Hillandale Waltzes: Conductor Score

This arrangement transforms a charming historical piece—Hummel's theme reimagined through Babin's eight waltz movements—into a concert band showstopper with genuine solo opportunities. The scoring balances the featured clarinet against wind ensemble textures in ways that feel both elegant and energetic, and the historical narrative (composed during wartime, dedicated to a notable patron) gives students real context for the music they're performing.

Eight connected waltz movements unfold with the elegance of a ballroom gathering, each one drawing from Hummel's graceful theme but reimagined in distinctly twentieth-century colors. The featured clarinet sings above warm band textures, sometimes dancing brightly and sometimes lingering in reflection, while the ensemble shifts between supporting chorus and full textural partner in a piece that feels both conversational and grand.

This conductor score serves concert bands at the advanced high school and early collegiate level seeking repertoire that showcases a capable solo clarinetist while engaging the full ensemble meaningfully. The work suits programs looking to program something beyond the standard wind band canon—music with historical substance and sophisticated orchestration that students take seriously.

• Balance the clarinet soloist prominently in the opening phrases; the band should support rather than compete, especially in the slower waltz sections where the melody's lyricism depends on clarity.
• Maintain a steady, dance-like pulse throughout all eight movements. Even when tempos shift, the underlying waltz rhythm should propel each section forward naturally.
• Shape the thematic material with attention to Babin's phrase structure. These movements aren't miniatures but complete musical statements, so allow rubato and breathing room at cadences.
• Coordinate the percussion section carefully with the rhythm section to provide rhythmic and textural support without overwhelming the lyrical character of the piece.

Program this alongside other American mid-century concert works or as a contrasting lyrical piece following something more contemporary or dramatic. The eight-movement structure makes it substantial enough for a concert feature yet not so lengthy that it demands the entire program. It works well as a centerpiece in a concert celebrating American composers or as a vehicle for recognizing an outstanding solo clarinetist while keeping the full band engaged.

• Maintaining steady waltz rhythm across multiple connected movements
• Ensemble balance and supporting a solo melodic line
• Phrasing and shaping theme-based material across eight distinct sections
• Coordination between clarinet soloist and wind ensemble accompaniment
• Articulation and rhythmic precision in dance-form contexts