Tribute

 

music for wind band, written by Andrew Burnett

 

'Tribute' came from ideas I had been working on whilst playing bass clarinet with two wind bands in the Plymouth and East Cornwall areas.

The piece is dedicated to the memory of a dear old friend but in fact is more a celebration than a requiem. There are a whole range of influences &endash; mostly late 19th/early 20th. century with a dash of jazz for good measure.

Tribute develops around the evolution of a main melody plus associated melodic and rhythmic patterns.

Tribute consists of five related sections &endash; each with a different character;

1. moody, with a focus on the harmony

2. dense harmonies and a strong sense of the band's power underpin the first real presentation of the main melody

3. a short jazzy interlude

4. the whole band waltzes through the section with the main melody weaving through or soaring above the bands harmonies

5. introduced via a reflective winding down passage, the main theme appears in its final form plus variations. The band builds up to a powerful and joyful climax.

 

Brief snatches and longer solos are regularly given to most of the band sections (some can be for solo instruments).

While the technical demands are mostly moderate, regular key changes with &endash; occasionally &endash; plenty of flats and sharps will keep the less-experienced players on their toes!!

Suitable for players within the range grades 3 &endash; 7 and generally easier parts for clarinet 3, bassoon, horn, euphonium and tuba.

This would be a great piece for a school band or wind band who are looking for something a bit more adventurous or different - and there are plenty of accessible solos !

Extracts can be accessed from the homepage, via 'Scorch'.