The Crusades Suite is a musical depiction of the journey of the Crusader's in 1096 (after Pope Urban the Second spoke at The Council of Clermont) from Europe to The Holy Land in 1095; to liberate the Holy City from Muslim rule.

Along the way, they suffered starvation, desertion and many battles were fought with Muslim Militia such as the Seljuk Turks. The crusaders could be lethal too, and slaughtered Muslims & Jews in Jerusalem.

The work features various modes such as the Phyrgian, Lydian & Dorian, creating interesting melodies and harmony. Listen out for the quartal harmony and the canon.

Players are stretched in terms of range and tessitura. Some techniques may be new to players such as the growling on the woodwind and trombones.

Purchase the score, and I will send you a set of parts.

Programme Notes for ‘The Crusades Suite’:

The three movements are entitled:

1) The Expedition to The Holy Lands 2) The Wedding of a Crusader & Near Easterner on the Way to the Holy City 3) The Siege & Final Battle for Jerusalem

Instrumentation for the Crusades Suite:

Piccolo/Flutes 1 & 2, Oboes 1 & 2 (Cor Anglais), Bassoon & Contrabassoon, Eb Clarinet, Clarinet 1, 2 & 3, Eb Alto Clarinet, Bb Bass Clarinet & Bb Contrabass Clarinet, Eb Alto Saxophones 1 & 2, Bb Tenor Saxophone & Eb Baritone Saxophone. Horns 1 & 3, Horns 2 & 4, Bb Trumpets 1, 2 & 3, C Trombone 1, C Trombone 2 & Bass Trombone, C Euphonium & C Tuba, 5 Timpani, Mallets 1: Orchestral Bells, Xylophone, Crotales, Mallets 2: Chimes, Tenor Drum, Percussion 1: Snare Drum, & Mark Tree, Percussion 2: Hand & Suspended Cymbals, Large Gong, Finger Cymbals (Tibetan Tingsha Bells), Tambourine, Triangle, Percussion 3: Bass Drum, Double Bass.

Percussion Requirements:

Apart from the standard concert band percussion of Snare drum, Cymbals (both Hand & Suspended), Bass Drum, Timpani & Mallet Percussion; there is a requirement for Crotales which are bowed, Tenor Drum, Mark Tree, Large Gong, Finger Cymbals and a large orchestral Bass Drum; challenging the players to cover all the parts; some of which may be new to the percussionists.

1. The Expedition to the Holy Lands:

The introduction to the suite uses the not so common Phrygian mode in D minor, featuring dynamic Timpani, Chimes and Snare Drum, the Timpani delineating the root, fifth and flattened second of the mode. The Chimes tolling foreshadow the serious nature of the events to follow; which changed history in Christendom with the onset of the “First Crusade” in 1095. Attention to the dynamics is vital here, with a massive crescendo from triple pianissimo to double forte over four bars; leading to a brass fanfare in D minor using close & dissonant harmony with a Horn motif which should be played brassy, and a woodwind flourish added on top; announcing Pope Urban's Address to the ‘The Council of Clermont'.

History perspective of the start of the Crusades:

The Council of Clermont was a mixed synod of ecclesiastics and laymen of the Catholic Church called by Pope Urban the Second and held from the 18th to the 28th of November 1095, at Clermont, Auvergne at the time part of the Duchy of Aquitaine. Pope Urban's speech on November 27th included the ‘call to arms’ that would result in the First Crusade, and eventually the capture of Jerusalem and the establishment of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. In this, Pope Urban reacted to the request by Byzantine emperor Alexius I Comnenus; who had sent envoys to the Council of Piacenza requesting military assistance against the Seljuk Turks. Several accounts of the speech survive; of these, the one by Fulcher of Chartres who was present at the council, is generally accepted as the most reliable. Urban also discussed Cluniac reform of the Church, and also extended the excommunication of Phillip I of France for his adulterous remarriage to Bertrade of Montford. The council also declared a renewal of the Truce of God, an attempt on the part of the church to reduce feuding among Frankish nobles. Ordinary medieval people took crusade vows, sewed cloth crosses to their clothes, joined crusader armies after they were promised forgiveness for their earthly sins, and a safe passage to heaven.

Musical Analysis:

From letter A, we are introduced to a simple ground bass marked Andante, which serves as an ostinato for the Phrygian melody scored in the woodwind and orchestral bells in octave unison which starts at B. Underpinned by a Ravel ‘Bolero’ style snare drum playing another ostinato rhythm binding it together. The Timpani highlights the intrinsic notes of this mode for extra reinforcement that we are indeed in the often-neglected Phrygian mode. This little theme is heard many times in the suite, and represents the march from Europe to the Holy Land of the Crusaders. The Phrygian mode can refer to three different modes; the ancient Greek tonos or harmonia, sometimes called Phrygian, formed on a particular set of octave species or scales; the Medieval Phrygian mode, and the modern conception of the Phrygian mode as a diatonic scale based on the latter. In this case, I use the modern conception. I loved this mode when I first heard it used in Brahms’ Symphony in E minor op. 98 (2nd movement) marked Andante moderato, with two French Horns introducing the first subject. From letter C, the entourage rests overnight, and children are at play with the troubadours and minstrels who visit the camp. Musically, this section contrasts to what came before, featuring a jolly and gay melody, with shifting time signatures oscillating between 2/4, 3/8 & 5/8, depicting the fun that was being had with the troubadours, minstrels and children with dancing, music, storytelling and entertainment. Harmonically nothing is new here, the circle of 5ths can clearly be heard harking back to the Baroque era with Handel and his circle of fifths progression as the basis for the passacaglia movement from his Harpsichord suite No. 6 in G minor, or any one of Vivaldi’s 500 Concerti which abounds with this harmonic cliché. For a more contemporary example “Fly me to the Moon” by Bart Howard. From D, the melody is further developed and becomes more dissonant (ala Shostakovich with a ‘wrong note’ (flattened fifth)), in the melody, as a minor skirmish with a Moslem Militia of Seljuk Turks unfolds and develops outside the Crusader’s camp on the way to Constantinople. After a short and bloody battle, the fun soon returns from letter E, with the jolly melody now scored in the horns and low brass, heavily embellished with semi-quaver runs played second time in the higher woodwind and Trumpets. New softer dynamics at mezzo piano level are introduced rising to a forte when the Trumpets join in on the counter melody, adding a polyphonic texture. Letter D has some difficulties in the high brass parts for the lead player, which will require mature performers with good embouchures and an excellent clarino tessitura. The ‘wrong’ note style can be heard in Shostakovich’s 5th Symphony 1st movement; which I took my inspiration from after analysing the movement with one of my IB students in India; working on his middle school years portfolio submission. A small coda closes this segment from letter F, with the opening theme and ostinato returning once again to conclude. The theme is now voiced on a single solo French Horn marked stopped, adding a new timbre to the texture; with the woodwind taking on the higher figures above. Changing of textures is vital if you want to avoid monotony in the orchestration. A technique learned from composers such as Eric Ball in the tone poem “Resurgam”. Vaughan Williams’ “English Folk Song Suite” has many examples of contrasting sections, timbres and dynamics. For example, “Seventeen Come Sunday” opens after a four-bar introduction with the principal melody played by the woodwind section. This melody is repeated, and the woodwind is joined by the brass. This phrasing is irregular – the melody lasts for thirteen bars. This melody is followed by “Pretty Caroline” as a quiet melody for solo clarinet or solo cornet, which is also repeated. A third tune, Dives and Lazarus then enters in the lower instruments. This third tune is particularly interesting for having a 6/8 rhythm played as a counterpoint by the upper woodwinds, against the straight 2/4 rhythm of the Saxophones and brasses. Great contrasts! One bar before letter A & G in the suite, a leitmotif is heard for the first time in the French Horns, but what group or individual does this represent; we have an enigma! The next section at G marked Allegro, opens with dynamic percussion alternating between 7/8 & 3/8 marked forte fortissimo, introducing a John Williams style marchlike melody at H which is joyful and triumphant celebrating their arrival in Constantinople. The ‘Cacavas’ style bell like pyramid sounds (representing the Church bells ringing), are heard throughout this section starting two bars before letter I. John Cacavas, the composer of the Kojak theme, wrote an excellent book on Music Arranging & Orchestration, where he demonstrates a device he calls ‘pyramids’, which are used in this suite. From letter I, a deep-rooted tonic pedal (like a tree root), builds the tension until it is released at J, with a popular ‘pop’ un-prepared modulation up one tone combined with a counter melody on the Tenor Saxophone and Trombones, introducing some polyphony to the predominantly homophonic texture. I was thinking of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” when I wrote this little tune, as I had been teaching the structure of it to an MYP music class in India and comparing it to "Für Elise", which is also rondo in form. A short bright fanfare at L celebrates the arrival in Antioch and the discovery of the Holy Lance in June 1098 during the First Crusade by the Christian Crusaders. The recovery of the relic inspired the Crusaders to take the offensive against the Muslims, routing them in battle and securing Christian possession of Antioch. Disputes about the authenticity of the lance, however, caused internal dissension among the Crusaders, and its discoverer, Peter Bartholomew (who found the lance), was later discredited and suffered a gruesome fate being burnt at the stake. The fanfare in Bb is major scored on the Trumpets, French Horns and Euphonium underpinned with strong percussion at various dynamic levels. Four bars before N, the pyramid bell sounds are back as the Crusaders finally take over Antioch, leading to an abrupt modulation to Gb major featuring the tutti band on the march-like melody fortissimo, over a tonic pedal. M will need a competent Timpanist to cope with the melodic part assigned, with plenty of energy to play at forte fortissimo level! N sees the return of the march-like melody this time played fortissimo with tutti band in the unrelated key of Gb Major, resplendent with a strong counter melody in the low brass. A morse code like motif prevails in the bass on a tonic pedal, providing a stability for what goes on above. Woodwind complement the texture with an answering passage to keep them busy. The Crusaders have finally taken Antioch after months of battle, starvation, desertion and deprivation. At letter O, P & Q, the main themes and ground bass from earlier are repeated, but this time developed as the Crusaders march to the Holy City. The original Phrygian melody is now re-assigned to the Saxophone section in three-part quartal harmony, adding a little spice to the harmonic syntax. The Piccolo, Flute, French Horns, Trumpets and Trombones are instructed to growl, the Trumpets and Trombone with a plunger mute. Growling is used more in jazz and Klezmer music, than concert band music. New techniques are being introduced to the musicians of the concert band in my suite. Growling is a musical technique where the instrumentalist vocalizes into the instrument to alter the quality of the sound. Not to be left out the Trombones voiced in quartal harmony answer the Saxophones and have a growl and long slow glissando at the end of their phrase which needs to be timed perfectly; to achieve the desired effect I intended. The gay and happy theme returns briefly at letter P and has been developed with semiquaver runs in the bassline, giving all musicians a good work out. From letter Q the ground bass returns with the Phrygian melody voiced in quartal harmony; passed around the band akin to a conversation between the Crusader’s and their families. This section ends on a juicy Phrygian dominant suspended chord, a device I use throughout the suite; linked to the original melody in this mode.

2. The Wedding of a Crusader & Near Easterner on the Way to the Holy City:

This movement starts at R with a tuned percussion statement in the Bb Lydian b7 mode with added high woodwind descending on the shifting Lydian scales of Bb, E, Ab & D. This is followed by a foreboding and frightening musical intercourse between Trumpets, Horns and Trombones signifying the arrival of the Crusader Guard of Honour on horseback, which leads to a short fanfare announcing the arrival of the bride, groom and the best man. Strong lead players are required in this section to cope with the extremes of tessitura. Three bars before S we hear that leitmotif again ending on a Phrygian suspended 7th chord, which crops up several times in the suite, but who does it belong to? The Knights or some darker force? The central theme of this movement from letter S is in the style of a slow ‘Elgarian’ march scored on the solo French Horn at a soft dynamic, joined by the low Clarinets in their chalumeaux tessitura eight bars later; allowing the bride, groom and best man to walk to the Church, to be greeted by the priest at T. The walking bass should be played pizzicato, which should be replicated in the tuba and low woodwind. The little answering phrase on the Piccolo adds some counterpoint to the prevailing homophonic texture. In medieval times, this procession would have been accompanied by minstrels. From letter T after a mammoth crescendo in the percussion, the main theme is tutti and fortissimo with imitation in the Saxophones and Horns, adding some counterpoint to the homophony. Two bars before U, sees the return of the ‘leitmotif’ on Horns but what does it represent in the suite? The enigma of the ‘leitmotif’ will be left to your imagination, why should Edward Elgar have all the fun! A melancholy section of reflection in ¾ emerges in Bb minor four bars at U, while the newlywed couple take their vows. The use of the Andalusian cadence is apparent in this section, (representing a mixed marriage of a crusader and a woman from another land), a term adopted from flamenco music for a chord progression comprising of four chords descending stepwise, a device which dates back to the renaissance with composers such as Claudio Monteverdi who used this in ‘Lamento deila Ninfa’ which clearly uses this cadence pattern as a basso ostinato. A more contemporary example would be ‘Stairway to Heaven’ by the English Rock Band Led Zeppelin; one of the most popular rock songs of all time. Interestingly the song starts with finger-picked six-string guitar and four recorders in a Renaissance music style, the band’s homage to Claudio Monteverdi? The bowed crotales are introduced adding an exotic timbre. The modulation down a step to A minor at V (as the groom puts the ring on his bride’s first, second, and third finger’s reciting “In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, with this ring I thee wed)”, is very abrupt and scored in the brass at a dynamic of fortissimo, signifying the importance of this part of the ceremony. This section is held firmly together with a tonic pedal in the Timpani and low9 end instruments such as the Tuba and Double Bass. The final modulation at W to Bb minor features polyphony in the high woodwind adding an Eastern flavour as the couple is taken by the Priest to the altar (musically representing the mixed marriage). My teachers at Kneller Hall always told me to never modulate abruptly, they also told me not to double the bass note of a 1st inversion, but Sibelius does! Once you have the learned the rules, you can then begin to break them. To conclude this movement, the enigmatic leitmotif returns again!

3. The Siege and Final Battle for Jerusalem:

The Siege of Jerusalem took place from June 7 to July 15, 1099, during the first crusade. The climax of the First Crusade, saw the Crusader’s take the Holy City from the Fatimid Caliphate, and laid the foundations for the Kingdom of Jerusalem. The siege is notorious for the mass slaughter of Muslims and Jews perpetrated by the Crusaders, which has been reported as extremely savage. The siege of the city commences with a tutti band four bar (majestic but highly dissonant and disturbing) fanfare harmonised only by a tritone in a ‘Punch’ style (using Effort Shape terminology borrowed from Eukinetics) at X at a dynamic level of “fortissississimo”. A short prayer before the final Battle follows at Y, with the Crusaders and families kneeling and praying to the Saints, for their loved ones’ safety and a victory over the Muslims. Musically depicted in C minor, with a plaintiff solo Cor Anglais playing a mournful melody, over a foreboding tonic & dominant pedal in the Timpani. The church bell tolling sadly in the background (depicting the extreme danger ahead of them) sets a sombre mood. The melody is passed around the woodwind and brass with Bassoon, Piccolo, Flute, French Horn and Oboe all taking their turn, before resting on a dominant V7b9; (a favourite of Beethoven), before the final battle for the Holy City at letter Z. Stravinsky & Holst use the ‘Punch’ style in works such the ‘The Rite of Spring’ and ‘Mars’ from The Planets, which inspired me in my own composition. Think of the music of P. J. Harvey and most rap and rock music for the punch and slash style in contemporary music. The section from Z & AA is the battle music and features changing time signatures oscillating from 4/4, 2/4 & 5/8 at a loud then soft dynamic of mezzo piano, with the melody scored in the high woodwind. The addition of Orchestral Bells adds a bright sparkle to the texture. The mode used here is the Dorian mode in C minor, one can clearly hear the raised 6th (A naturals) which define this mode’s unique and intrinsic sound. A mode I first heard with ‘Eleanor Rigby’ by Lennon & McCartney, and ‘La danse de Puck’ by Claude Debussy from his Preludes, Book 1. A sea shanty everyone knows is ‘Drunken Sailor’, probably the best-known example in this mode. This section is underpinned with a lonely Timpani on a tonic pedal and the addition of a Tambourine, providing a little extra rhythm. The counter melody in the Clarinets adds counterpoint; and has that flattened second which almost sounds like a “Shostakovichian” wrong note! It is just a reference to the original Phrygian mode I use in the suite. The raised 6th and flattened 2nd create an interesting harmonic twist in the fourth bar of AA & BB when used against each other. From BB the volume is increased to forte, and the melody is passed on to the Clarinets reinforced with the Trumpets. Below this the Trombones have an augmented version of the main theme and are instructed to growl, with a Horn counter melody added in the middle of this texture. On top of this melody there is almost a morse code like rhythm in the high woodwind and mallet percussion, all firmly underpinned with a tonic pedal in the bass end and Timpani. Thanks to Barrington Pheloung composer of the dark and hypnotic theme tune for the TV series Inspector Morse, for the idea. At letter DD, a melancholic theme music appears as the slaughter and mayhem unfolds (expressed by a section in ¾ in C minor), with a melancholy and emotional melody scored on Flute and Oboe. The opening features a little technique I learned from Jean Sibelius, of putting the tension notes in the melody or counter melody, in this case the 9th. This idea for slow music came from the film music to Gallipoli, where the Adagio by Albinoni is used for the slaughter of the Australians by the Turks, during the campaign of World War 1. This theme dramatically modulates up a tone at FF and is marked piu mosso. This section subsides with the melody voiced on the Piccolo and Oboe; coming to a final rest on a plain and simple D minor chord; with that sad bell tolling in the background for all the lost souls. The savagery comes to a head at letter HH, musically depicted with a maestoso dissonant “fortissississimo” tutti stab chords reminiscent of Gustav Holst’s Db Lydian over C chord (Db-G-Ab/C) in the last 8 bars of “Mars” from The Planets Suite; plagiarized by John Williams (with an added F); in his film score to “Star Wars”. Muslims and Jews are beheaded and decapitated without mercy, including women and children. From letter II, after a four-bar percussion introduction in 7/8 time underpinned by a Timpani relentlessly knocking out a tritone figure. We are now presented with a new melody with changing time signatures oscillating between 4/4, 5/8 & 2/4 in the Lydian mode; representing musically the continued slaughter and bloodbath in the streets. The Lydian mode is Eb (a mode heard in John Williams’ main theme to ET’s, and of course everyone knows the Simpson’s main tune)! I was initially introduced to this mode through Beethoven, where you can clearly hear it in the 3rd movement of the String Quartet marked Molto adagio. Beethoven himself headed the movement with the inscription “Holy song of thanksgiving of a convalescent to the Deity, in the Lydian mode”. The melody is orchestrated in the low woodwind, augmented by the Euphonium and Double Bass. From JJ the band is tutti with dynamics at fortissimo level, representing the ongoing bloody and deadly battle. From KK a majestic and jubilant fanfare emerges in C major in the brass section, followed by a contrasting and tender woodwind section; signifying the final triumph of the Crusaders regaining the Holy City after three years of struggle. The major key is conflicting, with the C minor scale in the Chimes. Over this section, a woodwind filigree is added; firmly underpinned by a tonic pedal. If you wondered where the fanfare motif came from at KK, look at the theme on the Cor Anglais at Z to see its genesis. As an evolving composer I have learnt to link the composition I am working on by transforming themes to fuel the compositional process. Beethoven’s 5th Symphony 1st movement offers many examples of this technique. For example, the first motif is used as the bridge on Horns which links to the 2nd subject. The opening motif also crops up cheekily in the Double Basses and other instruments throughout the exposition and development. Using existing material like this, can help composers write introductions, links, transitions and endings. Many times, at my school in India over the past 10 years, I see so many ideas on the page with my embryonic student composers, and have to show them how to be more economical and minimalist in their approach. After a little interlude four bars before LL, with a tutti band motif in quartal harmony, the original ground bass returns in E minor (with a twist) in the same mode at letter LL. The high woodwinds are assigned the melody in 3-part quartal harmony from letter MM, and the addition of the Horns and Trumpets growling their little motif with plunger mute ala Bubber Miley or Cootie Williams adds a new timbre. Not to be left out, the high woodwind are asked to growl, with the Oboes asked to flutter tongue. This is not so common on double reed instruments, but will push the Oboists to learn contemporary skills, a valuable addition to their extended performance technique. The Timpani has the flattened 5th and flattened 2nd of E minor adding some conflict to the harmony, and a little tension to the soundscape. On the repeat, the same melody from MM is augmented in canon and placed in the Trombones (growling) in counterpoint to the main melody in the woodwind, creating a mysterious, sinister and dark soundscape for the audience to aurally assimilate. At NN to conclude the suite, previous themes are presented such as the “Guard of Honour” and “Crusader Rampage Theme”, with a few twists. The final cadence is a classic Amen cadence from 1Vc to 1 with added Chimes. The Amen is used by Judaism, Islam and Christianity; so, seems a fitting way to conclude The Crusades Suite.

Performance Notes:

The 2nd Oboist doubles Cor Anglais. My writing in the suite was deeply inspired after hearing ‘’The Swan of Tuonela’’ by Jean Sibelius, a tone poem in which the Cor Anglais represents the swan musically with its melancholic timbre, and of course by the Largo from the New World Symphony. The Flutes, Oboes and Cor Anglais are asked to flutter and growl tongue at times, I know it is possible to use multiphonics to create growl like effects; I will leave it to the players to learn these techniques. Growling is unusual on these instruments, but not impossible. Using this technique, the performer selects a bizarre or unusual fingering that causes the instrument to attempt to sound on multiple notes. Other methods include constricting the airway to create a “rasp”. There are plenty of videos on the internet, on how woodwind players can learn these advanced techniques to augment and supplement their extended performance skills. At the end of the work the Saxophones are instructed to stand and raise their bells in sync with the French Horns. This is really just pure theatre, but I think it will help to highlight the figure and enable the audience to hear it more succinctly, due to the players standing and raising their bells. Why should only French Horn players have all the fun! French Horns are asked to put their bells in the air in the opening: “Bells in the air” (pavillons en l’air in French; Schalltrichter auf in German), a rarely used effect for which the horn is turned with the bell pointing upward, so that the sound is projected outward toward the audience more directly than in the normal playing position. Among horn players this technique is seen as a little controversial for many reasons. When raising the bell, it is tricky to impossible to keep the right hand in the bell which will give less control over the sound. Also due to the fact that the projection towards the back does not change much, the difference in volume is arguable. The difference resulting in the sound comes mainly from the missing hand in the bell which makes the sound more brassy; but also, less cultivated which is often used as argument against this technique. I am after that brassy sound (cuivre) un-cultivated timbre, and also the visual impact on the listener. As French Horns cannot glissando like Trombones (and unless from Russia or the former USSR and satellite states do not play with vibrato), they will need to learn these techniques to successfully perform the Horn parts in the suite; thus, adding extended techniques to their skills. Some players might even refuse to do that technique at all. The players should be encouraged to execute this technique, they may in the future be in an orchestra performing Mahler’s Symphony of a Thousand! Gustav Mahler used a massive orchestra and chorus and asked for that technique quite often (even on woodwinds). Seeing eight French Horns raising their bell during a massively epic tutti has a very impressive effect on a live audience. In his 8th Symphony for example Mahler scores for eight Horns, eight Trumpets (four offstage), seven Trombones (three offstage) and Tuba. He even has a Mandolin, Organ, Celeste, Harmonium, Piano, 2 SATB Choirs, Children’s Choir and extra woodwind! I think Hector Berlioz another lover of huge forces would have been impressed had he lived beyond 1869! I remember in 1976 purchasing a recording of the Dvořák Cello concerto and trying to work out if the solo in the first movement was a French Horn or Euphonium; it was a Russian orchestra and then I did not realise the Horn players use a heavy vibrato in complete contrast to the contrasting English school of players such as Dennis Brain and Alan Civil. Listen to his superb horn solo on The Beatles song ‘For No One’, a very masculine sound with no hint of a vibrato; the sound required for all French Horn parts in the suite. Hearing this work performed at a concert in 1980’s in the Royal Festival Hall conducted by Klaus Tennstedt (a noted Mahler interpreter), left a lasting impression on me over the years as a young musician hearing Mahler live. Tubas & Euphonium should try to replicate the pizzicato sound from A, rather akin to little drops of oil! This style should be adopted when the low brass are orchestrated with the pizzicato double bass, but not too staccato. Tuba players should be asked to listen to the Double Bass players performing pizzicato, and then attempt to replicate the sound. Some of the Tuba parts are high at times, this is purposeful in order to stretch the Tubist in the ensemble, thus increasing their upper tessituras. The Double Bass (String Bass) part has some low C’s in the score, so a fivestring bass would be required. More than one Double Bass can be used if you have the players at hand. The growls on Trumpets, Trombones and Horns are normally used in Jazz, think of ‘Bubber Miley’ (often referred to as the “growl trumpeter”), and the trombonist Joe “Tricky Sam” Nanton in Duke Ellington’s Black and Tan Fantasy from a 1929 film; and of course, the brilliant Cootie Williams famed for his ‘jungle’ style growls with a plunger mute. All played in the Duke Ellington Orchestra, an orchestra of virtuosi when you add Ben Webster, Johnny Hodges and Ray Nance to name just a few. I discovered these artists when I used to buy records; there was no YouTube in the 1960’s and 1970’s! The sound I want for the growls is a dark, croaky and gritty timbre, a sinister sound that evokes fear. The Timpani and Bass Drum players should be encouraged to listen to the finale of Shostakovich’s 5th Symphony, to observe the power required and technique needed to successfully play the Timpani in the Crusades Suite. In a couple of places in the suite two notes are required simultaneously on the Timpani, and real power is required. The Timpani writing throughout my suite was heavily influenced by Gustav Holst’s “The Planets”, and in particular the explosive Timpani writing in Uranus, and the even more eruptive Timpani writing in the final minutes of the 5th Symphony of Shostakovich; truly earth shattering and inspiring. The player assigned to the crotales will need a bow preferably Cello or Double Bass, and will need learn how to use it. There are videos on YouTube on how to bow the Crotales. There are some unusually high notes in the 1st Trumpet & Trombone in the fanfare from the 5th bar of R & NN for a concert band work, but nothing that is impossible. The clarino Eb is found at grade 8 level for Trumpet in the 1st movement of the Haydn Trumpet Concerto, and in other orchestral works especially during the Baroque; when clarino trumpet playing flourished with works such as the Michael Haydn Trumpet Concerto and in the allegro assai of J. S. Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F BWV 1047. The Trombone has also been used in a higher tessitura and grander role in the works of Ravel in his Bolero, Rimsky-Korsakov in his Russian Easter Overture and Concerto for Trombone and Band, and of course by Wagner in his Ride of the Valkyries. Modern examples of clarino trumpet playing would have to include the high trumpet in Penny Lane! Increasing the range for brass players takes time, and in the band medium I have purposefully written the lead parts higher in order to challenge the players conception of playing in a concert band. The Piece “Solus” by Stanley Friedman written in 1974, would be an excellent work for any brass player to listen to, it really introduced me to a lot of new techniques possible on Trumpet; I would never have dreamt were possible. Sequenza V by Berio would be an excellent work for Trombonists to listen to for extended techniques and theatrics possible. In general, the brass fanfares and flourishes should have that ‘Korngoldian’ splendour, think of the brass in the swashbuckler score of “Captain Blood” (1939) or “The Adventures of Robin Hood” (1938).

I hope my “Crusades Suite” will offer Concert Bands the world over a challenging and exciting composition to add to their repertoire; and that it will become a classic akin to Eric Ball’s “Resurgam” or Holst’s Suite for Military Band as time goes by.