The Mountain: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

This arrangement gives you two massive classical monuments in one energetic package without requiring your students to sight-read dense traditional orchestrations. The optional electric guitar, electric violin, and electric bass parts let you customize the sound to your ensemble's strengths, and the Grade 3 scoring makes it genuinely playable while keeping the drama intact. The built-in flexibility to perform this alone or combine it with the string arrangement (00-46697) means you can program it in multiple ways across seasons.

Driving and theatrical, built on the relentless forward momentum of Holst's Mars and the sharp, dramatic character of Grieg's Mountain King theme. The energy builds with contemporary rock orchestration layered over classical melodic foundations, creating a sound that feels both epic and immediately engaging.

Concert bands at the intermediate level who want a high-impact holiday or pops program piece that doesn't require years of advanced technique to execute well. Directors looking for a substantial opener or closer that connects with audiences familiar with classical music but performed in a modern, energetic style.

• Balance the optional electric instruments carefully in rehearsal; they should enhance the driving rhythm section without drowning out the melodic voices carrying the Holst and Grieg material.
• Lock the percussion and electric bass together from the first rehearsal to establish the propulsive energy that makes this arrangement work; they are the foundation supporting everything else.
• Mark the transitions between the "Mars" and "Mountain King" sections clearly so the band understands where the character shifts and can execute the mood change with intention.
• If you're adding electric parts, consider a full rehearsal with amplified players before the section rehearsals to ensure the acoustic and electric sounds blend rather than compete.

Position this as a strong concert opener to grab immediate attention, or use it as a finale that sends the audience out energized. If your program includes other holiday repertoire, this modern orchestral treatment provides a bold contrast to traditional seasonal music. For pops concerts, it pairs well with other Trans-Siberian Orchestra arrangements or contemporary concert band works, and the option to combine it with the string version allows for a full orchestra sound if circumstances permit.

• Managing articulation clarity in fast, rhythmic passages
• Responding to contemporary rock-influenced orchestration and amplified instruments
• Executing clean section transitions and tempo changes
• Balancing melodic lines with driving rhythmic accompaniment
• Adapting to optional scoring (using or omitting electric parts as needed)