Thus Spoke the Raven: 1st B-flat Clarinet
By Gary Fagan
Grade: 2 (Medium Easy)
Item: 00-PC-0000329_C1
$3.00
Pickup currently not available
Description
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!
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Thus Spoke the Raven: 1st B-flat Clarinet comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
Open in the Player
Jump straight in and assign it today.
Start Your Free Trial
Open this title and explore the full library in minutes.
Sample Audio
1
Audio File
--:--
0:00
0:00
Sample Video
No sample videos found.
Additional Details
Series:
Young Symphonic
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
268
SKU:
00-PC-0000329_C1
More about this title
About the Composer: Gary Fagan
Gary Fagan's compositions have reached audiences across the country and abroad, from performances at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic to the White House and the gubernatorial inauguration of former Virginia Governor Douglas Wilder. A graduate of Bridgewater College with a music education degree and a master's degree from James Madison University, Fagan spent 36 years directing bands in Albemarle County before transitioning to higher education. He currently supervises student teachers and teaches arranging as an adjunct faculty member at JMU.
Fagan's contributions to music education have been recognized with awards including Outstanding Educator honors from the Virginia Governor's School for the Visual and Performing Arts and the Piedmont Council of the Arts, as well as election as Central Virginia Outstanding Middle School Teacher by the University of Virginia Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa. Active as a clinician, adjudicator, and composer, he holds membership in ASCAP, the National Band Association, and Phi Beta Mu Bandmasters Fraternity. He currently serves as Assistant Director and percussionist with the Charlottesville Band.
Why we love this
This piece captures all the theatrical atmosphere of Poe's poem without requiring advanced technical facility from your ensemble. The sinister percussion introduction and driving allegro create genuine sophistication at the Grade 2 level, making it an ideal choice when you want students to feel they're performing something mature and substantial.
What to expect
Dark and propulsive, with an unsettling energy that builds from the moment the slightly sinister percussion enters. The medium-tempo introduction gives way to a driving allegro built on syncopation and ostinato, creating a sense of forward momentum and mystery that evokes Poe's atmosphere of creeping dread without ever feeling overdone.
Who it's for
Concert bands at the Grade 2 level looking for programming that feels ambitious without overreaching technically. This is especially valuable for middle school directors who want their students to experience a narrative piece with real compositional sophistication and a clear thematic anchor.
How to get the most out of it
- Establish the eerie mood with precision in the opening percussion; tight ensemble tuning and consistent staccato articulation in the early measures set the tone for everything that follows.
- Balance the pulsing staccato accompaniments against any exposed melodic material so the energy pushes forward without drowning out important lines.
- Lock the ostinato patterns with the rhythm section early in rehearsal; once those layers feel inevitable, the syncopation will land with impact.
- Shape the phrase contours even within the driving allegro sections to keep the performance from becoming one-dimensional in character.
How to use it
This works beautifully on a fall or Halloween concert when you want to include thematic programming around literature and the arts. It also serves as an excellent opener or closer that showcases your band's rhythmic precision and ability to sustain a dark musical character across contrasting tempos.
Skills your students will build
- Sustaining rhythmic momentum through syncopated passages
- Maintaining consistent staccato articulation in ensemble context
- Balancing layered ostinato patterns with exposed melodic lines
- Executing dynamic phrasing within a driving tempo
- Reading and performing from full band scores with multiple instrumental combinations