Victory in Defeat: Concert Band Conductor Score & Parts

Marlatt has crafted a meter study that actually sounds like music rather than an exercise. The 7/8 frame never feels imposed; instead, it emerges naturally through rhythmic propulsion and melodic shape. Most Grade 2.5 bands spend their meter experience in 2/4 and 4/4, so this piece gives students genuine exposure to odd meters in a piece they'll genuinely enjoy performing.

The piece opens with urgency and momentum, then softens into a lyrical meditation before recapturing its initial drive in a more playful form. There's a clear narrative arc: from intense to reflective to celebratory.

Bands at the 2.5 level ready to expand their metric vocabulary will find this accessible and rewarding. It works equally well for ensembles seeking a substantive 7/8 experience without the complexity of advanced repertoire.

• Keep the opening section driving and energetic; resist the temptation to play the 7/8 feel sluggish or labored. Lock in the pulse with your section leaders first, then let the energy propagate outward.
• Shape the middle section's flowing melody with long phrases that breathe across the syncopated accompaniment. The contrast between sustained lines and rhythmic support will deepen when conductors resist over-articulating the accompaniment.
• Approach the final section as a celebration of the 7/8 mastery the band has just developed. The dance-like character invites slightly lighter articulation and a buoyant swing.

Program this in a concert exploring metric diversity, or use it as a spring concert feature that showcases rhythmic growth. It also serves as a bridge piece between foundational duple and triple meter work and the more complex rhythmic terrain students will encounter at higher levels.

• Reading and performing in 7/8 time signature with confidence
• Understanding pulse and subdivision in odd meters
• Balancing melody and syncopated accompaniment textures
• Executing rhythmic precision while maintaining musical flow