Sarabande and Bourree: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Osterling's arrangement brings Handel's elegant, dance-derived movements into the modern concert band idiom without sacrificing the courtly character that makes these pieces worth playing. The Grade 3 level is genuinely accessible; students tackle real harmonic and melodic writing rather than simplified versions. Sarabande and Bourree pair beautifully in a single program slot, giving your band a complete statement in contrasting tempos and characters.

The Sarabande moves with unhurried dignity, its dotted rhythms and suspended harmonies creating a graceful, contemplative mood. The Bourree shifts into a brighter, more animated character, its quicker motion and lighter texture providing refreshing contrast while remaining rooted in the same harmonic language.

Concert bands at the intermediate level looking for repertoire that teaches musicianship without requiring advanced technical facility. Directors who want students to experience Baroque form and phrasing in an accessible arrangement, and ensembles building a balanced concert program that includes masterwork material.

• Honor the pulse and weight of the Sarabande by conducting it in two beats per measure rather than six; this keeps the quarter-note movement flowing and prevents the piece from becoming sluggish.
• Balance the inner voices in the Sarabande carefully; Handel's counterpoint depends on clarity across all registers, not just soprano and bass.
• Set the Bourree tempo so that the sixteenth-note passages sit comfortably for your ensemble's technical level; rhythmic precision matters more than speed.
• Shape each phrase with a gentle taper toward the cadence; Baroque dance movements thrive on architectural clarity, not sustained intensity.

Program these movements together as a single offering, allowing them to function as a complete arc from slow to lively without overshadowing works at either end of your concert. They work well as a bridge between contemporary educational pieces and larger works, signaling to your audience that the band studies music across centuries.

• Baroque phrasing and cadential shaping
• Balancing multiple melodic lines within an ensemble texture
• Reading and performing dotted rhythms with precision
• Understanding dance forms (sarabande, bourree) as structural models