Masquerade for Band

Description

Piccolo 1, Piccolo 2, Flute 1, Flute 2, Oboe 1, Oboe 2, Clarinet in Eb, 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 — Persichetti's Opus 102 was composed in 1965, after he had already cemented his role as an important composer of band repertoire with Divertimento for Band, Pageant for Band, Psalm for Band, and his great Symphony for Band. Chad Nicholson writes in Great Music for Wind Band (Meredith Music Publications), "Masquerade for Band is a unique contribution to wind repertoire that illustrates depth and sophistication in the context of a simple theme and variation structure. The composer sought to integrate several examples from his theory textbook, Twenthieth Century Harmony, into a complete composition. The resulting piece reflects Persichetti's mannerisms, including copious rhythmic play, modal melodic structures, abrupt shifts in color, and idiomatic wind band scoring."