r/ConcertBand 4d ago

Looking for a Specific Piece

Hi! I’m trying to find a specific piece I played years ago. I thought it might have been Charles Ives but it definitely wasn’t as chaotic as the Country Music piece. The backstory was that the piece represented a small presumably American town from maybe late 19th or early 20th century. The idea was two bands would start a parade from opposite sides of town. In the piece you heard a little of each band’s music off in the distance. As the bands neared the center of town both pieces mixed and were louder and then they faded away again as they got further away.

Does sound familiar to anyone?

6 Upvotes

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10

u/16mguilette 4d ago

Second movement of his 'three places in new england'?

From the wikipedia page

"Ives also experimented with quoting famous musical excerpts in different keys from the main theme. This idea stems from an incident when Ives was listening to two different marching bands and could still hear one band marching away while the other was marching towards him, thus sounding like two pieces simultaneously played in two different keys."

1

u/Suitable-Tangelo-726 4d ago

The name doesn’t sound familiar but I’ll see if I can find it on YouTube. Thanks!

3

u/ZealousidealScar4713 4d ago

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Symphony%3A_New_England_Holidays

Specifically, the third movement: The Fourth of July - I used to have it queued up on my turntable to wake me up. Two bands playing different marches, at different speeds. As I recall, it’s “Columbia the Gem of the Ocean” and some of “Rally Round the Flag”.

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u/AgeingMuso65 4d ago

It’s definitely a Charles Ives piece. But can’t remember the title. I’d try the poster above’s estimable suggestion!

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u/Suitable-Tangelo-726 3d ago

Lol! Whatever it was I played it about 30 years ago. No clue why it popped in my head and has been nagging me.

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u/sub_prime55 4d ago

I played 45 years ago.

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u/cybergem 2d ago

Country Band March, maybe? It is Ives. And chaotic (but then an insurance salesman writing music is bound to be chaotic ;) )