On Wings of Flight

Description

Piccolo, Flute 1, Flute 2, Oboe, Clarinet in Bb 1, Clarinet in Bb 2, Bass Clarinet, Bassoon, Alto Saxophone 1, Alto Saxophone 2, Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, Trumpet in Bb 1, Trumpet in Bb 2, Horn in F 1, Horn in F 2, Trombone 1, Trombone 2, Euphonium, Trombone 3, Bb Euphonium, Bass Trombone, Tuba, Mallet Percussion, Bells, Timpani, Percussion 1, Snare Drum, Bass Drum, Percussion 2, Crash Cymbals, Tambourine, Percussion 3, Suspended Cymbal, String Bass — On Wings of Flight is a jubilant, short overture that is meant to convey the wonder of soaring high above the ground. Programmatically, it can represent either the flight of birds or aircraft.Don’t be concerned if you don’t have some of the lower voice color instruments such as bass clarinet, baritone saxophone, and/or bassoon. Those instruments are doubled in the low brass. Bass trombone isn’t essential as it doubles tuba, but a lack or scarcity of bass trombone and/or tuba isn’t critical if you do have those other low woodwinds.The repetitive eighth-note accents should be lighter than normal so the ongoing effect is more propulsive than heavy. Keep those eighth-note patterns locked into the tempo so the band refrains from unwittingly accelerating. Think of the legato accented notes as slightly separated as opposed to being slurred.When the accented whole notes surrounded by rests are played, be sure they are held out for a full four counts. Save the crescendo for m. 19 and quickly drop back down in volume at m. 21. At m. 31, the whole notes do not crescendo to the same ff volume as the melody. Those parts are to save their crescendo for m. 35. Pay attention to the instruments that do not diminuendo at m. 39.In the slower section after m. 41, be careful that the diminuendos on the half notes don’t sag in pitch as the notes get softer. Trumpets and horns at m. 49 must not play their notes as accents. Give particular attention to the diminuendos in the melody at m. 56, so that they fade out as the volume of the other instruments grows.The accented notes at mm. 85 and 86 should each be heard through the volume of the rest of the instruments, so that the addition of each pitch is adequately heard. If you wish, you may place more emphasis on the accents in the last two measures of the piece than you did earlier throughout the piece. This jubilant overture conveys the wonder of soaring high above the ground. Used as a concert opener, contest or festival selection, this composition offers opportunities for the development of dynamic contrast, accents, and articulations in your ensemble. Doubling of multiple parts, lets bands with more limited instrumentation successfully perform this piece while there are enough percussion parts to keep your players actively engaged. Program this for your young band and see them take flight!

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