In Nature's Glory: F Horn 1
By Brian Balmages
Grade: 4
Item: 98-PC-DB1144_H1
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Description
Opening with a stately rhythm in the low brass, the main theme moves into a slightly slower and more lyrical section with cascading triplets moving throughout the woodwinds. Moving into a faster section, the piece echoes motives from earlier in the work while introducing a few new ideas. An excellent choice for contest and festival. (6:30)
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Additional Details
Series:
FJH Concert Band
Publisher:
The FJH Music Company, Inc.
SKU:
98-PC-DB1144_H1
More about this title
About the Composer: Brian Balmages
Brian Balmages has established himself as a major voice in contemporary band music, with commissions and performances spanning orchestral, band, and chamber settings across elite venues including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the Sydney Opera House. His accolades include the A. Austin Harding Award from the American School Band Directors Association, the 2020 NBA William D. Revelli Composition Contest for Love and Light, and membership in the American Bandmasters Association. His work has reached audiences from professional orchestras to elementary school ensembles, and his music was performed during the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service attended by President Obama and Vice President Biden.
Balmages holds degrees from James Madison University and the University of Miami, and he received the inaugural Distinguished Alumni Award from JMU's School of Visual and Performing Arts. He maintains an active conducting schedule with all-state ensembles, university groups, and professional orchestras worldwide, with notable guest appearances at the Midwest Clinic, Western International Band Clinic, and national conferences. Currently, he serves as Director of MakeMusic Publications and Digital Education for Alfred and MakeMusic.
Why we love this
Balmages crafts concert band music that moves beyond formula. The architecture here is clear and purposeful: a strong, grounded opening gives way to genuine lyricism, then builds momentum with both familiar and fresh material. Directors appreciate how the piece sustains interest across its six and a half minutes without requiring virtuosic passagework, making it a solid choice for advancing ensembles competing at festivals.
What to expect
The piece unfolds with natural confidence. A deliberate, grounded opening rooted in low brass evolves into a moment of genuine beauty as the woodwinds cascade through lyrical passages. The momentum builds thoughtfully from there, pulling together thematic strands while introducing fresh ideas to keep ears engaged.
Who it's for
Advancing concert bands (Grade 4) looking for contest and festival repertoire that demonstrates musical maturity without excessive technical demands. This score works equally well for ensembles preparing for adjudication or seeking a signature opener that makes a strong impression.
How to get the most out of it
- Lock in the foundational character of that opening brass rhythm; it anchors the entire work and gives the woodwind textures that follow their necessary weight.
- Shape the triplet figures in the woodwinds to sing rather than flutter. These cascading lines carry the emotional core of the lyrical section.
- Track the motivic returns in the faster section carefully during rehearsal so the ensemble hears what's being recycled and what's genuinely new.
- Balance the registral spacing in both fast and slow sections; resist the urge to let inner parts wash away just because the melodic line sits elsewhere.
How to use it
Program this as a festival or contest selection where you want to demonstrate both the ensemble's technical control and musical sensitivity in one work. It also serves well as a concert opener that establishes a sophisticated tone without requiring extensive programming notes or context.
Skills your students will build
- Sustaining lyrical phrasing in mid-tempo woodwind writing
- Balancing foundational harmonic support in the low brass
- Tracking and executing motivic transformation across structural sections
- Responding to changes in textural density and registral spacing
- Building dynamic tension through gradual tempo and intensity shifts