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!
Ebullience
