List of concert band literature

This is a list of some of the standards of concert band repertoire.

Original works

This is an inclusive list of the accepted standard works written specifically for Concert Band or Wind Ensemble.

Cornerstone works

The following works are some of the most universally respected and established cornerstones of the band repertoire. All have "stood the test of time" through decades of regular performance, and many, either through an innovative use of the medium or by the fame of their composer, helped establish the wind band as a legitimate, serious performing ensemble.

Samuel Barber Commando March (1943) Robert Russell Bennett Suite of Old American Dances (1949) Symphonic Songs for Band (1957) Hector Berlioz Grande symphonie funèbre et triomphale, Op. 15 (1840) Arthur Bird Suite in D Major, Op. 29 (1889) John Barnes Chance Elegy (1972) Incantation and Dance (1960) Symphony No. 2 (1972) Variations on a Korean Folk Song (1966) Aaron Copland Emblems (1964) Henry Fillmore Americans We (1929) The Footlifter (1935) His Honor (1933) Percy Grainger Irish Tune from County Derry (1918) Lincolnshire Posy (1937) Howard Hanson Chorale and Alleluia (1954) Paul Hindemith Symphony in B-flat (1951) Gustav Holst Hammersmith: Prelude and Scherzo, Op. 52 (1930) First Suite in E-flat Major, Op. 28/1 (1909) Second Suite in F Major, Op. 28/2 (1911) Karel Husa Music for Prague (1968) Gordon Jacob An Original Suite (1928) William Byrd Suite (1923) Joseph Willcox Jenkins American Overture for Band (1956) Leon Jessel Parade of the Wooden Soldiers (1905) Peter Mennin Canzona (1951) Darius Milhaud Suite Française (1944) Camillo de Nardis The Universal Judgment (1878)

Ron Nelson Rocky Point Holiday (1969) W. Francis McBeth Masque (1968) Vincent Persichetti Divertimento, Op. 42 (1950) Psalm for Band, Op. 53 (1953) Symphony No. 6, Op. 69 (1956) Walter Piston Tunbridge Fair (1950) Sergei Prokofiev March in B-flat Major, Op. 99 (1944) Alfred Reed Armenian Dances (Part I) (1972) Armenian Dances (Part II) (1976) Russian Christmas Music (1944) H. Owen Reed La Fiesta Mexicana (1949) Gioachino Rossini Scherzo (1863) Camille Saint-Saëns Orient et Occident, Op. 25 (1869) Arnold Schoenberg Theme and Variations, Op. 43a (1943) William Schuman George Washington Bridge (1950) New England Triptych (1956) Joseph Schwantner ...and the mountains rising nowhere (1977) John P. Sousa Semper Fidelis (1888) Stars and Stripes Forever (1896) The Washington Post (1889) Richard Strauss Sonatina No 1 in F major (Aus der Werkstatt eines Invaliden) (1943) Igor Stravinsky Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments (1924) Symphonies of Wind Instruments (1920/rev. 1947) Clifton Williams Fanfare and Allegro (1956) Symphonic Dance No. 3: Fiesta (1967) Ralph Vaughan Williams English Folk Song Suite (1923) Flourish for Wind Band (1939) Toccata Marziale (1924)

Respected Works

These pieces may not necessarily be quite as universally acknowledged as the above list, but occupy an extremely important place in the repertoire nonetheless. Like the previous works, they have proven themselves through many performances, most over a span of decades.

David Amram King Lear Variations (1966) Leslie Bassett Concerto Grosso (1982) Designs, Images and Textures (1965) Lullaby for Kirsten (1985) Sounds, Shapes and Symbols (1977) David Bedford Sun Paints Rainbows over the Vast Waves (1982) Richard Rodney Bennett Morning Music (1986) Warren Benson Concertino for Alto Saxophone and Band (1954) The Leaves Are Falling (1963) The Passing Bell (1974) Recuerdo (1966) The Solitary Dancer (1966) Symphony for Drums and Wind Orchestra (1963) Symphony No. 2, "Lost Songs" (1983) Wings (1984) Herbert Bielawa Spectrum (1966) Jerry Bilik Block M (1955) Eugene Bozza Children's Overture (1964) Houston Bright Prelude and Fugue in F minor (1960) Howard Cable Newfoundland Rhapsody (1956) Quebec Folk Fantasy (1953) Snake Fence Country (1954) Alfredo Casella Introduzione, Corale e Marcia, Op. 57 (1935) Michael Colgrass Winds of Nagual (1985) John Corigliano Gazebo Dances (1973) Paul Creston Celebration Overture (1955) Ingolf Dahl Saxophone Concerto (1948) Sinfonietta (1961) Norman Dello Joio Fantasies on a Theme by Haydn (1968) Satiric Dances: For a Comedy by Aristrophanes (1975) Scenes from the Louvre (1966) Variants on a Medieval Tune (1963) Thomas Duffy Crystals (1985) Frank Erickson Air for Band (1956) Toccata for Band (1957) Henry Fillmore The Klaxon (1929) Military Escort (1928) Mt. Healthy (1916) Vittorio Giannini Symphony No.3 (1959) David Gillingham Heroes Lost and Fallen (1990)

Morton Gould Derivations (1956) Jericho (1939) Symphony No. 4 (West Point) (1952) Percy Grainger Children's March (Over the Hills and Far Away) (1919) Colonial Song (1928) Country Gardens (1928) The "Gumsuckers" March (1928) Handel in the Strand (1911) Molly on the Shore (1921) Shepherd's Hey (1918) Clare Grundman Kentucky 1800 (1954) Kenneth Hesketh Masque (1987) Frigyes Hidas Merry Music (1983) David Holsinger In the Spring, at the Time When Kings Go Off to War (1986) Liturgical Dances (1981) To Tame the Perilous Skies (1992) Alan Hovhaness Symphony No.4 (1959) Karel Husa Apotheosis of This Earth (1971) Concerto for Wind Ensemble (1982) Robert Jager Diamond Variations (1967) Esprit De Corps (1984) Third Suite (1966) Tristan Keuris Catena (1988) Boris Kozhevnikov Symphony No. 3: Slavyanskaya (1950/rev. 1958) Robert Kurka The Good Soldier Schweik Suite (1956) Ronald Lo Presti Elegy for a Young American (1964) Elizabeth Maconchy Music for Woodwind and Brass (1965) Martin Mailman For precious friends hid in death's dateless night (1988) Liturgical Music (1963) David Maslanka A Child's Garden of Dreams (1981) Johan de Meij Symphony No. 1 "The Lord of the Rings" (1984-1988) Vaclav Nelhybel Antiphonale (1972) Trittico (1965) Olivier Messiaen Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum (1964) Oiseaux exotiques (1956) Ron Nelson Medieval Suite (1983) Passacaglia (Homage on B-A-C-H) (1992) Roger Nixon Festival Fanfare March (1971) Fiesta del Pacifico (1966) Music of Appreciation (1944)

Vincent Persichetti Masquerade, Op. 102 (1965) Pageant, Op. 59 (1954) Parable IX, Op. 121 (1972) Sergei Prokofiev March, Op. 99 (1943/44) Alfred Reed A Festival Prelude (1962) The Hounds of Spring (1980) Anton Reicha Commemoration Symphony (1815) Ottorino Respighi Huntingtower, P. 173 (1932) Florent Schmitt Dionysiaques (1913) Gunther Schuller Diptych for Brass Quintet and Concert Band (1964) Meditation (1963) On Winged Flight (1989) Symphony for Brass and Percussion, Op. 16 (1950) Symphony no. 3 "In Praise of Winds" (1981) Joseph Schwantner From a Dark Millennium (1981) John P. Sousa The High School Cadets (1890) The Thunderer (1889) Claude T. Smith Emperata Overture (1964) Festival Variations (1982) Flight (1984) Incidental Suite (1966) Philip Sparke Jubilee Overture (1983) Eric Stokes The Continental Harp and Band Report (1975) Richard Strauss Festmusik der Stadt Wien (1943) Virgil Thomson A Solemn Music (1949) Fisher Tull Sketches on a Tudor Psalm (1971) Clifton Williams Caccia and Chorale (1973) Dedicatory Overture (1964) Festival (1962) Sinfonians (1960) Kurt Weill Kleine Dreigroschenmusik (1929) Dana Wilson Piece of Mind (1987) Haydn Wood Mannin Veen (1938) Guy Woolfenden Gallimaufry (1983) Illyrian Dances (1986) John Zdechlik Chorale and Shaker Dance (1971)

Recent works

The following works are rapidly gaining acceptance as standard repertoire. All have been composed within the last twenty years.

Bert Appermont Colors (for Trombone & Band, 1998) Richard Rodney Bennett Concerto for Trumpet and Wind Orchestra (1993) The Four Seasons (1991) Steven Bryant Concerto for Wind Ensemble (2007) Dusk (2004) Ecstatic Waters (2008) Mark Camphouse A Movement for Rosa (1992) Michael Colgrass Urban Requiem (1996) John Corigliano Symphony No. 3 (Circus Maximus) (2004) Larry Daehn As Summer Was Just Beginning (1994) Michael Daugherty Bells for Stokowski (2001) Niagara Falls (1997) David Dzubay Myaku (1999) Ra! (2002) Shadow Dance (2006) Eric Ewazen A Hymn for the Lost and the Living (2001) Aldo Rafael Forte Synergy! (1997) Michael Gandolfi Vientos y Tangos (2003) David Gillingham Apocalyptic Dreams (1997) Galactic Empires (1998) With Heart and Voice (2000) Julie Giroux Culloden (2000) No Finer Calling (2007) A Symphony of Fables (2008) Adam Gorb Awayday (1996) Peter Graham Harrison's Dream (2001) Donald Grantham Fantasy Variations (1997) J'ai ete au bal (1995) Southern Harmony (1998) Baron Cimetière's Mambo (2004)

Edward Gregson Celebration (1991) Samuel Hazo Ride (2003) John Harbison Three City Blocks (1991) Kenneth Hesketh Diaghilev Dances (2002) Yasuhide Ito Gloriosa (1990) Scott Lindroth Spin Cycle (2001) James MacMillan Sowetan Spring (1990) David Maslanka Give Us This Day (2007) Symphony No. 4 (1994) Nicholas Maw American Games (1991) Walter Mays Dreamcatcher (1996) W. Francis McBeth Of Sailors and Whales (1991) Cindy McTee Circuits (1990) Ron Nelson Courtly Airs and Dances (1996) Epiphanies (Fanfares and Chorales) (1994) Lauds (1991) Pastorale: Autumn Rune (2006) Sonoran Desert Holiday (1994) Carter Pann Slalom (2003) Marco Pütz Four Earth Songs (for Soprano & Band, 2008) Konzertstück (for Bass Trombone & Band, 1998) Meltdown (1992) Chapters of Life (for Tuba & Band, 2010) Steven Reineke Symphony No.1, New Day Rising (2007)

Jan Van der Roost Suite Provençale (1992) Rolf Rudin The Dream of Oenghus, Op. 37 (1996) Richard Saucedo Windsprints (2004) Joseph Schwantner In Evening's Stillness (1996) Recoil (2004) Robert W. Smith Inchon (2001) Twelve Seconds to the Moon (1996) Philip Sparke Dance Movements (1997) Sunrise at Angel's Gate (2001) Jack Stamp Cloudsplitter Fanfare (1999) Escapade (2002) Gavorkna Fanfare (1990/1) Steven Stucky Funeral Music for Queen Mary (1992) Frank Ticheli Amazing Grace (1994) An American Elegy (2000) Angels in The Architecture (2009) Blue Shades (1996) Postcard (1991) Symphony No. 2 (2004) Vesuvius (1997) Michael Tippett Triumph (1992) Dan Welcher Zion (1996) Circular Marches (1997) Eric Whitacre Cloudburst (2002) Ghost Train (1994) Godzilla Eats Las Vegas! (1996) October (2000) Dana Wilson Shortcut Home (1998) Charles Rochester Young Tempered Steel (1997)

Transcriptions

There are thousands of transcriptions of pieces from other media (mostly orchestra) available for the concert band; however, some transcriptions are performed so often that they can be said to have achieved a place of their own in the concert band repertoire.

John Adams Short Ride in a Fast Machine (trans. Lawrence Odom) Malcolm Arnold Four Scottish Dances (trans. John Paynter) Prelude, Siciliano, and Rondo (trans. John Paynter) Tam o' Shanter Overture (trans. John Paynter) Johann Sebastian Bach Fantasia in G Major (trans. Goldman / Leist) Fugue a la Gigue (trans. Gustav Holst) Toccata, Adagio, and Fugue in C Major (trans. John Paynter) Toccata and Fugue in D Minor (trans. Erik Leidzen or Donald Hunsberger) Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor (trans. Nicholas Falcone or Donald Hunsberger) The Art of Fugue (trans. Kenneth Amis) Samuel Barber First Symphony (trans. Guy Duker) Leonard Bernstein Overture to "Candide" (trans. Walter Beeler or Clare Grundman) Slava! A Political Overture (trans. Clare Grundman) Symphonic Dances from "West Side Story" (trans. Paul Lavender) Johannes Brahms Academic Festival Overture (trans. Mark Hindsley) Haydn Variations (trans. Mark Hindsley) Aaron Copland Down a Country Lane (trans. Merlin Patterson) El Salón México (trans. Mark Hindsley) Lincoln Portrait (trans. Walter Beeler) An Outdoor Overture (trans. Aaron Copland) Preamble for a Solemn Occasion (trans. Aaron Copland) Claude Debussy Préludes, Book 1: X. La cathédrale engloutie (trans. Merlin Patterson) Antonín Dvořák Carnival Overture, Op. 92 (trans. Leigh Steiger) Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, Op. 95, "From the New World": IV. Finale (trans. Mark Hindsley, Erik Leidzen or Weston Nicholi) George Gershwin Prelude No. 2 in C Sharp Minor (trans. John Krance) Rhapsody in Blue (trans. Ferde Grofé, Donald Hunsberger or Tohru Takahashi) Alberto Ginastera Estancia Suite, Op. 8a (trans. Donald Patterson) Percy Grainger The Warriors (trans. Frank Pappajohn) Ferde Grofé Mississippi Suite, "A Journey in Tones" (trans. Don Chown) Paul Hindemith Symphonic Metamorphoses on Themes by Carl Maria von Weber (trans. Keith Wilson) Gustav Holst A Moorside Suite (trans. Gordon Jacob or Denis Wright) Capriccio (trans. John Boyd) The Planets (trans. George Smith probably with the collaboration of the composer)

Charles Ives Old Home Days (trans. Jonathan Elkus) Country Band March (trans. James Sinclair) Fugue in C Minor, from String Quartet No. 1, "From the Salvation Army": I: Chorale (trans. James Sinclair) Variations on "America" (trans. William Schuman / William Rhoads) Modest Mussorgsky Night on Bald Mountain (trans. William Schaefer or Mark Hindsley) Pictures at an Exhibition (trans. Mark Hindsley, Erik Leidzen or Tohru Takahashi) Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov Procession of the Nobles from "Mlada" (trans. Erik Leidzen) Scheherazade (trans. Mark Hindsley) Ottorino Respighi The Pines of Rome (trans. Guy Duker or Yoshihiro Kimura) Gioacchino Rossini Italian in Algiers Overture (trans. Lucien Cailliet) William Tell Overture (trans. Erik Leidzen) Tancredi Overture (trans. Leonard Falcone) Dmitri Shostakovich Festive Overture (trans. Donald Hunsberger) October (trans. Preston Mitchell) Folk Dances (trans. H. Robert Reynolds) Galop from "Moscow, Cheryomushki" (trans. Donald Hunsberger) Jean Sibelius Finlandia (trans. Lucien Cailliet) Igor Stravinsky The Firebird Suite (trans. Guy Duker, Thomas Knox, or Lawrence Odom) Fireworks (trans. Mark Rogers) Arthur Sullivan/Charles Mackerras Pineapple Poll (trans. William J. Duthoit) Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture (trans. Conway Brown, Yoshihiro Kimura, Mayhew Lake or Mark Williams) Suite No. 3 in G Major (trans. Frank Winterbottom) Richard Wagner Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral from "Lohengrin" (trans. Lucien Cailliet) Prelude to Act III of "Lohengrin" (trans. Mark Hindsley) "Tannhauser" Overture (trans. Vincent Frank Safranek) William Walton Crown Imperial (trans. William J. Duthoit) Carl Maria von Weber Invitation to the Dance Oberon Overture (trans. Mark Hindsley) Giuseppe Verdi Prelude to Act 1, La Traviata (trans. Leonard Falcone)

Recordings of Concert Band Literature

The Klavier Wind Recording Project, begun in 1989 by Eugene Corporon while he was director of bands at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, has helped provide recordings of many of the most important and more recent pieces in the wind band literature. The recording project continues today, having followed Corporon to the University of North Texas. Still more recordings have been released by The Keystone Winds, conducted by Jack Stamp. The Keystone Winds consists of faculty, alumni and students from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. The Concordia University Chicago Wind Symphony, under Dr. Richard Fischer, has just released its twelfth recording of sacred wind music. Since the series began in 1991, the ensemble has made many premiere recordings of now widely known and played wind literature.

• Hearts Music - CCM Wind Symphony University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (MCD-780).
• Made in America - CCM Wind Symphony (MCC-559)

External Resources

• The Wind Repertory Project