The Greatest Love of All: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts
As performed by Whitney Houston
Words by Linda Creed, music by Michael Masser [Whitney Houston] / arr. Reid Thomas
Grade: 2 (Easy)
Item: 00-PK-0005036
$50.00
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Description
"The Greatest Love of All" was released in 1986 on Whitney Houston's self-titled debut album. It reached #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 of that same year. It was Houston's third biggest career hit in the United States. This arrangement, written in her memory, can serve as an introduction to cut-time and legato playing. (2:45)
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, The Greatest Love of All: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
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Additional Details
Series:
Hot Pop Band
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
126
SKU:
00-PK-0005036
More about this title
About the Composer: Michael Masser
Michael Masser is a composer and producer who shaped the sound of R&B and pop music across four decades. His work with Whitney Houston produced some of her most iconic recordings, including "Greatest Love of All," which became a cultural touchstone for its message of self-affirmation and resilience. Masser's ability to craft emotionally direct melodies that resonate across genres has made his compositions enduring standards in both popular and educational contexts.
Why we love this
Reid Thomas's arrangement strips away nothing essential from Houston's original while making the piece genuinely playable for young bands. The focus on cut-time and sustained legato playing gives students a practical framework for interpreting pop music with the care it deserves, and the piece carries real emotional weight without requiring advanced technical facility.
What to expect
The piece carries the quiet confidence and emotional sincerity of Houston's original recording. Legato passages float above a steady, supportive harmonic foundation, creating space for the melody to breathe and resonate with clarity and warmth.
Who it's for
This arrangement works for concert bands at the Grade 2 level and serves as an excellent introduction to cut-time feel and sustained legato playing. Directors seeking repertoire that connects to students' musical lives outside the concert hall will find this pop standard both accessible and substantive.
How to get the most out of it
- Establish a clear, steady pulse in cut-time from the start. Young players often rush or hesitate in cut-time, so conducting with confidence and rehearsing subdivision exercises beforehand anchors the ensemble.
- Shape the legato line through gentle dynamic contours rather than keeping volume flat. Ask players to think of the melodic arc as a continuous breath, even across multiple phrase marks.
- Balance the solo or featured voice against ensemble support. This is a vocal arrangement adapted for band, so allow the primary melody to sing while accompaniment instruments serve as background.
- Use the two-minute-forty-five-second duration to build interpretive choices gradually. Repetition of musical ideas gives you natural moments to refine tempo steadiness and phrase cohesion.
How to use it
Program this as a concert closer or as part of a pops concert that celebrates music students recognize and care about. It pairs naturally with other accessible pop arrangements and offers a refreshing change of pace from traditional concert band repertoire without sacrificing musicality or challenge.
Skills your students will build
- Reading and performing in cut-time
- Sustaining legato phrasing across longer melodic lines
- Balancing solo or featured melodic voices against harmonic accompaniment
- Interpreting and shaping popular music with expressive intention