HOLIDAYS
Here are some suggestions for holiday-themed concerts. Of course, with a little “spin,” any piece of music can work on any holiday! All the pieces on this page are duplicates of their listings on other pages of this site.
BLACK HISTORY MONTH (MARTIN LUTHER KING’S BIRTHDAY)
♫ An American Cantata
…and I have seen the Promised Land…”
“An American Cantata” is a composition by Maury Yeston for 2,000 voices and the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leonard Slatkin. It was commissioned by the Kennedy Center for performance on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial as part of the Millennium Celebration in the Spring of the year 2000. SOLOIST: Norm Lewis
Composed and orchestrated by Yeston, the piece is a three-movement work that celebrates the achievement of the idea of individual liberty and equality, along with our inherent and universal entitlement to it, and the sanctity of each human life, as our civilization’s single greatest intellectual accomplishment of the past thousand years.
Sung by a Mixed Chorus, Boys Choir, and Gospel Choir; texts include excerpts from the Magna Carta, the writings of Thomas Jefferson, Martin Luther King Jr.’s final Memphis speech (“I have been to the mountaintop”), and original lyrics by Yeston.
NOTE: The use of 2000 voices was a one-time event. The piece may be performed by far fewer voices such as 90 (30+30+15+15). The term “Boys Choir” denotes the desired sound. This may absolutely be a Children’s Choir composed of boys and girls.
INSTRUMENTATION: 3(1st=Picc), 3(3rd_EH),3(3rd=BsCl),3(3rd=ContraBsn) / 4,3,3(3rd=BsTbn),1 / Timp, Perc:[Glock, Crotales, Tubular Bells, Vibes, Tri, Tamb, Piatti, Bright Sizzle Cym, SusCym, LgGong, SnDr, Tom-Toms, GC] / Harp, Full Strings / Chorus / Rhythm Section (2nd Mvt. only): Piano, ElecBs,Drs)
ST. PATRICK’S DAY
♫ American Parade
American Parade—a Century of Celebration consists of four short pieces depicting parade holidays. As played by the West Point Army Band, “American Parade” became the subject of a documentary—of the same name—featuring the pieces performed in their entirety, then going on to explore music in the military. The entire hour-long documentary can be seen on YouTube HERE
(NOTE: There is also a Concert Band version available, transcribed by West Point arranger Douglas Richard.)
INSTRUMENTATION: 2,2(II=Ob&EH),2,2 / 4,3,3,1 / Timp, Perc [], Piano / Strings.
MEMORIAL DAY
♫ An American Cantata
“An American Cantata” is a composition by Maury Yeston for 2,000 voices and the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leonard Slatkin. It was commissioned by the Kennedy Center for performance on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial as part of the Millennium Celebration in the Spring of the year 2000. SOLOIST: Norm Lewis
Composed and orchestrated by Yeston, the piece is a three-movement work that celebrates the achievement of the idea of individual liberty and equality, along with our inherent and universal entitlement to it, and the sanctity of each human life, as our civilization’s single greatest intellectual accomplishment of the past thousand years.
Sung by a Mixed Chorus, Boys Choir, and Gospel Choir; texts include excerpts from the Magna Carta, the writings of Thomas Jefferson, Martin Luther King Jr.’s final Memphis speech (“I have been to the mountaintop”), and original lyrics by Yeston.
NOTE: The use of 2000 voices was a one-time event. The piece may be performed by far fewer voices such as 90 (30+30+15+15). The term “Boys Choir” denotes the desired sound. This may absolutely be a Children’s Choir composed of boys and girls.
INSTRUMENTATION: 3(1st=Picc), 3(3rd_EH),3(3rd=BsCl),3(3rd=ContraBsn) / 4,3,3(3rd=BsTbn),1 / Timp, Perc:[Glock, Crotales, Tubular Bells, Vibes, Tri, Tamb, Piatti, Bright Sizzle Cym, SusCym, LgGong, SnDr, Tom-Toms, GC] / Harp, Full Strings / Chorus / Rhythm Section (2nd Mvt. only): Piano, ElecBs,Drs)
♫ American Parade
American Parade—a Century of Celebration consists of four short pieces depicting parade holidays. As played by the West Point Army Band, “American Parade” became the subject of a documentary—of the same name—featuring the pieces performed in their entirety, then going on to explore music in the military. The entire hour-long documentary can be seen on YouTube HERE
(NOTE: There is also a Concert Band version available, transcribed by West Point arranger Douglas Richard.)
INSTRUMENTATION: 2,2(II=Ob&EH),2,2 / 4,3,3,1 / Timp, Perc [], Piano / Strings.
♫ March for Americans
Composed by Ferde Grofé
INSTRUMENTATION: 3(3=Picc).2.2.2/4.3.3(3 is Bass).1/Timpani.Snare Drum.Perc(2)(Crash Cymbal, Bells).Bass Drum.Hrp/6.5.4.4.3
INDEPENDENCE DAY
♫ American Barcarolle
Composed by Harry Warren
INSTRUMENTATION: Rd1-6(Fl.Ob.Cl.Cl.BsCl.Bn)/1.1.0.0/Hrp/6.5.4.4.3
♫ American Parade
American Parade—a Century of Celebration consists of four short pieces depicting parade holidays. As played by the West Point Army Band, “American Parade” became the subject of a documentary—of the same name—featuring the pieces performed in their entirety, then going on to explore music in the military. The entire hour-long documentary can be seen on YouTube HERE
(NOTE: There is also a Concert Band version available, transcribed by West Point arranger Douglas Richard.)
INSTRUMENTATION: 2,2(II=Ob&EH),2,2 / 4,3,3,1 / Timp, Perc [], Piano / Strings.
♫ An American Cantata
“An American Cantata” is a composition by Maury Yeston for 2,000 voices and the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leonard Slatkin. It was commissioned by the Kennedy Center for performance on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial as part of the Millennium Celebration in the Spring of the year 2000. SOLOIST: Norm Lewis
Composed and orchestrated by Yeston, the piece is a three-movement work that celebrates the achievement of the idea of individual liberty and equality, along with our inherent and universal entitlement to it, and the sanctity of each human life, as our civilization’s single greatest intellectual accomplishment of the past thousand years.
Sung by a Mixed Chorus, Boys Choir, and Gospel Choir; texts include excerpts from the Magna Carta, the writings of Thomas Jefferson, Martin Luther King Jr.’s final Memphis speech (“I have been to the mountaintop”), and original lyrics by Yeston.
NOTE: The use of 2000 voices was a one-time event. The piece may be performed by far fewer voices such as 90 (30+30+15+15). The term “Boys Choir” denotes the desired sound. This may absolutely be a Children’s Choir composed of boys and girls.
INSTRUMENTATION: 3(1st=Picc), 3(3rd_EH),3(3rd=BsCl),3(3rd=ContraBsn) / 4,3,3(3rd=BsTbn),1 / Timp, Perc:[Glock, Crotales, Tubular Bells, Vibes, Tri, Tamb, Piatti, Bright Sizzle Cym, SusCym, LgGong, SnDr, Tom-Toms, GC] / Harp, Full Strings / Chorus / Rhythm Section (2nd Mvt. only): Piano, ElecBs,Drs)
♫ March for Americans
Composed by Ferde Grofé
INSTRUMENTATION: 3(3=Picc).2.2.2/4.3.3(3 is Bass).1/Timpani.Snare Drum.Perc(2)(Crash Cymbal, Bells).Bass Drum.Hrp/6.5.4.4.3
♫ Niagara Falls Suite
A piece in 4 short movements (after Ferde Grofé’s “Grand Canyon Suite”)
At this time there is no recording of this wonderful Suite.
INSTRUMENTATION: 2(II=Fl & Picc),2(II=Ob & EH),2,2 / 4, 3(in C),2(TenTbns),2(BsTbns),1 / Timp, Perc:[SplCym, LgCym, Bells, Vibes, Tri, SmCym, MedCym, SizzleCym, BsDr, Tri, Crotales, Tam-Tam], Harp / Strings
THANKSGIVING
♫ An American Cantata
“An American Cantata” is a composition by Maury Yeston for 2,000 voices and the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leonard Slatkin. It was commissioned by the Kennedy Center for performance on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial as part of the Millennium Celebration in the Spring of the year 2000. SOLOIST: Norm Lewis
Composed and orchestrated by Yeston, the piece is a three-movement work that celebrates the achievement of the idea of individual liberty and equality, along with our inherent and universal entitlement to it, and the sanctity of each human life, as our civilization’s single greatest intellectual accomplishment of the past thousand years.
Sung by a Mixed Chorus, Boys Choir, and Gospel Choir; texts include excerpts from the Magna Carta, the writings of Thomas Jefferson, Martin Luther King Jr.’s final Memphis speech (“I have been to the mountaintop”), and original lyrics by Yeston.
NOTE: The use of 2000 voices was a one-time event. The piece may be performed by far fewer voices such as 90 (30+30+15+15). The term “Boys Choir” denotes the desired sound. This may absolutely be a Children’s Choir composed of boys and girls.
INSTRUMENTATION: 3(1st=Picc), 3(3rd_EH),3(3rd=BsCl),3(3rd=ContraBsn) / 4,3,3(3rd=BsTbn),1 / Timp, Perc:[Glock, Crotales, Tubular Bells, Vibes, Tri, Tamb, Piatti, Bright Sizzle Cym, SusCym, LgGong, SnDr, Tom-Toms, GC] / Harp, Full Strings / Chorus / Rhythm Section (2nd Mvt. only): Piano, ElecBs,Drs)
♫ American Parade
American Parade—a Century of Celebration consists of four short pieces depicting parade holidays. As played by the West Point Army Band, “American Parade” became the subject of a documentary—of the same name—featuring the pieces performed in their entirety, then going on to explore music in the military. The entire hour-long documentary can be seen on YouTube HERE
(NOTE: There is also a Concert Band version available, transcribed by West Point arranger Douglas Richard.)
INSTRUMENTATION: 2,2(II=Ob&EH),2,2 / 4,3,3,1 / Timp, Perc [], Piano / Strings.
© 2021 CHELSEA MUSIC
