Conducting Masterworks for Wind Band: Conducting Considerations For Selected Compositions By Grainger, Respighi, Reed and Hindemith

This study has been done in an effort to better understand a few of the masterpieces in the wind band literature and the composers who wrote them. By studying their lives while studying the individual pieces one can better understand the composers¿ intent and thereby present a more informed interpretation of the pieces as they are rehearsed and conducted. The pieces selected are Percy Grainger¿s Children¿s March ¿Over the Hills and Far Away,¿ Huntingtower Ballad for Band by Ottorino Respighi, A Little Concert Suite by Alfred Reed, and March from Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria vonWeber by Paul Hindemith. In this book each chapter has been organized following the format of presenting a brief biography of the composers life followed by an overview of the music and finally personal interpretations and strategies for performing these pieces successfully. None of this information is in any way definitive, but is intended to guide future conductors of these pieces through one way of approaching the music.