Battle Angelis

DIFFICULTY: Medium Advanced

DURATION: c. 6′ 15″

INSTRUMENTATION:

2fl, ob, 2cl, bcl, cbcl, bsn, 2asax, tsax, bsax, 2hn, 2tpt, 3tbn (1 bass), euph, tba, timp, 4perc

perc 1: glockenspiel, xylophone
perc 2: tam-tam, chimes
perc 3: suspended cymbal, temple blocks, tam-tam, triangle
perc 4: bass drum

AVAILABILITY:

Published by: Grand Mesa Music Publishers

Complete Set and Score [GMM192]: $75.00
Extra Score: $10.00

Purchase At JW Pepper
Purchase At Pender’s Music Co.
Purchase At Sheet Music Plus

RECORDINGS:

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/137483073″ params=”color=ff9900&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=false” width=”100%” height=”100″ iframe=”true” /]from ‘Traveling Through Time’ – Used with permission. © Copyright 2007 Grand Mesa Music Publishers

DETAILS:

Battle Angelis was written in 2000 for the Lake Orion High School Symphonic Band. The piece originated during my senior year while in attendance at Lake Orion High School. After discussions with the director of the ensemble during the spring the previous year, I was granted permission to write a piece for the ensemble and was told that it would be performed by the group as well.

When composing the work, I had had no formal training in composition and hardly any theory to speak of and felt that it would be best if I told a story with the music. As I wrote the piece, the following story began to unfold:

A scout scrambles through the foliage on lookout when up ahead he sees the approaching army. The army of darkness peaks the hills and marches steadily towards where the angelic forces await. After some approach, the two forces are face-to-face. A swift decisive battle takes place with the angelic forces prevailing over the dark army. There is a general outburst of celebration amongst the victors and the formerly suppressed towns. At the end of the celebration there is a subtle recurrence of the brooding theme as the work arrives at the final chord.

FESTIVAL LISTS: (updated 7/15/2014)

North Carolina (Grade 5)

ERRATA:

mm 56 – 58 (picc, flt 1&2, Bb clar 1&2, + bsn (m58)

The accents and slur pattern in measure 56 should be continued into measures 57 and 58. The pitches and note values should remain as written for 57-58. Only the accent and slur pattern should be modified. Please refer to the image on the right for the correct slur and accent pattern from measure 56.