In 1922 Halvorsen was commissioned to write incidental music for the bicentennial performance of a comedy written by Norwegian playwright Ludvig Holberg. Masquerade calls for a diverse pallet of music depicting ballet and dance scenes filled with silly play and gaiety. As a result, the music is graceful, as found in Cotillion, playful as in the Bacchanale, and burlesque for the Rooster and Grotesque dances. The original Masquerade Suite for orchestra consisted of eight dances; this arrangement for concert band comprises the first, third, fifth and sixth movements of Halvosen's original suite. A delightful programing selection displaying humor, wit and elegance in the four brief movements.

Taken from the patriotic-heroic opera "A Life for the Tsar," in which Glinka presents a tableau of four Polish dances. One dance is the Krakoviak, a fast, syncopated imitation of horses. Well-loved in the Krakow region for military as well as civilian use, the horses' steps are mimicked by a large on-stage band. This fiery dance is an important part of this popular piece of the Russian operatic repertory.

The music in Sunflower Slow Drag is full of brightness and levity, having the light, upbeat character found in many of Joplin's happiest compositions. After a brief introductory passage, the jaunty main theme appears in all its ragtime cheer, typical of Joplin's works. The closing is especially reminiscent of the ending of his more famous The Entertainer and while not as well known, this cheerful four minute works deserves the same fame and popularity. Originally scored for chamber winds, optional parts have been included for larger ensembles.