World of Pageantry

What is everyones favorite, or least favorite concert pieces and why?

I am a Personal fan of "First Suite in Eb", and "Second Suite in F". I am also a fan of a piece called "The Hounds Of Spring". I also feel that Robert W. Smith has some good piece out there.

I like both Holst suites also. The Hounds of Spring is a cool piece. I never really thought about what pieces I liked, but I guess it would be the two Holst suites and maybe Blue Shades and Masque. There's probably others, but I can't think of them right now. My least favorite to play would be any Holsinger peice. I like listening to his stuff, but just not playing it for some reason.

I could go on for years about my favorite band pieces, but I'm posting for a different reason. I just got a CD with a bunch of overtures arranged for band, and it has The Hounds of Spring on it. Honestly, I can't say I was that thrilled by it. The CD does have a superb arrangement of Malcolm Arnold's Peterloo Overture and Verdi's overture to La Forza del Destino.

My favorite concert pieces are Third Suite by Jager, Suite Francasie by ?, and Sailors and Whales by Francis MacBeth

SCTOOBA wrote:Suite Francasie by ?

Suite Francaise? It's by Darius Milhaud. His Suite Provencale is even better, in my opinion.

Didn't Milhaud teach at UC-Berkeley towards the end of his life? (late-1960s, early-1970s?) And I can never remember how to pronounce his French name. MEE-oh? MEE-ohd?

Phantom Phan wrote:And I can never remember how to pronounce his French name. MEE-oh? MEE-ohd?

French names always seem hard to pronounce. Of course I can't even pronounce some English names, so maybe it's just me.

Didn't Milhaud teach at UC-Berkeley towards the end of his life?

I don't know about Berzerkeley, BUT I do remember reading somewhere that he had a stint at Mills College close by.

Wow, who knew so many were a fan of the same music that I like?

Anyways for me, my top three favorite songs would be in no particular order:

The Planets by Holst

New World Symphony by Dvorak

Firebird Suite by Strauss

Its a fine list I believe, but there are so many pieces out there, and just different categories in classical pieces. (SIGH) I could keep going forever, but I guess I'll stop.

Third Symphony- James Barnes

American Elegy- Frank Ticheli

Children's March-over the hills and far away- Percy Grainger

Russian Christmas Music- Some Russian guy

American Guernica- ?

musickaerf wrote:Russian Christmas Music- Some Russian guy

Actually, I think Russian Christmas Music is by Alfred Reed.
It is a nice piece.

musickaerf wrote:Russian Christmas Music- Some Russian guy

Some Russian guy???

Try some American guy, named Alfred Reed! Based on melodies from Russian folk songs. Alfred Reed - Born: January 25, 1921, Manhattan, New York, USA

MtRidgeBrass wrote:Firebird Suite by Strauss

You mean Stravinsky?

A few of my personal wind ensemble fav's:

Sir Malcom Arnold : English Dances and Scottish Dances

Jack Stamp : Gavorkna Fanfare

Clifton Williams : Symphonic Dances No. 3 "Fiesta"

John Barnes Chance : Incantation and Dance

Elliot Del Borgo : Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night

...and of course I have to give some mad props to my favorite composer of all time:

Igor Stravinsky : The Rite of Spring and Petrushka ( I know its a ballet, but man... what a ballet )

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night, is piece that the wind ensemble I am in is playing, and it is personally my favorite piece.

Bandmaster wrote:

musickaerf wrote:Russian Christmas Music- Some Russian guy

Some Russian guy???

Try some American guy, named Alfred Reed! Based on melodies from Russian folk songs. Alfred Reed - Born: January 25, 1921, Manhattan, New York, USA

I thought he wrote it, but I never knew what he looked like.