Galliard: B-flat Tenor Saxophone
By Scott Watson
Grade: 2
Item: 00-PC-0017877_TX1
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Description
This iconic dance form employs 3/4 meter and the Mixolydian mode. The bold ensemble statements are juxtaposed against more lightly scored sections that bring the atmosphere of a lively Renaissance dance to your intermediate band!
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Additional Details
Series:
Challenger Band Series
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
244
SKU:
00-PC-0017877_TX1
More about this title
About the Composer: Scott Watson
Scott Watson brings three and a half decades of classroom experience to his composing voice. As Director of Bands at Parkland High School and later as coordinator of the district's elementary band and strings program, he developed a keen sense of what works in rehearsal and what resonates with student musicians. His work has earned commissions and performances at venues ranging from the Academy of Music in Philadelphia to the White House, grounded in a deep understanding of both contemporary classical music and the practical needs of the concert band world.
Now Associate Professor of Music at Cairn University, Watson continues to shape music education through his published works (over 120 titles across concert band, string orchestra, and chamber settings) and as an exclusive composer and clinician for Alfred Publications. He is also author of Using Technology to Unlock Musical Creativity, published by Oxford University Press. His contributions as guest conductor and workshop presenter for honor bands and festivals have made him a recognized voice in music education advocacy.
Why we love this
Watson writes with the confidence of someone who spent decades in the trenches with intermediate bands. This Galliard balances musical substance with absolute playability; the Mixolydian mode and 3/4 meter create character without requiring advanced harmonic thinking, while the alternation between bold tutti statements and lighter scoring keeps both players and audiences engaged. It's exactly the kind of piece that feels fresh in performance yet remains manageable in rehearsal.
What to expect
A Renaissance dance transported onto the concert stage with modern instrumentation. The Mixolydian mode creates a bright, slightly adventurous sound that feels both elegant and earthy, while the interplay between full ensemble moments and more intimate scoring captures the lively, social character of the original dance form. Your band will feel the lift and energy of an actual galliard.
Who it's for
Intermediate concert bands seeking a piece with genuine historical flavor and compositional craft at a manageable technical level. Directors want repertoire that sounds more sophisticated than it plays, and this Galliard delivers exactly that through its modal harmony and Renaissance dance character.
How to get the most out of it
- Bring clarity to the metric pulse in the 3/4 sections by tapping the full measure rather than subdividing; let the Mixolydian flavor emerge naturally from the note choices rather than over-emphasizing modal inflections.
- Shape the contrasting sections dynamically. The bold ensemble passages need forward momentum and presence, while the lighter scoring should breathe and dance lightly, creating real textural variety across the form.
- Use the sectional balance the composer provides to reinforce rhythmic accuracy. When lines drop away, remaining players gain clarity on their own parts and can lock the ensemble together more securely.
How to use it
Program this as a standalone concert opener or as part of a historical survey concert that pairs it with earlier string or chamber works. Its intermediate grade level and contest-friendly designation make it ideal for festival programs or winter concert programming when you need something that stands on musical merit without demanding virtuosic technical display.
Skills your students will build
- Playing in 3/4 meter with steady pulse and clear phrasing
- Understanding and executing Mixolydian modal melody and harmony
- Balancing dynamic contrast between thick tutti sections and lighter scoring
- Maintaining ensemble cohesion when sections drop in and out of the texture
- Interpreting historical dance form through modern concert band arrangement