Country Band March

Description

Piccolo, Flute 1, Flute 2, Oboe 1, Oboe 2, Clarinet in Bb 1, Clarinet in Bb 2, Clarinet in Bb 3, Alto Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Contrabass Clarinet, Bassoon 1, Bassoon 2, Alto Saxophone 1, Alto Saxophone 2, Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, Cornet in Bb 1, Cornet in Bb 2, Cornet in Bb 3, Trumpet in Bb 1, Trumpet in Bb 2, Horn in F 1, Horn in F 2, Horn in F 3, Horn in F 4, Trombone 1, Trombone 2, Trombone 3, High Baritone, Bass Baritone, Tuba, Bells, Xylophone, Triangle, Snare Drum, Bass Drum, Cymbals — From the "out of tune" introduction to the pandemonium which reigns at the close, the Country Band March is a marvelous parody of the realities of performance by a country band. While the main march theme is probably Ives' own, the march features an impressive list of quotations that includes "Arkansas Traveler,” "Battle Cry of Freedom,” "British Grenadiers,” "The Girl I Left Behind Me,” "London Bridge,” "Marching Through Georgia,” "Massa's in de Cold, Cold Ground,” "My Old Kentucky Home,” "Violets,” "Yankee Doodle,” "May Day Waltz" and "Semper Fidelis." There is rarely anything straight-forward about the use of this material; the tunes are subjected to Ives's famous techniques of "poly-everything." Of particular interest is Ives's use of ragtime elements to enliven this already spirited march.)