Concert band (1st Flute, 2nd Flute/Oboe*, 1st Bb Clarinet, 2nd Bb Clarinet, 3rd ...(+)
Concert band (1st Flute,
2nd Flute/Oboe*, 1st Bb
Clarinet, 2nd Bb
Clarinet, 3rd Bb
Clarinet, Bb Bass
Clarinet*, Eb Alto
Saxophone*, Bb Tenor
Saxophone*, 1st Bb
Trumpet, 2nd Bb Trumpet,
1st F Horn, 2nd F Horn,
Trombone, Euphonium, (TC
Baritone), Tuba, Timpani
(2), Percu) - grade 2
SKU: CN.R10202
Composed by Bruce Fraser.
Arranged by Percy
Aldridge Grainger. Band
Music. Score and parts.
Duration 3:40. Published
by G & M Brand Music
Publishers (CN.R10202).
Warlike, then
noble, Now is the Day is
based on the great figure
in Scottish history -
William Wallace, often
called Braveheart.
Opening with the
woodwinds playing drums
along with the percussion
section against brass
fanfares, this piece will
create an air of
excitement. An alto
saxophone solo provides a
brief moment of solace
between the battle
scenes.
This work
is based on a great
figure in Scottish
history - William
Wallace, often called
Braveheart. The song
Scots wha hae wi' Wallace
bled, which is Scotland's
unofficial national
anthem contains the line
Now is the day and how is
the hour, and this is the
source of the title. The
opening section is
warlike in sound with
woodwinds playing
tambours of some sort -
tom-toms, tambours, even
old drum skins will make
the kind of noise
required to simulate a
battle. Noisy brass
fanfares are melodic
fragments of Scots wha
hae melody. Eventually,
woodwinds join in and the
music slows down to an
alto saxophone solo,
again based on fragments
of Scots wha hae. The
battle tempo resumes and
percussion then lead the
band noisily into an
eventual full statement
of the theme creating a
noble sound against the
continuing drum patterns,
leading to a triumphant
ending.