Heroic Fanfare: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts
By Paul Murtha
Grade: 5
Item: 35-PK00306708
$65.00
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Description
Originally composed for the acclaimed U.S. Army Band Herald Trumpets, Paul Murtha's dramatic fanfare pays tribute to the heroic men and women of the New York City Fire Department who lost their lives in 2001. Dur: 1:00
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Additional Details
Publisher:
Hal Leonard
SKU:
35-PK00306708
More about this title
About the Composer: Paul Murtha
Paul Murtha is a prolific composer and arranger whose work for wind band spans concert music, educational repertoire, and commemorative pieces that resonate with performers and audiences alike. His compositions for the U.S. Army Band demonstrate his command of the fanfare idiom and his ability to craft music that honors significant moments in American history.
Why we love this
This fanfare hits differently because it carries genuine weight without relying on bombast. Murtha shapes the heroic language with restraint and dignity, giving your ensemble a piece that programs meaningfully while remaining accessible at grade 5. The orchestration supports strong playing from your entire band without burying younger or less experienced musicians.
What to expect
Solemn dignity wrapped in brilliant orchestral color. The piece opens with clarion calls that suggest ceremony and honor, then expands into richer harmonic textures that feel genuinely moving. There's no cheap emotion here; the music earns its power through craft.
Who it's for
Bands looking to program meaningful concert music at the grade 5 level will find a piece that challenges without overwhelming. This works equally well for directors seeking repertoire with substance for a festival or concert context, or those building a program around themes of service and remembrance.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the opening trumpet calls with clarity and slight separation; these are herald fanfares, not blurted announcements. Each call should breathe.
- Balance the harmonic foundation in the lower voices with the melodic interest above. The piece lives in how these layers support one another, not in soloistic displays.
- Mark the dynamic changes with precision. Murtha uses contrast deliberately, and a conductor who shapes these moments gives the ensemble architecture to build from.
- Invest in the closing statement. Let the final cadence settle without rushing; this music deserves its moment.
How to use it
Consider this as the centerpiece of a concert exploring American themes, or as the opening statement that sets an introspective tone for a longer program. At one minute, it also serves festivals and competitions where a strong, focused opener makes an impression. The commemorative nature allows thoughtful programming around September or during discussions of service and community.
Skills your students will build
- Shaping long lines with direction and architecture
- Balancing transparency across full band textures
- Responding to subtle dynamic shaping and contrast
- Executing clean articulation in fanfare passages
- Understanding how ceremony and restraint create emotional impact