WINGERT-JONES PUBLICATIONS

This Torch Dance, or "Fackeltanz," is an original composition for band composed by Meyerbeer in the 1840s. It is a dazzling display of technical virtuosity. This brilliant new edition by Col. Bourgeois retains all of the vitality and excitement of the original work, while presenting it in a modern format that will make it much more accessible for today's bands.

This new transcription of one of the most glorious musical moments in opera history has been lovingly prepared by the former director of the U.S. Marine Band. A stunning setting of this well-known band classic, people will immediately become aware that Bourgeois has faithfully retained the exciting ending from the original.

Jacques Offenbach was a product of the Paris Conservatory, becoming a professional cellist. However, today he is best known as the composer of light opera, including Ballet Parisien, La Belle Helene, and Orpheus in the Underworld. This "Galop" is a spirited and light-hearted work containing the origins of what we know today as the Marines Hymn. This scoring by John Bourgeois is sure to become a standard.

"Parsifal", written in 1882, was the final opera by composer Richard Wagner (1813-1883). The prelude is a miniature masterpiece consisting of only 116 measures. The form of the prelude is similar to that of the classical three-movement overture and consists of four musical motives: the mystical realm of the Holy Grail; the Grail itself in the Dresden Amen; Faith, represented by the brass chorale; and the Agony of Amfortas. This transcription by John R. Bourgeois faithfully adheres to Wagner's intent both in key relationships and orchestration.

While not well known, some of Tchaikovsky's best symphonic writing is found in his operas and ballets.  This selection from his only comic-fantasy opera  actually featured a large on-stage wind band performing this polonaise!  A well-crafted edition brings this wonderful work to life and provides an outstanding work for accomplished bands.

This definitive edition of one of the "March King's" greatest compositions is a welcome addition to the historic legacy of the modern concert band. Meticulously researched and studied, and based on the actual parts and materials used by the Sousa Band on their legendary tours, this is a tour de force that will be enjoyed by fine bands for many years.

This fine addition to the Bourgeois Editions is from Tchaikovsky's grand opera, The Maid of Orleans. Based on the story of Joan of Arc, the three movements can be performed together, or the first and last dances can stand alone in performance as well. Movements include: Dance of the Bohemians - a bright and lively display of virtuosity; Dance of the Pages - an elegant minuet scored for chamber winds; and Dance of the Actors - a fiery and robust finale ideal for any performance. It's a brilliant showcase for upper-level ensembles.

This is a remarkable find! With the opening of the Iron Curtain, an incredible wealth of previously unknown symphonic band material has been discovered, and this amazing work stands out as a masterpiece. 14 minutes long, this four-movement symphony for winds is reminiscent of Prokofiev and Ewald, and is as powerful as the orchestral symphonies of Kalinnikov! Top-level symphonic bands will want to consider this important work for their repertoire!  

This wonderful transcription comes from the only comic opera written by Tchaikovsky, "The Slippers."  Opening with a short, stately fanfare before bursting into a flurry of rhythmic activity, the music depicts energetic Ukrainian dancers.  A true programming jewel for accomplished bands. Colorful and lively!

These dances display Tchaikovsky's remarkable grasp of symphonic writing and are among the very best of his dance sequences.  Carefully transcribed for band, they are taken from the opera "The Oprichnik."  The Oprichnik were the personal bodyguards of Tsar Ivan the Terrible.  The opening dance features various woodwind solo passages that display a hauntingly poignant Slavic flavor.  The second dance begins vigorously and surges forward with ever-increasing accelerandi that lead to a fiery conclusion.

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.

Also titled Aria With Diverse Variations, this monumental opus for harpsichord was composed and published late in Bach's career. Few works have excited scholars, performers, writers, and audiences more than the Goldberg Variations have. The composition represents a unique blend of complexity, beauty, and massive scope. In this setting, the aria and all 30 variations are presented in different combinations of instruments making it the perfect vehicle for featuring various chamber ensembles within the larger performing group. It is a significant contribution to the list of serious repertoire for wind bands. This transcription was performed prior to publication as part of the memorial service for Lorin Maazel at his Castleton Festival Theatre in Virginia in 2014.

Joseph F. Lamb is rightfully regarded as one of the "Big Three" composers of classic ragtime music, the other two being Scott Joplin and James Scott. Lamb, who was of Irish descent, was the only non-African American of the group. Unlike Joplin and Scott, Joseph Lamb's fame outlived the era of classic ragtime, and he along with Eubie Blake were the only personalities from the original ragtime era that took part in the ragtime revival of the late 1950s. Ragtime Nightingale is a "heavy rag" and displays Lamb's individual style, delightful syncopations and jaunty spirit that appear so pleasingly throughout the piece. A new dimension to concert programming.

 

Ignacio Cervantes (1847 - 1905) was a Cuban pianist and composer who achieved fame and recognition in his native country. Cervantes is best known for his considerable influence in blending various aspects of creole musical culture with that of Cuban music for a totally unique and appealing sound tableau. Four of Cervantes' colorful dances are included in this brilliant setting for wind band. They are Danzas Nos. 1 and 2, the melancholy Soledad, the lively Picatazos, and a reprise of Soledad.

 

 

 

 

 

Johan Halvorsen's In Memoriam, Opus 30 was written for the great Norwegian poet Bjornstjerne Bjornson. The two men became very close friends and Halvorsen composed a funeral march in Bjornson's honor upon his death in 1910. The music's link with Bjornson is underscored by the fact that it opens with a paraphrase of the Norwegian national anthem. At the peak, it suddenly falls away, and following a roll of the timpani, the anthem is played in its entirety. Vocal parts sung by members of the ensemble contribute to the overall effect and make this a most memorable and moving work.

This four-movement suite was written in 1909, just before the Sousa Band's world tour. The movements are titled: The Champagnes; The Rhine Wines; The Whiskies - Scotch, Irish, Bourbon, and Rye; and Convention of the Cordials. Each movement reflects the country or region from which the various drinks are derived and can also be performed as separate works. The suite was later revised for orchestra but was never published for band until now. An historically important and welcome addition to the band repertoire!

Franz von Suppe was born Francesco Ezechiele Ermenegildo Cavaliere di Suppe-Demielli on April 18, 1819. His father and grandfather were both civil servants, and he was distant relative of Gaetano Donizetti. He displayed his talent at an early age when he began to compose music as a young boy, but despite this he received no encouragement from his father to pursue a career in music. He went on to compose many operas, most of which remain relatively obscure; however, the overtures to "Poet and Peasant" and "Light Cavalry" are well known and have been quite popular in transcriptions for concert band and widely used in movies and cartoons. Highly exuberant and spirited, Vienna Jubilation Overture contains all the thrilling elements that are evident in all of von Suppe's remarkable overtures.

In 1911 Johan Halvorsen composed incidental music for a production of Ludvig Holberg's play "The Lying-in Room" and later arranged the music into his "Suite Ancienne Op. 31." The suite in five movements contains some of Halvorsen's most descriptive musical output. In harmony and instrumentation, he bursts the bounds of his baroque canvas, imbuing his music with the unmistakable stamp of Neoclassicism. The five movements consists of: 1. Intrada, 2. Air con variations, 3. Gigue, 4. Sarabande, and 5. Bouree. The arranger, Colonel John Bourgeois, has also arranged Halvorsen's In Memoriam, Op.30 and the four-movement "Little Masquerade Suite." He notes that the "Suite Ancienne" may be played as a complete entity or each of the movements may be performed individually.

During World War One Sousa was asked to compose an American wedding march, and he fulfilled this request with this processional march. Subtitled Wedding March, Sousa dedicated the work to the American people. Stately and dignified, it is an excellent choice for academic processions or formal, ceremonial occasions.

Composer Semeon Alexanderovich Chernetsky was born in 1881 and died in 1950. A trombonist and a composition student of Alexander Glazunov, he was also a prominent military bandmaster. He was named Director of the Band of the Soviet Army in 1932, and in 1935 he founded the Band of the Ministry of Defense. He composed over 70 marches including March of the Tankmen, which he wrote in 1946, as well as other works for band. The stately manner of this stirring march displays a profound sense of loyalty and national pride that is unmistakable.

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.

In his compositional craft, Verdi was not reluctant to display some of his most powerful and dramatic music in his overtures, preludes and ballet scenes.  His preludes before individual acts of the operas were shorter than his overtures, but they do foreshadow the mood and intense drama of the ensuing scenes.  Paired together in this transcription are preludes from Ernani and Atilla, his fifth and ninth of 26 operatic works.

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.

This ragtime masterpiece was composed in 1907 and is named after the beautiful variegated southern flower. What makes this particular work stand out from other ragtime pieces is the oddity of its structure, rhythm, and melody, which could be the result of the collaboration of these two composers. The first two strains were written by Louis Chauvin, a brilliant young pianist from St. Louis, and the last two strains were composed by the master, Scott Joplin. The opening has a decidedly melancholy air about it that could have been a premonition of Chauvin's early death at the age of 27. The work then concludes with a more upbeat feeling as the musical bouquet is tied together through the genius of Scott Joplin. A truly unique and appealing ragtime work.