Grade 2
Duration 3:15
For the Glory of the Flag is a march in the style of the early twentieth century American marches. It contains all of the key elements of the march, including the introduction, robust melodies, Trio, and the "dogfight." The orchestration is such that the music remains well within the capabilities of the developing concert band.
The key to excellent performance of this march is to treat it as any march of the period. The tempo should be crisp, and the style of the articulated passages marcato. Play recordings for the ensemble of march composers of the period (Sousa, King, Fillmore, etc.) so that the students begin to understand the necessity of a firm marcato articulation and an absolutely steady pulse.
Naturally, the Trio should be performed in a legato manner, and the conductor should take care to shape the direction of the musical style. No such melody should be played at one dynamic level without some variation, so take the time to bring out the natural dynamic direction of the melodic line. (Recall that John Philip Sousa often modified his marches for his touring bands so that the written parts were merely a skeleton of how the march actually was played.) So as to be true to the composer, do not alter the extent of the march but certainly feel free to experiment with musical effects related to proper balance. This will provide for a much more satisfying musical experience for both the ensemble and the audience.
The "dogfight" (measures 101-116 and measure 149-164), while not present in every march, should be aggressive in character. Do not allow over-blowing by the woodwinds or the basses in order to achieve this, but a strong, accented forte is absolutely essential. Varying the balance in the return of the Trio material is important to achieving good march style.
Many conductors have slowed the pace slightly at the final return of the thematic material. If this option is chosen, the anacrusis measure 165 should have more accent than indicated on the score, and the tempo should only be slightly slower. Gradually increase the tempo over the ensuing measures until the march is back to the original tempo, not faster than the original tempo! Measure 165 to the end, snare drum rolls may be changed from the written five-stroke roll to a seven-stroke roll in order to achieve the appropriate style. This will take some time for the young percussionist, but the time spent is well worth the effort.
Ideally, the "stinger" should not be played as short and loudly as possible. It should be played with a well-rounded tone only at a volume level that the ensemble can play maintaining good tone quality. First, try performing the final note as a half note with increased air in the center of the note, minus the percussion section. Gradually cut portions from the length until the note is a ended eighth note in length. The final step is to add the accent to the winds and add the percussion section, preferably one dynamic level softer than the rest of the ensemble. The effect is magnificent!
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Duration: 3 m : 30 s
Duration: 3 m : 30 s
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