With Zeal Unceasing: E-flat Alto Saxophone
By Todd Stalter
Grade: 3.5 (Medium)
Item: 00-PC-0018461_AX1
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Description
This high-energy piece opens with a brief, powerful introductory fanfare that leads to a rapid-paced set of melodic fragments, contours, and rhythms derived from the well-known Austrian hymn, before hurtling its way through a variety of meters, interspersed with percussive punctuation. (2:00)
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Concert Band
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
198
SKU:
00-PC-0018461_AX1
More about this title
About the Composer: Todd Stalter
Todd Stalter brings four decades of practical band directing experience to his compositional work. He led the Eureka High School band program in Illinois for 34 years, establishing a legacy of state and national recognition: his Marching Band won 16 Class 1A state championships, his Concert Band earned consistent Superior ratings at Illinois High School Association contests, and his ensembles performed at Orchestra Hall in Chicago, Walt Disney World, and competed as festival champions at the Cotton and Liberty Bowls. He was inducted into the Illinois State Marching Band Championships Hall of Fame and has guest conducted All-State Bands in Georgia and Delaware, along with numerous regional Honor and district ensembles.
As a clinician and adjudicator, Stalter remains deeply involved in music education across multiple states, presenting workshops on composition, conducting, and pedagogy at regional and state conferences. His compositions for band and string orchestra appear on contest and festival lists nationwide and are featured in the GIA publication "Teaching Music Through Performance in Band." He holds degrees from Illinois State University: a Bachelor of Music Education (cum laude) and a Master of Music in Trumpet Performance, where he studied trumpet with Richard Lehman of the U.S. Marine Band and conducting with Dr. Stephen K. Steele.
Why we love this
Stalter has written a piece that respects the Austrian hymn's dignity while unleashing genuine energy and complexity. The shifting meters and percussive color demand focused ensemble work without becoming gratuitous, and at Grade 3.5, it strikes the right balance for ambitious programs preparing for contest season.
What to expect
A whirlwind of purpose and motion. The opening fanfare grabs attention with its authority, then the music races forward through melodic shards and rhythmic complexity, always tethered to the Austrian hymn's familiar contours underneath. Percussive hits punctuate the movement like exclamation points, building momentum toward a destination that feels earned rather than sudden.
Who it's for
This work suits confident Grade 3.5 bands with solid fundamentals and the stamina for sustained technical passages. It's ideal for contest and festival programming where you want a piece that demonstrates musical maturity and ensemble control without requiring advanced virtuosity.
How to get the most out of it
- Establish the fanfare as a statement of arrival, not hurry. Precision on the opening gesture sets the tempo and confidence for everything that follows.
- Mark the meter changes clearly in rehearsal and use a steady beat on the podium to anchor the ensemble through rhythmic turbulence; the underlying pulse is what makes the piece feel unified rather than chaotic.
- Balance the melodic fragments derived from the hymn so that the tune remains audible as it passes through different sections. These moments ground the rapid figuration and give the piece narrative shape.
- Use the percussion punctuation as a structural tool. These attacks shouldn't feel random; they mark moments of harmonic or rhythmic arrival and deserve as much preparation and clarity as any melodic statement.
How to use it
Program this as a concert opener or second item to establish energy and musicianship early. Its 2-minute duration and contest-appropriate difficulty make it an excellent choice for festival competitions, and its lyrical root in hymnic material gives it substance that appeals to mixed audiences beyond the band community.
Skills your students will build
- Reading and executing rapid meter changes (mixture of duple and triple meters)
- Balancing exposed melodic fragments while maintaining textural clarity
- Coordinating with precise rhythmic punctuation from the percussion section
- Sustaining musical focus through fast-paced, non-traditional formal structures
- Articulation control across rapid scalar and rhythmic passages