No Music Group - No Problem! CD Set: Vocal: Backing Tracks

SKU: CF.SPS87

ISBN 9781491156445. UPC: 680160914982. 9 x 12 inches.

About the Work In the spring of 2008 a large number of wildfires plagued the west coast, including the area where my wife and I lived in northern California. Firefighters all along the West Coast worked overtime in what seemed like an endless battle to protect residents and their homes. After hearing of a number of firefighters who had lost their lives in the struggle, I composed this work as a dedication to them, in honor of their sacrifice. It is not dedicated to any one person or group, or even just to the west-coast firefighters who battled those horrible wildfires; instead, to all firefighters who have given their lives in the line of duty. Although designed as a standalone work, I highly recommend following this composition with one of the many fine band settings of Amazing Grace, as it is commonly performed at firefighter memorials. The one by Frank Ticheli is superb, and if you have access to a good piper there is an excellent version by Jay Dawson which features a solo verse for bagpipe; both are quite stirring. Performance Notes The sustained slower tempo may prove a challenge for some groups; as always, emphasize subdivision. Cues should be used only if necessary due to limited instrumentation. The clarinet and cup-muted trumpets at m. 39 should be very sostenuto (almost organ-like); be careful to stagger breathe. The tempo change at m. 55 should not be much of a challenge, but many groups may tend to slow back down to the original tempo by m. 59; the timpani player can greatly assist in avoiding this problem. The coda at m. 82 may be taken more slowly than the indicated tempo if your solo flutist can manage the lengthy sustained notes.
About the WorkIn the spring of 2008 a large number of wildfires plagued the west coast, including the area where my wife and I lived in northern California. Firefighters all along the West Coast worked overtime in what seemed like an endless battle to protect residents and their homes. After hearing of a number of firefighters who had lost their lives in the struggle, I composed this work as a dedication to them, in honor of their sacrifice. It is not dedicated to any one person or group, or even just to the west-coast firefighters who battled those horrible wildfires; instead, to all firefighters who have given their lives in the line of duty.Although designed as a standalone work, I highly recommend following this composition with one of the many fine band settings of Amazing Grace, as it is commonly performed at firefighter memorials. The one by Frank Ticheli is superb, and if you have access to a good piper there is an excellent version by Jay Dawson which features a solo verse for bagpipe; both are quite stirring.Performance Notes The sustained slower tempo may prove a challenge for some groups; as always, emphasize subdivision. Cues should be used only if necessary due to limited instrumentation. The clarinet and cup-muted trumpets at m. 39 should be very sostenuto (almost “organ-like”); be careful to stagger breathe. The tempo change at m. 55 should not be much of a challenge, but many groups may tend to slow back down to the original tempo by m. 59; the timpani player can greatly assist in avoiding this problem. The coda at m. 82 may be taken more slowly than the indicated tempo if your solo flutist can manage the lengthy sustained notes.

SKU: CF.SPS87F

ISBN 9781491156452. UPC: 680160914999. 9 x 12 inches.

About the Work In the spring of 2008 a large number of wildfires plagued the west coast, including the area where my wife and I lived in northern California. Firefighters all along the West Coast worked overtime in what seemed like an endless battle to protect residents and their homes. After hearing of a number of firefighters who had lost their lives in the struggle, I composed this work as a dedication to them, in honor of their sacrifice. It is not dedicated to any one person or group, or even just to the west-coast firefighters who battled those horrible wildfires; instead, to all firefighters who have given their lives in the line of duty. Although designed as a standalone work, I highly recommend following this composition with one of the many fine band settings of Amazing Grace, as it is commonly performed at firefighter memorials. The one by Frank Ticheli is superb, and if you have access to a good piper there is an excellent version by Jay Dawson which features a solo verse for bagpipe; both are quite stirring. Performance Notes The sustained slower tempo may prove a challenge for some groups; as always, emphasize subdivision. Cues should be used only if necessary due to limited instrumentation. The clarinet and cup-muted trumpets at m. 39 should be very sostenuto (almost organ-like); be careful to stagger breathe. The tempo change at m. 55 should not be much of a challenge, but many groups may tend to slow back down to the original tempo by m. 59; the timpani player can greatly assist in avoiding this problem. The coda at m. 82 may be taken more slowly than the indicated tempo if your solo flutist can manage the lengthy sustained notes.
About the WorkIn the spring of 2008 a large number of wildfires plagued the west coast, including the area where my wife and I lived in northern California. Firefighters all along the West Coast worked overtime in what seemed like an endless battle to protect residents and their homes. After hearing of a number of firefighters who had lost their lives in the struggle, I composed this work as a dedication to them, in honor of their sacrifice. It is not dedicated to any one person or group, or even just to the west-coast firefighters who battled those horrible wildfires; instead, to all firefighters who have given their lives in the line of duty.Although designed as a standalone work, I highly recommend following this composition with one of the many fine band settings of Amazing Grace, as it is commonly performed at firefighter memorials. The one by Frank Ticheli is superb, and if you have access to a good piper there is an excellent version by Jay Dawson which features a solo verse for bagpipe; both are quite stirring.Performance Notes The sustained slower tempo may prove a challenge for some groups; as always, emphasize subdivision. Cues should be used only if necessary due to limited instrumentation. The clarinet and cup-muted trumpets at m. 39 should be very sostenuto (almost “organ-like”); be careful to stagger breathe. The tempo change at m. 55 should not be much of a challenge, but many groups may tend to slow back down to the original tempo by m. 59; the timpani player can greatly assist in avoiding this problem. The coda at m. 82 may be taken more slowly than the indicated tempo if your solo flutist can manage the lengthy sustained notes.

SKU: CF.CPS256

ISBN 9781491159712. UPC: 680160918300.

As the title suggests, there should be a tongue-in-cheek aspect to the performance of this piece with the idea that it doesn't take itself too seriously. Close attention should be paid to staccato notes, making sure not to play them too short and clipped, keeping in mind that a staccato quarter note should have the length of an eighth note and not the length of a sixteenth note. Although the piece is a march, it needn't conform to any strict interpretation of what a march should be. Some of the tongued eighth-note passages may need to be double-tongued, depending on tempo, using the Dig-A-Duck method. For instance at m. 34 the repeated eighth notes might be tongued dig-a-da-duck, dig-a-duck, da dot dot. Slurred eighth-note passages should follow the curve of the line, getting slightly louder as notes ascend and slightly softer as they descend. Measure 39 through m. 51 will have a somewhat chaotic feel, so go with the flow! The sparsely orchestrated passage at m. 68 is understated--perhaps a little spacey in keeping with our theme--and not to be overplayed until the crescendo at m. 88, when we return to business as usual. Trumpets show off again (rarely a problem for trumpet players) on the D. S. back to m. 6. On the Coda, another disjointed-sounding theme, again departing from any strict interpretation of a march--again, making sure that the staccatos are not too clipped--is followed by a repeat of the main theme, this time layered. Care should be taken to balance the entrances of the layered instrument groups as they enter. An exuberant final four measures puts the cherry on top. Percussion can play out for the most part, very little subtlety required. Overall, this piece is meant to be FUN, for both the performers and the audience!.
As the title suggests, there should be a tongue-in-cheek aspect to the performance of this piece with the idea that it doesn't take itself too seriously. Close attention should be paid to staccato notes, making surenot to play them too short and clipped, keeping in mind that a staccato quarter note should have the length of an eighth note and not the length of a sixteenth note. Although the piece is a march, it needn't conform toany strict interpretation of what a march should be. Some of the tongued eighth-note passages may need to be double-tongued, depending on tempo, using the Dig-A-Duck method. For instance at m. 34the repeated eighth notes might be tongued dig-a-da-duck, dig-a-duck, da dot dot. Slurred eighth-note passages should follow the curve of the line, getting slightly louder as notes ascend and slightly softeras they descend. Measure 39 through m. 51 will have a somewhat chaotic feel, so go with the flow!The sparsely orchestrated passage at m. 68 is understated—perhaps a little spacey in keeping with our theme—and not to be overplayed until the crescendo at m. 88, when we return to business as usual. Trumpets show off again (rarely a problem for trumpet players) on the D. S. back to m. 6. On the Coda, another disjointed-sounding theme, again departing from any strict interpretation of a march—again, making sure that the staccatos are not too clipped—is followed by a repeat of the main theme, this time layered. Care should be taken to balance the entrances of the layered instrument groups as they enter.An exuberant final four measures puts the cherry on top. Percussion can play out for the most part, very little subtlety required. Overall, this piece is meant to be FUN, for both the performers and the audience!