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Here's a list of some of the best band music compiled by Roger Garrett (rgarrett@titan.iwu.edu)of Illinois Wesleyan University and submitted on the Klarinet list. Contact Roger for any updates or additions to the list, along with any other comments you may have. Here's a note from Roger: "Here is the updated list ... I imagine there are more works ... but these are the bulk of the literature. I don't include all the works of a composer just because that composer wrote one good work. Many works are commercial and not very musical, therefore, this is not as objective a list as it could be. Still ... the other lists have been available for some time. By the way, the Thomas Dvorak books on Best Music For Young Bands and Best Music For High School Bands are excellent ... they should be listed as a reference with this list. They cover much of the literature that I choose not to here." ¤ Indicates an especially good (or fun) clarinet part |
| The Best Music for Band/Wind Ensemble | |
|---|---|
| March, W.w.O. 18 | Beethoven/Reynolds ¤ |
| The Leaves are Falling | Warren Benson |
| The Passing Bell | Warren Benson |
| The Solitary Dancer | Warren Benson |
| Winds of Nagual | Michael Colgrass |
| Emblems | Aaron Copland ¤ |
| Sinfonietta for Concert Band | Ingolf Dahl ¤ |
| Music for Brass and Percussion | Ingolf Dahl |
| Skating on the Sheyenne | Ross Lee Finney |
| Summer in Valley City | Ross Lee Finney |
| Report | Lubos Fiser |
| Children's March "O'er the Hills and Far Away" | Grainger ¤ |
| Colonial Song | Grainger ¤ |
| Country Gardens | Grainger ¤ |
| Duke of Malborough Fanfare | Grainger |
| Hill Song No. 1 | Grainger |
| Hill Song No. 2 | Grainger ¤ |
| Irish Tune from County Derry | Grainger ¤ |
| Lincolnshire Posy | Grainger ¤ |
| Shepherds Hey! | Grainger ¤ |
| Sussex Mummer's Christmas Carol | Grainger |
| Ye Banks and Braes O' Bonne Doon | Graninger |
| Geschwindmarch by Beethoven (paraphrase of March W.w.O 18) | Hindemith ¤ |
| Konzertmusik fur Blasorchester | Hindemith ¤ |
| Symphony in Bb for Concert Band | Hindemith ¤ |
| Hammersmith | Holst |
| Suite No. 1 in Eb | Holst ¤ |
| Suite No. 2 in F | Holst ¤ |
| Al Fresco | Karel Husa |
| Concerto for Wind Ensemble | Karel Husa |
| Divertimento for Brass and Percussion | Karel Husa |
| Music for Prague 1968 | Karel Husa |
| Apotheosis of the Earth | Karel Husa (Husa views this as his best work for band) |
| Country Band March | Charles Ives |
| William Byrd Suite | Gordon Jacob ¤ |
| Dialogues and Entertainments | Willam Kraft |
| The Good Soldier Schweik Suite | Robert Kurka ¤ |
| Overture for Band | Mendelssohn/ed. John Boyd ¤ |
| Canzona | Peter Mennin ¤ |
| Oisseaux Exotiques | Messiaen |
| Suite Francaise | Darius Milhaud |
| Masquerade | Vincent Persichetti |
| Symphony No. 6 | Vincent Persichetti ¤ |
| Divertimento for Band | Vincent Persichetti ¤ |
| La Fiesta Mexicana | H. Owen Reed ¤ |
| Concerto for Band | Verne Reynolds |
| Scenes | Verne Reynolds |
| Scenes Revisited | Verne Reynolds |
| Theme and Variations | Arnold Schoenberg ¤ |
| Meditation | Guenther Schuller |
| Symphony for Brass and Percussion - Guenther Schuller | Guenther Schuller |
| Symphony for Large Wind Orchestra (In Praise of Winds) | Guenther Schuller |
| George Washington Bridge | William Schuman |
| ....And the Mountains Rising Nowhere | Joseph Schwantner |
| Dark Millinium | Joseph Schwantner |
| In evenings' stillnes | Joseph Schwantner |
| Circus Polka | Igor Stravinsky |
| Symphony of Wind Instruments | Igor Stravinsky ¤ |
| A Solemn Music | Virgil Thompson |
| Postcards | Frank Ticheli ¤ |
| Trauersinfonie | Wagner/Leidzen |
| Trauersinfonie | Wagner/Leidzen ed. Mike Votta |
| Folk Song Suite | Ralph Vaughan Williams ¤ |
| Rhosymedre | Ralph Vaughan Williams ¤ |
| Toccata Marziale | Ralph Vaughan Williams ¤ |
| Excellent Music for Band/Wind Ensemble | |
|---|---|
| Short Ride in a Fast Machine | John Adams/Odom |
| Rondo alla Turca | David Amram ¤ |
| Commando March | Samuel Barber ¤ |
| Symphony No. 3 | James Barnes ¤ |
| Sounds, Shapes and Symbols | Leslie Bassett |
| Designs, Images and Textures | Leslie Bassett |
| Concerto Grosso | Leslie Bassett |
| The Sun Paints Rainbows on Vast Waves | David Bedford |
| Suite of Old American Dances - | Robert Russell Bennett ¤ |
| Symphonic Songs for Band | Robert Russell Bennett ¤ |
| Wings | Warren Benson |
| Mask of Night | Warren Benson |
| March in D Major | Ludwig van Beethoven |
| Grand Symphony for Band | Berlioz |
| Prelude, Fugue and Riffs | Bernstein/Grundman (Clarinet Solo) ¤ |
| Symphonic Concert March | Bonelli/Falcone ¤ |
| Serenade for Wind Band | Derek Bourgeois |
| Children's Overture | Eugene Bozza ¤ |
| Sinfonia V | Timothy Broege |
| Elegy | Mark Camphouse |
| Batille de Waterloo | Jaques Casterede (Brass/Percussion) |
| Overture in C | Catel ¤ |
| Incantation and Dance | John Barnes Chance ¤ |
| Symphony for Band | John Barnes Chance ¤ |
| Elegy | John Barnes Chance ¤ |
| Variations on a Korean Folk Song | John Barnes Chance ¤ |
| Blue Lake Overture | John Barnes Chance ¤ |
| Gazebo Dances | John Corigliano ¤ |
| Symphony No. 1 "The Lord of the Rings" | Johan de Meij |
| Universal Judgement | De Nardis ¤ |
| Fantasies on a Theme of Haydn | Dello Joio ¤ |
| Scenes from the Louvre | Dello Joio ¤ |
| Variants on a Medieval Tune | Dello Joio |
| Cenotaph | Donald Erb |
| Praeludium and Allegro | Giannini ¤ |
| Variations and Fugue | Giannini ¤ |
| Symphony No. 3 | Giannini ¤ |
| Symphony for Band | Morton Gould ¤ |
| Ballad for Band | Morton Gould |
| Lads of Wamphray March | Grainger ¤ |
| The Power of Rome and the Christian Heart | Grainger |
| Le Bal de Beatrice d'Este | Reynaldo Hahn |
| American Guernica | Adolphus Hailstork |
| Three City Blocks | John Harbison |
| Coast Guard Overture | Walter Hartley ¤ |
| Concerto for 23 Instruments | Walter Hartley |
| Pieces of Eigh | Jack Hawes |
| Bach Variations (Nine Etudes for Winds and Percussion) | Sydney Hodkinson |
| La Marche Sur La Bastille | Honegger |
| Symphony No. 4 | Hovhaness |
| Images of Song and Dance | Anthony Iannoccone |
| After a Gentle Rain | Anthony Iannoccone |
| Variations on "America" | Charles Ives/Schuman ¤ |
| An Original Suite for Military Band | Gordon Jacob ¤ |
| Music For a Festival | Gordon Jacob ¤ |
| Suite in Bb | Gordon Jacob ¤ |
| Three Merry Marches | Ernst Krenek ¤ |
| Propagula | Robert Linn |
| Terpischore (After Micahel Proetorius) | Bob Margolis |
| A Child's Garden of Dreams | David Maslanka |
| Prelude and Fugue | Vaclav Nelhybel ¤ |
| Sinfonia Resurrectionsis | Vaclav Nelhybel |
| Symphonic Movement | Vaclav Nelhybel ¤ |
| Trittico | Vaclav Nelhybel |
| Passacaglia (Homage on B-A-C-H) | Ron Nelson |
| Elegy and Fanfare | Roger Nixon ¤ |
| Fiesta del Pacifico | Roger Nixon |
| Pacific Celebration | Roger Nixon ¤ |
| Reflections | Roger Nixon |
| Psalm for Band | Vincent Persichetti ¤ |
| Pageant - Vincent Persichetti Solemn Procession | George Perle |
| Tunbridge Fair | Walter Piston ¤ |
| Athletic Festival March | Serge Prokofiev ¤ |
| March, Op. 99 | Serge Prokofiev ¤ |
| Huntingtower | Ottorino Respighi |
| Dance Rhythms | Wallingford Riegger ¤ |
| Orient et Occident, Opus 25 | Camille Saint-Saens |
| Dionysiaques | Florent Schmitt ¤ |
| Chester Overture | William Schuman ¤ |
| When Jesus Wept | William Schuman |
| Circus Overture | William Schuman |
| Newsreel in Five Shots | William Schuman |
| Folk Dances | Shostakovitch/ed. Reynolds ¤ |
| Celebration | Philip Sparke |
| Dance Movements | Philip Sparke |
| Ritmo Jondo | Carlos Surinach |
| Paeans and Dances of Heathen Iberia | Carlos Surinach ¤ |
| Variations on "Mein Junge Leven hat ein End" | Sweelinck |
| Grand Symphonic March | Tanese/Falcone ¤ |
| Amazing Grace | Frank Ticheli ¤ |
| Music for Winds and Percussion | Frank Ticheli |
| Spiel fur Blas Orchester | Ernst Toch |
| A Renaissance Fair | Bob Margolis ¤ |
| Five Miniatures | Joaquin Turina |
| Fanfare and Allegro | Clifton Williams ¤ |
| Sea Songs | Ralph Vaughan Williams ¤ |
| Flourish for Wind Band | Ralph Vaughan Williams |
| Peace of Mind for Wind Ensemble | Dana Wilson |
| Good Music for Band/Wind Ensemble | |
|---|---|
| Rogues and Lovers, A folksong Suite for Mixed Chorus and Wind Ensemble | Samuel Adler |
| Four Cornish Dances | Malcolm Arnold/Thad Marciniak |
| Four Scottish Dances | Malcolm Arnold/ John Paynter ¤ |
| Prelude, Siciliano and Rondo | Malcolm Arnold/John Paynter ¤ |
| Toccata and Fugue in D minor | JS Bach/Leidzen ¤ |
| March Hongroise-Rakoczy from "Damnation of Faust" | Berlioz ¤ |
| Broadside for Band | William Bolcom |
| Prelude and Fugue in F minor | Bright |
| The Dam Busters March | Eric Coates ¤ |
| Celebration Overture | Paul Creston |
| Prelude and Dance | Paul Creston ¤ |
| Square Dances '76 | Paul Creston ¤ |
| A Jubilant Song | Dello Joio |
| Symphony for Winds | Donald Erb |
| Symphony No. 1 | Frank Erickson |
| Toccata | Frescobaldi ¤ |
| Tulsa | Gillis ¤ |
| Danza Final (Malambo) from Estancia Dances | Ginastera |
| Jericho | Morton Gould |
| Santa Fe Saga | Morton Gould |
| St. Lawrence Suite | Morton Gould |
| American Salute | Morton Gould |
| Chorale and Alleluia | Howard Hanson ¤ |
| Die Natalis | Howard Hanson |
| Laude | Howard Hanson |
| Sinfonia No. 4 | Hartley |
| Symphony on Themes of John Philip Sousa | Ira Hearshen |
| A Song of Moses | David Holsinger |
| On a Hymnsong of Philip Bliss | David Holsinger |
| On a Hymnsong of Robert Lowry | David Holsinger |
| On an American Spiritual | David Holsinger |
| Dance Suite | Joseph Horovitz |
| A Downland Suite | John Ireland |
| A Maritime Overture | John Ireland |
| Finale from Symphony No. 1 in G Minor | Kalinnikov |
| Armenian Dances | Aram Khachaturian/R. Satz ¤ |
| Three Choral Preludes | William Latham |
| Joyous Interlude | Dai-Keong Lee |
| Kaddish | Francis McBeth |
| Of Sailors and Whales - | Francis McBeth |
| Overture for Band | Missal ¤ |
| Domino Variations | Donald Moore |
| Morning Alleluias for the Winter Solstice | Ron Nelson |
| Rocky Point Holiday | Ron Nelson ¤ |
| Pittsburgh Overture | Krysztof Penderecki |
| A Festival Prelude - | Alfred Reed ¤ |
| Armenian Dances Pt II - | Alfred Reed ¤ |
| Adagio para Orquesta de Instrumentos | Joaquin Rodrigo |
| Jubilee Overture | Philip Sparke |
| Fanfare for a New Era | Jack Stamp |
| With Triumph and Wing | Jack Stamp |
| Emperata Overture | Claude T. Smith ¤ |
| Festival Variations | Claude T. Smith ¤ |
| Fortress | Frank Ticheli |
| Cajun Folksongs | Frank Ticheli |
| Battle Pavane | Bob Margolis |
| Tidewater Festival Overture | Robert Washburn |
| Miniature Set for Band | White |
| Dramatic Essay | Clifton Williams |
| Pastorale | Clifton Williams |
| Symphonic Suite | Clifton Williams |
| The Sinfonians | Clifton Williams |
| Mannin Veen | Hayden Wood ¤ |
| The Seafarer | Hayden Wood ¤ |
| The Bandstand, Hyde Park | Hayden Wood ¤ |
| Chorale and Shaker Dance | John Zdechlik ¤ |
| Transcriptions for Band that are either Approved by the Composer or are of Exceptional Quality for Band | |
|---|---|
| An Outdoor Overture | Copland |
| El Salon Mexicao | Copland/Hindsley ¤ |
| Lincoln Portrait | Copland |
| Variations on a Shaker Melody | Copland |
| Marching Song | Holst ¤ |
| Fugue ala Gigue | Bach/Holst ¤ |
| English Dances (Set I and II) | Malcolm Arnold ¤ |
| Come Sweet Death | JS Bach/Reed |
| If Thou Be Near | JS Bach/Alfred Reed |
| My Soul Longeth to Depart in Peace | JS Bach/Calliet ¤ |
| Little Fugue in G Minor | JS Bach/Calliet ¤ |
| Fantasia in G Major | JS Bach/Goldman ¤ |
| Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring | JS Bach/Leidzen |
| Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring | JS Bach/Reed |
| Passacaglia and Fugatum in C minor | JS Bach/Falcone¤ |
| Sleepers 'Wake | JS Bach/Chiafferelli |
| Toccata and Fugue in D minor | Bach/Leidzen |
| Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C Major, BWV 564 | JS Bach/Knox |
| Profonations | Bernstein/Grundman ¤ |
| Danzon | Bernstein/Krance |
| Slava! | Bernstein/Grundman ¤ |
| Divertimento | Bernstein/Grundman ¤ |
| A Musical Toast | Bernstin/Grundman ¤ |
| Candide Overture | Bernstein/Grundman ¤ |
| Porgy and Bess (Selections) | Gershwin/RR Bennett |
| Molly on the Shore | Grainger ¤ |
| Spoon River | Grainger/Bainum ¤ |
| The Gum Suckers March | Grainger/Rogers |
| Handel in the Strand | Grainger/Goldman ¤ |
| Immovable Do, the Cyphering C | Grainger ¤ |
| Scotch Strathspey and Reel | Grainger/Osmond ¤ |
| The God Go A-Begging | Handel/Sir Thomas Beecham |
| Symphonic Metamorphosis (Complete) | Hindemith/Keith Wilson ¤ |
| Songs of the West | Holst/Curnow |
| The Planets (selected movements) | Holst |
| Colas Breugnon Overture | Kabalevsky/Beeler ¤ |
| Three Dance Episodes from the Ballet "Apartacus" | Khachaturian/Hunsberger |
| Overture to the Opera "Le Roi D'ys" | Lalo/Godfrey ¤ |
| Wedding Dance | Jaques Press/Johnston ¤ |
| Italian Polka | Rachmaninoff/Leidzen ¤ |
| Procession of Nobles | Rimsky-Korsakov/Leidzen ¤ |
| Italian in Algiers Overture | Rossini/Calliet ¤ |
| March Militaire Francaise from "Suite Algerienne" | Saint-Saens ¤ |
| Festive Overture | Shostakovitch/Hunsberger ¤ |
| Galop | Shostakovitch/Hunsberger ¤ |
| Polka | Shostakovitch/Hunsberger |
| Prelude No. 14 | Shostakovitch/ed. Reynolds |
| Three Revolutionary Marches | Smetena/Nehlybel ¤ |
| Allerseelen | Strauss ¤ |
| Pineapple Poll | Sir Arthur Sullivan ¤ |
| Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral | Wagner/Calliet ¤ |
| Crown Imperial | William Walton ¤ |
| March for Band | William Walton ¤ |
| Orb and Sceptre | William Walton ¤ |
| Polka and Fugue from Schwanda | Weinberger ¤ |
| Variations for Wind Band | Ralph Vaughan Williams/Hunsberger |
| Fun or Interesting but are of Questionable Musicality | |
|---|---|
| American Civil War Fantasy | Bilik ¤ |
| Symphony No 1. | Daniel Bukvich |
| Dreams of a Psycopath | Mike Francis |
| Giles Farnaby Suite | Gordon Jacob |
| Epinicion | John Paulson |
| Cave of the Winds | Russell Peck |
| Bagatelles | Persichetti |
| Serenade | Persichetti |
| Armenian Dances Pt. I | Alfred Reed ¤ |
| Russian Christmas Music | Alfred Reed |
| Three Pieces for Band | William Rhoades |
| Symphony No. 1 | Claude T. Smith |
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