click for larger image

Sample sheet music

Title	Air for Band
Article no.	9024610
Category	Concert/wind/brass band
Subcategory	Chorales, ballads, lyrical music
Instrumentation	Ha (concert/wind band)
Format	PrtStm (full score and parts)
Country of publication	USA (us)
Publisher *	Bourne Inc
Publisher's article no. *	BO 101623
Year of publication	1966
Price	click here
Composer	Erickson, Frank
Difficulty level	2
Evaluation level of countries	D2 (German lower level)
Duration	3:30
Additional info/contents	Erickson wrote Air in 1956 and revised it in 1966; it is simple in conception, with A and B sections leading to a climactic coda. It was one of the first original (as in the non-transcription) slow and pretty pieces that could be played by young bands. As such it showed the way for future composers to explore phrasing and delicate playing with younger players. Prt Flt Ob Fag Clr 1,2,3 AClr BClr ASax 1,2 TSax BSax Trp 1,2,3 Hrn in F 1,2,3,4 Trb 1,2,3 Brt Tuba KB MCym SD
Sample sheet music	click here
Sound sample *
Video sample *
Listen to this in the Musicainfo Radio *	click here
Available	yes

Programme notes *: One of the stronger directions of twentieth century music is the return to certain aspects of baroque and classical music. Compositions that fall into this category are called "neo-classical". Air for Band is one such piece. The form (binary) was quite common in the baroque period, and the melody and harmonies were strongly influenced by the works of Bach. Quelle/Source: Bourne Music Since the publication of this work in 1956, several generations of orchestra members have developed their ability to play a continuous melody, to listen to the moving part and to improve their intonation when playing. Although technically not difficult to play, "Air for Band" requires careful rehearsal to get the results the piece deserves. The composition begins gently and in a minor key, and by gradually adding instruments and increasing the dynamics and range, the culminating section is reached about halfway through. Erickson then uses the opening melody to create interesting rhythms and dialogues between the sections on the way to a modulation into a major key and another crescendo leading to a Maestoso ending. Quelle/Source: Programmnotizen für Band Frank Erickson's "Air for Band" is an early work written in 1956. Later (1966) he revised it to adapt it to "standard" band instrumentation and sections. When he wrote "Air for Band", Erickson was busy creating a piece that young students could perform successfully and that was also of educational value. The desire to create melodically interesting works of educational value was a goal shared by a growing list of composers at the time. In Air for Band, Erickson preferred simple and harmonically uncomplicated ideas that were playable, interesting and musically valuable to him. The form of the piece is a modified song form of AABACB' - with the C part acting as a piece of further development and the second B part changing to a new key and serving as coda. Quelle/Source: Konzertprogramm der SUNY Potsdam Symphonic Band Information: Bourne Music Wind Repertory Project Wind Band Literature

	Format
	Air for Band (concert/wind band), full score and parts
	Air for Band (concert/wind band), full score
	Air for Band (concert/wind band), condensed score
	Distinguished Music for the Developing Band #5, audio CD
	Teaching Music through Performance in Band #1 Grade 2 and 3, 3 compact discs

To order this item please log in (click here).

* Fields with a star are only visible for club members after registration.

In order to listen to the sound samples you need an MP3 player, which you can download free, for example: