World of Pageantry

Hey, I need some good suggestions for some Elegy's. I already know MAerican Elegy, Time Remembered, and Elegy for a Young American, anyone have any good suggestions? Also, i have heardf a lot of hype about Blue Shades, but never played it. I heard it today, only once, and it didn't sound very good. Kinda of, hah, look our band can play independently of each other, I dunno, I only heard it once, but I didn't like it so far.

I have not heard some of these in a long time. But some titles to consider:

Kaddish-W. Francis McBeth (for Clifton Williams)
Wine from These Grapes-W. Francis McBeth (for Claude Smith)
Elegy-John Barnes Chance
Elegy (for a Watchmaker)-William Hill (for his father)
In Memoriam-Alfred Reed

The one I know best is Kaddish, very moving!. It uses some motifs (including a heartbeat!) from Clifton Williams last composition "Caccia and Chorale"

we played blue shades last year. it's really hip.

I like An American Elegy. It's a beautiful song.
Blue Shades is awesome. I don't know who you heard playing it, but I like the way it sounds and it is really cool to play.

Yeah we're playing American Elegy right now. It's pretty good, especially if you have good french horns. There's this one I remember called "Threnody" but I don't remember who wrote it. The guy wrote it for his band director that died or something like that. At some point in the song the whole band is whispering this phrase, but not in unison, something like "Just as time passes, so do memories pass as well..." Can't remember the rest. But it can definitely be moving. It might be too easy for a high school band though, we played it in 8th grade...

Yea, at the beginning it is supposed to be inaudible, everyone saying it at diiferent times, but at the end the audience should hear it "Just as time passes, so do memories pass as well, but those who stirred our spirits live on in our hearts"

Didn't realy like that song (Threnody)... Wasn't that interesting... Plus, no one can hear what is supposed to be said. It all sounds like wind blowing. Oh well...like American Elegy though..off-stage trumpet solo! That be what I'm talking about!

who wrote Threnody and do you kno where I can find a recording?... it sounds interesting...

For all I know there could several arrangements, but the one that we played was by Douglas Akey. Most likely, you can find a recording on JW Pepper (would give you a link, but they weren't working)... They have everything on that site, but you must have Real Player to listen to it... Hope this helps !

Thank yoiu