Bringer of War: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

$60.00 USD

Bringer of War: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Name: Bringer of War: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 98-B1695
Price: 60.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Brian Balmages

Level:.5

Item: 98-B1695

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Inspired by The Planets by Gustav Holst, this original piece pays homage to the first movement, Mars. Using only six notes in all instruments, the music still has a powerful quality that dares the listener to embrace the bold, majestic melodies and rhythmic ostinato. A unique original that invites further study of a master composer!

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Bringer of War: 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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Series: FJH Starter Series

Publisher: The FJH Music Company, Inc.

UPC: 241444374474

SKU: 98-B1695

More about this title

About the Composer: Brian Balmages

Brian Balmages has built a career as a composer and conductor working seamlessly across orchestral, band, and chamber music idioms. His works have been performed by everyone from professional symphony orchestras to elementary ensembles in major concert halls including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and Sydney Opera House. He holds membership in the American Bandmasters Association, won the 2020 NBA William D. Revelli Composition Contest, and received the A. Austin Harding Award from the American School Band Directors Association.

As a guest conductor, Balmages regularly works with all-state and university ensembles worldwide, with notable appearances at the Midwest Clinic, Western International Band Clinic, and the College Band Directors Conference. His music was performed during the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service, and he has received commissions from prestigious institutions including the University of Miami. He currently serves as Director of MakeMusic Publications and Digital Education for Alfred and MakeMusic.

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Why we love this

Balmages proves that musical power doesn't require harmonic complexity or a full palette of pitches. Built on just six notes, this piece delivers the swagger and punch of Holst's Mars while remaining accessible enough for young ensembles to execute with confidence. Students engage with a genuine compositional problem: how to create drama and momentum through rhythm and orchestration rather than relying on harmonic color.

What to expect

Relentless and propulsive. The piece channels the martial energy of Holst's Mars through driving rhythmic patterns that pull the listener forward with inevitable momentum. Bold and unapologetic, it demands conviction from the ensemble and rewards precision with genuine dramatic impact.

Who it's for

Beginning to early-intermediate concert bands ready to work on sophisticated rhythmic ostinatos and thematic development without the challenge of complex harmonic reading. This works equally well for younger ensembles seeking contest material or for any group interested in exploring how a master composer's ideas can be reimagined and simplified for pedagogical purposes.

How to get the most out of it

Establish the rhythmic ostinato as the foundation of the piece. Lock your section leaders into the pulse during sectional rehearsals before adding melody lines.
Balance the majestic quality against the temptation to play too heavily. This music needs clarity and edge, not weight.
Use the limited pitch set as an opportunity to focus entirely on articulation and dynamic contrast. Every accent and hairpin becomes audible.
Reference recordings of The Planets to help students understand the compositional lineage, then ask them to identify how Balmages strips the concept down to its essence.

How to use it

Open a concert with this piece to establish an energetic tone, or program it as a bridge between a lyrical work and something equally dramatic. Its connection to The Planets makes it ideal for a thematic concert exploring how classical masterworks continue to inspire contemporary composition, and its contest-friendly designation fits naturally into festival seasons.