FANFARE AND CHORALE
This arrangement (or edition) for brass band will give the possibility for more performances of this fine work by Hovland. The composer, before his death, examined my work and made no suggestions for changes, and his approving comments were complimentary and encouraging.
The work was originally written for Concert Band in 1966 as Op. 54a to St. Olaf College Band in the US. It was transcribed in 1967 for symphony orchestra as Op. 54b by the composer himself.
The challenges in arranging the piece for brass band were mostly concerned with satisfactorily covering the upper register used by piccolo, flutes and clarinets, and while there are wonderful brass players around who have amazing high registers, I have aimed this edition at a level achievable by reasonably good brass band players who are willing to give time and effort into the proper preparation and delivery of the music. Having worked on this new edition with a top-class brass band, I think it sounds wonderful and interestingly different to the original.
Besides the obvious differences of tone-colour and absent high notes, I have used in my scoring, the option for using a vibraphone in place of a celeste. Vaughan Williams, in his Variations for brass band writes for celeste, but because the instrument is quite rare, performances have been mostly given using a glockenspiel- but this, of course sounds two octaves higher than it was intended. I think that vibraphone and brass is an excellent combination and recommend it without hesitation in this piece.
Every detail of articulation and dynamic has been considered, so in order to keep the integrity of the music, please do not change anything in the name of 'interpretation'. As Ravel says- 'What is there to interpret?'
Ray Farr
RAY FARR (b. 1948)
Ray Farr was educated at the Birmingham School of Music and at the Royal Academy of Music. After 10 years as a professional musician with the BBC Radio Orchestra he started his career as a conductor.
Ray has appeared in hundreds of concerts around the world and in some of the finest concert halls including the Royal Albert Hall and the Sydney Opera House and has gained a reputation as a stylish conductor and a planner of interesting concert programmes ranging from light music to "avant-garde".
He is equally adept in Classical and modern music and has conducted opera, ballet and oratorio. In 1988 Ray won a special Arts Council Award to study contemporary music with Edward Gregson and Jorma Panula, Professor of Orchestral Conducting at Helsinkis Sibelius Academy.
He has conducted at Leeds Music Festival, Harrogate Contemporary Music Festival, Aldeburgh Festival, Adelaide Festival and the Bergen Festival and has made several L.P.'s, C.D.s and T.V. appearances. Ray has appeared with BBC Radio Orchestra, Norwegian Radio Orchestra (on five occasions), the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra (on a World Wide TV program), Sandnes Symphony Orchestra (as Principal Conductor) and Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra in an exciting concert of French music.
