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American Salute: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

$77.00 USD
$77.00 USD
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American Salute Cover Image
American Salute: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

American Salute: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Based on "When Johnny Comes Marching Home"

By Morton Gould / arr. Douglas E. Wagner

Grade: 3.5 (Medium Easy to Medium)

Item: 00-32531
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Description
The monumental Morton Gould variations on "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" has been a staple in the orchestra and concert band literature for more than fifty years. An easily recognizable and energetic work, Douglas Wagner has retained the fervor and made this classic work available to a wider variety of concert bands by rescoring the bassoon trio into the clarinet section. Bravo! This title is available in MakeMusic Cloud.

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, American Salute: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.

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Additional Details
Series: Pop Concert Band
Publisher: Alfred Music
Page Count: 228
UPC: 038081378978
SKU: 00-32531

More about this title

About the Composer: Morton Gould

Morton Gould (1913-1996) composed and conducted across virtually every American musical idiom, from symphonies to film scores to popular music arrangements. His ear for orchestration and gift for crafting accessible, energetic works made him a central figure in American concert music during the mid-twentieth century. Gould's ability to honor folk melodies and patriotic themes while maintaining compositional sophistication earned him a lasting place in both professional and educational repertoire.

Beyond the concert hall, Gould championed music education and student musicians. His willingness to write for school and community ensembles reflected his conviction that ambitious, engaging music belonged in the hands of developing players, not only professional orchestras.

Why we love this

Douglas Wagner's rescoring preserves everything that makes Gould's variations sing while removing a genuine accessibility barrier for most high school bands. The transfer of the bassoon trio material to clarinets is resourceful and musically seamless, allowing directors to program this fifty-year staple without requiring specialized instrumentation. Your students get the full energy and brilliance of a major work without compromise.

What to expect

The character shifts from the familiar march melody into lyrical variations and back again, each version feeling fresh rather than repetitive. There's unmistakable joy and pageantry in the scoring, with moments of genuine warmth beneath the celebratory surface. The energy is accessible and direct, but never cheap.

Who it's for

Concert bands at the Grade 3.5 level seeking a proven crowd-pleaser with genuine musical substance. This arrangement works equally well for high school bands preparing for concerts or festivals and for community ensembles wanting repertoire that challenges without overwhelming. Directors looking for American patriotic music with orchestration that feels sophisticated, not simplistic, will find a reliable choice here.

How to get the most out of it

  • Establish the march rhythm as your foundation before layering variations. The swing and integrity of the melody depend on a rock-solid, confident pulse through all tempo and style shifts.
  • Balance the famous clarinet trio section carefully. These voices need to sing above the accompaniment without straining; mark dynamic relationships clearly in parts so players understand their role in the overall texture.
  • Use the contrasting variations as architectural moments. Each section has distinct character and orchestration; rehearse them as distinct episodes so the overall arc feels planned and purposeful rather than repetitive.
  • Shape phrase endings with intention, especially in lyrical sections. Gould's variations include moments of genuine warmth alongside the patriotic fervor; let those breaths and diminuendos breathe naturally.

How to use it

Program this as a concert centerpiece during summer pops season or around July 4th celebrations. It pairs naturally with other American classics and lighter fare, but carries enough musical weight to anchor a program alongside more contemporary works. The recognizable tune hooks audiences immediately while the variations satisfy musicians who appreciate compositional craft.

Skills your students will build

  • Balancing inner voices and secondary melodies within dense orchestration
  • Executing smooth transitions between contrasting musical sections and tempo changes
  • Maintaining stylistic consistency through varied repetition of a single melody
  • Reading extended concert band parts with confidence at Grade 3.5 difficulty
  • Shaping lyrical phrasing in wind band context without losing rhythmic precision

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