Cat No. JM51322
Price £32.00
Arranger: John Edmondson
Category: LIGHT CONCERT WORKS - Grades 1 & 2

Grade 2.0
Duration 2.30

AN AMERICAN MOSAIC is a medley which includes Bound For The Promised Land, America, Battle Hymn Of The Republic and America The Beautiful, with quotes from other Americana, like Chester, Yankee Doodle, Yankee Doodle Dandy, The Army Song, The Marines Hymn, The Stars And Stripes Forever, Anchors Aweigh and the Star Spangled Banner scattered throughout. Listen carefully, because sometimes they are heard above the main melody, sometimes at the same time as the main melody and sometimes below the melody.

The beginning key signature is F Major, but the tonality shifts between F Major and A Major with reminder accidentals written in. The tonality shifts between C Minor and E Major until the key changes to F Major at measure fifty-five. This arrangement offers lots of teaching opportunities, like tempo changes, dynamic changes, phrasing, rhythm training (like an introduction to the dotted quarter-eighth, written as quarter tied to an eighth), counting, legato and marcato playing, accidentals carrying through the measure, blend and balance. Special problems for individual instruments are also provided, like the flam in the snare drum part (don’t play them too open), low B in the trombone and divisi playing in certain marked spots. More mature bands will find this attractive and easy to prepare, and younger groups will find a wealth of great training material to work on. Most important of all, though, is to have a good time playing this.