Scaling the Mountains of Time: Score
By Robert W. Smith
Level:.5
Item: 98-PR-RWS2218
$8.00
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Description
Scaling a mountain requires courage, strength and fortitude. Scaling our musical mountains as our young bands develop their skills requires the same commitment to strength, perseverance and excellence. This masterful composition reinforces fundamental technique through musical scales in an exciting statement for the beginning concert band. Powerful percussion interacting with soaring melodic lines create an engaging and pedagogically rich opportunity for all. The band also has the opportunity to experience and perform mixed meters as they journey to the musical summit. A powerful choice for educationally rich programming!
Original Item#: RWS-2218-00
Original Item#: RWS-2218-00
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Additional Details
Series:
RWS - Very Beginning Band
Publisher:
RWS Music Company
SKU:
98-PR-RWS2218
More about this title
About the Composer: Robert W. Smith
Robert W. Smith stands among America's most frequently performed composers of concert band and orchestral music. With more than 400 published works to his credit, primarily through Alfred Music, Smith has shaped the repertoire that developing musicians encounter in rehearsals across the country. His education at Troy State University and the University of Miami provided the foundation for a career that spans both composition and conducting.
Smith's works have traveled globally, from performances in Europe and Asia to broadcasts during the Olympic Games and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. His symphonies (The Divine Comedy and The Odyssey) and pieces for developing ensembles (including The Tempest) have become core literature in band programs. As a conductor and clinician, he continues to influence music education through appearances and residencies in the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, and throughout Europe.
Why we love this
Smith connects technical fundamentals to genuine musical drama in this score. Rather than isolating scales as dry exercises, he weaves them into a narrative arc that keeps young musicians engaged while building the muscle memory and facility they actually need. The mixed meter experience arrives at just the right moment of development for beginning bands, introduced within a piece that sounds accomplished and exciting rather than experimental.
What to expect
The music evokes the determined climb of a mountain journey: steady, powerful, and punctuated by moments of soaring triumph. Percussion provides rhythmic backbone and urgency while melodic lines rise and fall, mimicking the physical and emotional experience of sustained effort. The overall arc builds confidence, ending not with exhaustion but with the exhilaration of reaching the summit.
Who it's for
Beginning concert bands with solid fundamentals in place and the capacity to tackle mixed meters. This work suits students who have spent a full year in beginning band and are ready for pieces that challenge technique and musicianship simultaneously. Directors programming contest festivals or concert events will find a piece that impresses audiences while advancing ensemble skills.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the percussion writing against the melodic voices; the drums and mallets support rather than compete, so shape them as counterpoint to the main themes
- Bring the scale passages to life with dynamic shaping and direction, treating them as musical statements rather than technical drills
- Mark the meter changes clearly in rehearsal with visual cues; young musicians benefit from seeing the conductor define the new pulse before the ensemble encounters the shift on the page
How to use it
Program this as a concert opener or centerpiece to set an ambitious, motivational tone for your event. Its moderate difficulty and strong thematic content make it an excellent choice for festival competitions where beginning bands need to stand out. Pair it with lighter or contrasting works to showcase both the technical growth and musical maturity of your ensemble.
Skills your students will build
- Scale facility and intonation across multiple registers
- Reading and executing mixed meters (½ and related subdivisions)
- Dynamic contrast and phrase shaping within technical passages
- Ensemble balance between melodic and accompaniment voices
- Rhythmic precision with complex percussion interactions