Upcoming Concert Repertoire
The Parkville Symphonic Band Spring Concert to be presented Friday, June 28, 2019, 7:00 p.m., will feature the following musical selections:
Strike Up The Band, by George Gershwin. Composed a year before the earliest Cole Porter tunes also to be played on this concert (see below), this energetic number elicits visions of a Broadway extravaganza, complete with a chorus line dancing to a full orchestral accompaniment. Warren Barker always succeeds in bringing out the best of other composers in his fine arrangements, and this gem is no exception.
Cole Porter On Broadway. In this arrangement, Warren Barker plays homage to American composer Cole Porter with this masterful medley of Broadway hit songs, all composed between 1928 and 1935. Although songs like “Anything Goes” and “Night and Day” may not match current popular music trends, they are fine songs that hold up well nearly a century after Porter composed them.
The Blue And The Gray, by Clare Grundman. This celebration of songs popular on both sides during the Civil War weaves together eight tunes in a skillfully arranged medley. Songs like “Dixie” and “Battle Hymn of the Republic” remain well known today, while others are scarcely remembered at all. You will enjoy this collection of songs that help tell the story of one of our country’s darkest times.
The March from “1941”, by John Williams. John Williams is at his best in this march from the movie “1941,” a rollicking and enthusiastic musical description of misadventures in the early days of preparation for World War II. The music is a perfect blend of patriotic fervor beset by the comedic ineptness to be expected when leading characters include Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi. This piece is also really fun to play!
Light Cavalry Overture, by Franz von Suppé, and arranged for band by Henry Fillmore. Although von Suppé’s operas are largely forgotten, the overtures to those operas still retain popularity as favorite classics for Pops concerts. The Light Cavalry Overture is among the best, and perhaps my favorite of the group. I know of no other piece that manages to capture the rhythm and gait of galloping horses as well as this piece.
Bugler’s Holiday, by Leroy Anderson. Another favorite among Pops concert pieces is this trumpet trio feature. A must-know for trumpet players wishing to demonstrate their skill at rapid “double-tonguing,” this Anderson gem, along with his popular “Sleigh Ride,” continues to thrill audiences with its just-right balance of cleverness and simplicity in the trumpet theme, all supported by a perfectly orchestrated accompaniment. The tune is memorable, and except for the tonguing, quite hummable.
Barnum and Bailey’s Favorite. This is one of Karl King’s finest and best known marches, and also one of the more difficult marches in the standard repertoire. It is especially beloved—or feared--by trombonists, as it allows them to really show their technical skill. Of course it is very upbeat, just as you would expect for music suitable for a circus proclaiming itself the “Greatest Show on Earth!”
Stranger On The Shore by Acker Bilk. In this Calvin Custer arrangement, our very own Carl Prather solos on clarinet as he plays this beautiful and haunting popular song written in 1961. You will enjoy this song, and perhaps wonder why no one seems to write songs like this today.
The Star and Stripes Forever, by John Philip Sousa. Of course we will include this greatest of all patriotic marches in a concert this close to July 4!