To Seek the Glorious: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts
Arranged by Paul Murtha
Grade: 3
Item: 35-PK00381713
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Description
This expansive overture for band takes the listener and performer on a varied path of moods and styles. The opening portrays the start of a new day, full of wonder and promise. The second section represents curiosity in the world and paraphrases the hymn "On Eagle's Wings." A lyric section follows featuring a solo for trumpet. The next section ("The Glorious") is dynamic and powerful in nature before the piece winds down to a quiet closing section with a setting of Bach's "Sleepers Wake." Dur: c. 7:40 (MusicWorks)
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Additional Details
Publisher:
Hal Leonard
SKU:
35-PK00381713
More about this title
About the Arranger: Paul Murtha
Paul Murtha has built a reputation as one of the most prolific and respected arrangers in concert band literature. His work spans multiple genres and difficulty levels, always with an ear for what sounds idiomatic on wind instruments and what connects with student musicians.
Why we love this
This overture gives Grade 3 bands genuine architecture without overwhelming them. The sectional structure (daybreak, curiosity, lyricism, power, reflection) creates natural narrative momentum that holds audiences without relying on a single hook, and the inclusion of recognizable material like "On Eagle's Wings" and "Sleepers Wake" lets your ensemble feel sophisticated while the part writing remains accessible.
What to expect
The piece breathes like a guided journey. It opens with luminous, contemplative energy that gradually awakens into curiosity and wonder, settles into a tender trumpet moment, surges with celebratory confidence, and resolves into quiet reverence. The emotional arc feels complete without being overwrought.
Who it's for
Grade 3 concert bands with solid intonation and a trumpet player comfortable with solo work. Directors seeking a meaningful opening piece for spring concert or a program centerpiece that demonstrates student musicianship across a range of textures and styles.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the opening with subtle crescendos and diminuendos rather than sudden dynamic shifts; let the wonder unfold gradually as the band finds the daybreak mood.
- Balance the trumpet solo in the lyric section so it emerges clearly without the accompaniment receding too far, maintaining the warm, singing quality the passage requires.
- Attack the "Glorious" section with unified articulation across the section; this is where the piece pivots from impressionistic to energetic, and precision serves the drama.
- Bring the "Sleepers Wake" closing into sharp focus by asking for restrained, deliberate phrasing; students often rush Bach settings, so conductor beats that clarify the harmonic changes help.
How to use it
Program this as your first selection on a spring or end-of-year concert to set a reflective, thoughtful tone before moving into lighter fare. The varied moods and moderate length also make it work well as an opening statement for a concert built around a theme of growth, discovery, or aspiration.
Skills your students will build
- Sustained phrasing and dynamic control across longer melodic lines
- Stylistic interpretation of hymn paraphrases
- Solo trumpet performance in a chamber context
- Contrast between lyric, rhythmic, and powerful sections within a single work
- Intonation and balance in slow, exposed passages