There Will Come Soft Rains: Mallets
By Robert Sheldon
Grade: 1.5 (Easy)
Item: 00-PC-0001244_M1
$3.00
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Description
Most middle-school students read the moving story, There Will Come Soft Rains. The voiceclock in the story is represented by the 'ticktock' of the claves, and the music is lyrical and pastoral in nature. This work expresses that we are just a part of the cycle of life and the beauty of all that surrounds us will go on after we are gone. This title is available in MakeMusic Cloud.
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, There Will Come Soft Rains: Mallets 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:
Challenger Band Series
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
62
SKU:
00-PC-0001244_M1
More about this title
About the Composer: Robert Sheldon
Robert Sheldon's compositions occupy a central place in the wind band repertoire, performed by ensembles worldwide and featured regularly on contest and concert programs. His work has earned recognition from the American School Band Director's Association, Phi Beta Mu, and ASCAP, and his music appears in prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, Symphony Hall Boston, and the Kennedy Center. Beyond his prolific output as a composer, Sheldon co-authored Sound Innovations for Concert Band and maintains an active schedule as a guest conductor for All-State and Regional Honor Bands.
As a clinician and educator, Sheldon has presented at universities and state music education conferences across the United States and internationally in Japan, Canada, Italy, Germany, Australia, and China. His compositions consistently demonstrate musical depth that connects with both student performers and audiences. In 2020, VanderCook College of Music awarded him an honorary doctorate in recognition of his contributions to music education.
Why we love this
The layering of literal and metaphorical meaning here is genuinely sophisticated for Grade 1.5. Sheldon captures the poem's meditation on mortality and natural cycles through accessible musical language, letting the clave ostinato do much of the narrative work while the band maintains a contemplative, unhurried pulse. Students grasp both the technical demands and the emotional weight of what they're playing.
What to expect
Quiet and deliberate, with the patient quality of observation. The clave ticking beneath lyrical passages creates a gentle inevitability, almost meditative. There is no urgency here, only acceptance and a kind of beauty found in transience and natural renewal.
Who it's for
Middle school bands ready for repertoire with genuine artistic substance. This piece works for ensembles that have moved past fundamental technique and can now engage with phrasing, balance, and the emotional architecture of a composition. The Grade 1.5 rating reflects accessible ranges and straightforward part writing, not shallow musical content.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the clave rhythms prominently in the opening and closing sections so audiences recognize the 'ticktock' as central to the piece's concept; these aren't accompaniment figures but narrative voices.
- Maintain evenness in the pastoral melodic lines by resisting the urge to shape every phrase dramatically; let the lyrical writing speak through clarity and legit tone production rather than expressive excess.
- Shape the harmonic movement gradually across longer spans rather than in small gestures, allowing the piece's meditative arc to unfold naturally for both performers and listeners.
How to use it
Position this as a centerpiece or opener for a concert exploring literature and music together, especially at events tied to classroom study of Ray Bradbury's work or Environmental themes. It pairs well with more energetic selections later in the program, offering audiences a moment of reflection and contrast. The Grade 1.5 accessibility makes it realistic for mid-year programming without requiring exceptional ensemble maturity.
Skills your students will build
- Sustaining lyrical lines with consistent tone quality and breath management
- Maintaining precision in ostinato patterns while balancing against melodic material
- Responding to dynamic nuance and longer-form phrase shaping
- Understanding how program music conveys narrative and emotion through instrumentation and harmonic choice