The Emergence of a New Band Literature

Editor's Note: For about a century and a half after the first real works for band were composed in the 1790s-by Gossec, Catel, Jadin, and Méhul-there was relatively little composition originally intended for this medium. True, there was the band symphony by Berlioz, composed in 1840, another by Wagner four years later, and a smattering of works by such figures as Hummel and Spohr. But throughout the nineteenth century, most original concert band music consisted of marches (including ones by Tchaikovsky, Grieg, and Bruckner), dance pieces, and medleys; the remainder of the repertoire consisted of arrangements and transcriptions.

A handful of important works emerged in the early part of the twentieth century. Grainger created his first Hill Song in 1902 (though it was published later), the Holst suites came along in 1909 and 1911, and Vaughan Williams composed his English Folk Song Suite in the 1920s. Around this time, Edwin Franko Goldman did much to promote original band composition, and by the late 1920s and early 1930s there were works available by Daniel Gregory Mason, Henry Hadley, Hindemith, Respighi, and Roussel. By the late 1930s, such composers as Miaskovsky, Prokofiev, Gliere, Weinberger, Honegger, and Cowell had contributed to the repertoire.

It was not until the 1940s, however, that a real wave of interest and activity was apparent in the field. Since then, there has scarcely been a significant composer who has not composed something for the concert band, and a good number have contributed a substantial body of fine works to the repertoire. No longer need band directors rely heavily on music intended for other types of performance groups to give substance to their programs.

With this in mind, MEJ asked Karl M. Holvik, professor of music at the University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls (and immediate past president of the College Band Directors National Association), and David Whitwell, professor of music at California State University at Northridge (and president of CBDNA), to discuss the current state of original literature for band. Although they have written from the standpoint of the college band director, many of their comments are equally pertinent to the high school band director.—M.E.B.