Festive Tribute: E-flat Baritone Saxophone
By Carl Strommen
Grade: 3 (Medium Easy)
Item: 00-PC-0014941_BTX
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Description
Featuring a variety of textures and styles, this original overture by Carl Strommen has several, carefully-cued opportunities for your horn soloist. Following a grandiose introduction, the dance-like theme is energetically presented. A broad chorale section is the beginning of development toward the emotional musical conclusion. Energetic and endearing! 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, Festive Tribute: E-flat Baritone Saxophone 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:
Belwin Concert Band
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
198
SKU:
00-PC-0014941_BTX
More about this title
About the Composer: Carl Strommen
Carl Strommen's catalog spans concert band, orchestra, jazz ensemble, and vocal music, making his work a fixture in performance venues worldwide. His compositions and arrangements appear regularly on concert stages, in broadcast media, and in film soundtracks. He maintains an active schedule as both a clinician and commissioned composer, earning him the ASCAP Standard Writers Award year after year.
Strommen holds a degree from City College of New York and teaches orchestration and composition as an adjunct faculty member at C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University. He divides his time between Long Island and the Rocky Mountain region with his family.
Why we love this
Strommen understands how to build a concert band overture that works at Grade 3. The architecture moves logically from a strong opening through contrasting sections without losing momentum, and the horn solos feel genuinely rewarding to feature rather than tacked on. The chorale provides real expressive substance without becoming ponderous, giving students a chance to sing through their instruments before the finale brings everything home energetically.
What to expect
Festive Tribute opens with grandeur, then shifts into a propulsive dance that feels almost celebratory. The horn solos float over warm ensemble textures, bringing elegance to the midsection. When the broad chorale arrives, the mood deepens and becomes introspective for a moment before the energy returns for a satisfying, confident finish.
Who it's for
Directors programming a Grade 3 concert or festival where a substantial original work is needed. Bands with a strong horn section (or a horn player ready for featured solos) will find this especially rewarding. The piece works equally well for contest preparation or a concert finale that showcases ensemble maturity.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the horn solos against the ensemble by having the band pull back dynamically during each cued passage; Strommen's orchestration supports this, but intentional conductor shaping ensures the soloist cuts through without straining.
- Shape the dance-like theme with rhythmic clarity and lift; Grade 3 bands often play it too straight, but this section thrives on articulate ensemble work and slight swung phrasing that makes it feel alive.
- Enter the broad chorale section with a clear tempo reduction and uniform breath placement across all sections to anchor the emotional weight before development begins.
- Drive toward the conclusion with building intensity through the development; this is where the piece asks your band to demonstrate control and musicality simultaneously.
How to use it
Close a concert with this as a finale after lighter or more delicate works; its energy and emotional arc provide a strong ending. It pairs well in a program that mixes original band works with transcriptions, since Strommen's voice is distinctly contemporary yet accessible. The Grade 3 level and contest-festival designation make it ideal for either a concert performance in late fall or a spring festival entry.
Skills your students will build
- Playing solos within ensemble texture with balanced tone production
- Articulation and rhythmic precision in dance-like passages
- Phrasing and breath control in sustained chorale sections
- Dynamic shaping through developmental sections
- Listening for harmonic movement and ensemble balance across multiple textures