Festive Overture for Band

Grade 6

11 minutes

Premiered by The George Washington University Wind Ensemble, February 10, 2000.

Festive Overture for Band is a showpiece that will challenge all sections and soloists in your band.  Most of the melodic material comes from the four-note tetrachord stated at the beginning by unison French horns.  It is repeated with a variety of tone colors at breakneck speed with unexpected meter changes and syncopations.  The slow section utilizes the tetrachord and weaves a new motive into it to create a lovely English horn melody.  An imitative section brings back the original tempo and utilizes the entire woodwind section, then a huge tutti crescendo explodes into the recapitulation.