio (m. 44) begins with the G harmonic minor melody in the clarinets and a counter melody in the bassoon and tenor saxophone. The rest of the woodwinds and bells join in at m. 60 while the percussion adds a Gypsy-like feel with tambourine and triangle. At m. 76 the full band joins in the macabre parade with the trombones and baritones harmonizing the counter melody. The conclusion of the march has the upper woodwinds, adding a second counter melody complete with trills to bring the march to an exciting and dramatic finish.As the World’s Greatest Showman, P.T. Barnum, a man my grandfather greatly admired, once said “The noblest art is that of making others happy.” It is my hope that through this piece you will experience the thrill, delight, and fright that only carnivals can bring as you visit the Circus of the Strange!

Concert Band/Harmonie - Grade 2.5

SKU: BT.CMP-0625-02-140

Composed by James Hosay. Passport Plus Series. Concert Piece. Score Only. Composed 2002. 32 pages. Curnow Music #CMP 0625-02-140. Published by Curnow Music (BT.CMP-0625-02-140).

Now your band can boldly go where no band has gone before, and bring the “final frontier” to your concert band stage! Here’s James L. Hosay’s imaginative new tone poem SPACE PROBE. Since the 1970's, NASA has been launching long-range, solar-powered probes into space. Over the past 30 years, the Voyager, Pioneer, and Galileo series’ probes have sent back incredible photographs. The data sent to Earth by these probes, along with recent photos and information gathered by the orbital telescope, Hubble, has helped astronomers chart the ever-expanding universe all the way back to its origins. This composition provides excellent opportunities for cross-curriculum teaching withscience. A scintillating musical spacescape ushers in the bold thematic statement in the Trumpets and Alto Saxophones. French Horns join in thrilling variation. A boundless contrasting espressivo theme soars through to the reprise of the initial ideas. Explore SPACE PROBE with your band this year. Inspiring!