In the great piece, The Blue and the Gray composed by Clare Grundman, there is a strong sense of patriotism throughout the piece. This, as one would expect given the title of the composition, is conveyed from the very start with the 'marching band' like style. The flutes have the melody at the very start of the piece and are soon joined by the rest of the band. As the band starts to decrescendo the woodwinds come in and take the melody next movement. This change of melody takes place throughout the piece as there are many distinguishable changes in emotion between movements. At the start, the piece is being upbeat and more regimented. The piece then becomes slow and piano conveying a sense of tranquility and perhaps sadness. The piece repeats the aforementioned changes periodically with minor exceptions. One part to pay particularly close attention to is that of the flutes as their role can indicate very clearly what part of the piece one is listening to. This is due to the fact that the flute part has the melody in the upbeat movements and becomes very piano, if not stops, during the more subdued portions. This piece, if played correctly, comes across as very patriotic, which it should given that it was written to commemorate the Civil War. However if played at a lower level, with ignorance towards dynamics and articulation, the piece can easily lose the vibe Grundman was trying to get across with this great piece. Listen to the following two bands for an example.
Wellsville HS Concert Band - The Blue and the Gray. YouTube. YouTube, 14 May 2010. Web. 22 Oct. 2013.
In the above, the band puts no significant emphasis on dynamics or articulation. As a result, the band sounds unorganized and the piece does not come across properly to the listener. In addition, the band is very out of tune which contributes to lack of style and refinement within the band. On the other hand, it can be said that the band is able to show who has the melody when which does, to a certain extent, help the group stay on track when playing. Below you will find a recording of a more professional band. Listen for how they articulate to show the attitude of the piece at that moment, how well they are in tune, and especially their emphasis on dynamics. The below example is truly how this piece should be played and it comes across as very upbeat and patriotic.
"The Blue & the Grey." YouTube. YouTube, 19 Apr. 2009. Web. 23 Oct. 2013.
By: Arjun K.
By: Arjun K.