Thus Spoke the Raven: Concert Band Conductor Score

$6.00 USD

Thus Spoke the Raven: Concert Band Conductor Score

Name: Thus Spoke the Raven: Concert Band Conductor Score
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 00-19531S
Price: 6.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Gary Fagan

Grade: 2 (Medium Easy)

Item: 00-19531S

$6.00

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Thus Spoke the Raven was inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's dark and mysterious poem "The Raven." Sounding particularly sophisticated for this grade level, the piece accurately depicts Poe's poem in a fun and exciting musical setting. Slightly sinister sounding percussion begins the medium-tempo introduction, which leads into an energetic and driving "Allegro." With the use of pulsing staccato accompaniments, exhilarating ostinato patterns, and stimulating syncopation, this piece has it all!

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Series: Young Symphonic

Publisher: Alfred Music

Page Count: 20

UPC: 038081182773

SKU: 00-19531S

More about this title

About the Composer: Gary Fagan

Gary Fagan spent 36 years directing bands in Albemarle County before transitioning to higher education, where he now supervises student teachers at James Madison University and teaches arranging. A Maryland native whose compositions have been heard at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, the White House, and gubernatorial ceremonies, Fagan holds degrees in music education from Bridgewater College and arranging from JMU.

Recognized as Central Virginia's Outstanding Middle School Teacher and honored with awards from the Virginia Governor's School for the Visual and Performing Arts and the Piedmont Council of the Arts, Fagan remains deeply embedded in the band world. He serves as a clinician, adjudicator, and percussionist with the Charlottesville Band, holds membership in ASCAP and the National Band Association, and actively contributes to the Music Educators National Conference and Virginia Band and Orchestra Directors Association.

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Why we love this

Grade 2 pieces that sound genuinely sophisticated are rare, and this one genuinely delivers on that promise. The sinister percussion foundation and driving rhythmic engine give students something substantial to sink their teeth into without overwhelming them technically, making it ideal for building confidence and artistry simultaneously.

What to expect

The piece opens with just enough darkness and intrigue to hook listeners, then explodes into kinetic energy driven by syncopated rhythms and pulsing accompaniment patterns. It captures Poe's narrative tension translated into pure musical momentum, exhilarating without becoming frantic.

Who it's for

Directors programming Grade 2 repertoire who want their students to experience genuinely mature orchestration and thematic development without tackling Grade 3 technical demands. It's equally suited for Halloween concerts and general fall programming.

How to get the most out of it

Balance the opening percussion texture carefully so it sets an eerie mood without drowning out the entrance of the main ensemble; these introductory measures establish the entire character of the piece.
Lock the staccato accompaniment figures into a tight rhythmic pocket during the Allegro section; precision here lifts the entire forward momentum.
Shape the ostinato patterns with dynamic intention rather than playing them as pure accompaniment; they're melodic in their own right and deserve attention.

How to use it

Schedule this as a concert opener to establish mood and energy, or pair it with lighter fare later in the program to create dynamic contrast. It works equally well as a standalone showpiece or as part of a thematic concert exploring darker classical and contemporary literature in music.

Skills your students will build

Reading and executing staccato articulation across changing harmonic contexts
Maintaining ostinato patterns independently while tracking harmonic and melodic changes
Interpreting syncopation within a driving tempo framework
Balancing accompaniment figures to support rather than overshadow ensemble melody