We Want It All

March

by
Mark Cuming
arranged by: Kent Steerwell

Ensemble: Concert Band

Duration: 03:00

Year of Composition: 2020

Publisher: self-published

Available: Yes

How to Acquire: Composer

Links:

 

Instrumentation

Piccolo
Flute
Oboe
Bassoon
B♭ Clarinet 1,2,3
B♭ Bass Clarinet
E♭ Alto Sax 1,2
B♭ Tenor Sax
E♭ Baritone Sax
B♭ Trumpet 1,2,3
F Horn 1,2,3,4
Trombone 1,2,3
Euphonium
Tubas (div.)
Snare Drum
Bass Drum
Cymbals
Castanets
Glockenspiel

Score and parts available at no charge by contacting the composer at kentsteerwell3 [at] gmail [dot] com


Program Notes:

In April of 2020, the world was besieged by a world wide pandemic of a Respiratory Virus dubbed Covid-19. Steps were sooner or later taken in countries worldwide to cope with the situation. People were asked to wash their hands, wear masks and to maintain 2 meters of distance between themselves and others. People were further asked to avoid leaving their homes for unnecessary reasons and, if they felt unwell, to self-quarantine for 14 days. Although the public bought into this for a time, they started looking for loopholes to skirt around the directives of healthcare and political leaders, prompting the Premier of
Nova Scotia to tell the people to "Stay the Blazes Home!" I thought that might make a good title for a march, should I ever compose another one, but 3 days later there were a couple of hastily written, kitschy songs already being played on CBC Radio with the Premier's demand as their titles. This went on for about a week until the novelty wore off. Now what?

With the "house arrest" in force, it was easy to find time to pursue composing so a new project took shape. Since I was about 13, I have enjoyed playing great marches (among other things) in concert bands. I have always enjoyed the melodies of Kenneth J. Alford, the patriotic showmanship of Sousa, and the circus atmosphere of Karl King, to name a few. The low brass writing of
Joseph Fuçik must be mentioned here, too. I wondered if I could borrow some popular devices from these composers and fit them all into one march—something for everybody? So: a fanfare opening á la Fuçik's Florentiner March, a low brass-woodwind lead in the second strain (like so many composers), a decorated reprise, a trio featuring euphonium and tenor sax in the Alford style. This is paired with a piccolo solo (Sousa). Curiously, there is a Spanish interlude in a Jamie Texidor nod, followed by a cymbal crash (gotta have one of them). The last strain reprises the Trio with full band playing wide open. By the way, you can still hear the "stay the blazes home" theme at bar 20 and 24.

(Mark Cuming)