THOM RITTER GEORGE

Music for Band and Wind Ensemble

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November 9, 2007
 

HYMN AND TOCCATA
CN 211
Completed:  1965.01.30
Duration:  6:20
Picc, 2 fl, 2 ob, Eb cl, 3 Bb cl, Alto cl, B cl, 2 bn;
2 alt sax, T sax, B sax;
3 trp, 2 cornets, 4 hn, 3 tbn, euph, tuba, timp, perc (5)
Published by Shawnee Press, 49 Waring Drive,
P. O. Box 690, Delaware Water Gap, PA  18327-0690

[TRG's first composition for band. Published by Shawnee Press in Fall 1965. This piece was written for a band festival in Lockhaven, Pennsylvania, and was premiered by Walter Beeler.]

SYMPHONIC VARIATIONS FOR WIND AND PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS
CN 213
Completed:  1965.04.10
Duration:  13:00
Picc, 2 fl, 2 ob, Eb cl, 4 Bb cl, Alto cl, B cl, 2 bn;
2 alt sax, T sax, B sax;
6 trp, 4 hn, 4 tbn, 2 euph, 2 tuba, timp, perc (6)
Wind ensemble material on rental.

[Written less than three months after HYMN AND TOCCATA, the SYMPHONIC VARIATIONS FOR WIND AND PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS was first performed by Donald Hunsberger and the Eastman Wind Ensemble on the 1965 Festival of American Music at the Eastman School of Music, Rochester, New York. The music is in one continuous movement and has not been published.]

PROCLAMATIONS
CN 222
Completed:  1965.12.04
Duration:  7:17
Picc, 2 fl, 2 ob, Eb cl, 3 Bb cl, Alto cl, B cl, 2 bn;
2 alt sax, T sax, B sax;
3 cornets, 2 trp, 4 hn, 3 tbn, euph, tuba, timp, perc (5)
Published by Boosey & Hawkes, Inc.,
35 East 21st Street, New York, NY  10010-6212

[PROCLAMATIONS was TRG's first widely recognized band composition. Written for the 1965 Ostwald Competition, the work was awarded second prize; the first prize was awarded to John Barnes Chance for his classic VARIATIONS ON A KOREAN FOLK SONG. After the close of the competition, TRG received a letter from W. Stuart Pope, President of Boosey & Hawkes, asking to review the score of PROCLAMATIONS. The work was published by Boosey & Hawkes in 1966.]

CONCERTO FOR FLUTE AND ORCHESTRA
CN 223C
Completed:  1966.10.30
Duration:  8:15
Solo Flute and wind ensemble -
2 fl, 2 ob, 3 Bb cl, B cl, 2 bn; alt sax, T sax;
2 trp, 2 hn, 3 tbn, euph, tuba, timp
(Contact Thom Ritter George for performance details.)
Published by Accura Music,
P. O. Box 257, North Greece, NY  14515-0257

[This CONCERTO was written on commission from P. Litchard Toland, Orchestra Librarian of the Eastman School of Music. Mr. Toland wanted the music written for his daughter Adah who liked to play works which switched between flute and piccolo. Mr. Toland also asked that three versions of the accompaniment be prepared: for piano, for chamber orchestra, and for wind ensemble. This was done, and the music was published by Mr. Toland's firm, Rochester Music Publishers. Rochester Music Publishers was sold upon Mr. Toland's retirement from the Eastman School of Music, and this music, along with the other works in the catalogue, has been available for many years from Accura Music, North Greece, New York. The CONCERTO FOR FLUTE was written for an intermediate level player and has long been a favorite solo piece.]

LES FANTOCCINI by Charles Le Cocq
CN 224
Completed:  1966.02.20
Duration:
Picc, 2 fl, 2 ob, Eb cl, 3 Bb cl, Alto cl, B cl, 2 bn;
2 alt sax, T sax, B sax;
3 cornets, 2 trp, 4 hn, 3 tbn, euph, tuba, timp, perc (4)

[TRG prepared this transcription of movements from Le Cocq's 19th Century ballet as an audition piece for the United States Navy Band. It has neither been played or published.]

WESTERN OVERTURE
CN 229
Completed:  1966.12.05
Duration:  4:00
Picc, 2 fl, 2 ob, Eng Hn, Eb cl, 3 Bb cl, Alto cl, B cl, 2 bn;
2 alt sax, T sax, B sax;
5 trp, 4 hn, 3 tbn, euph, tuba, timp, perc (5)
Published by Boosey & Hawkes, Inc.,
35 East 21st Street, New York, NY  10010-6212

[WESTERN OVERTURE is a four minute concert opener inspired by TRG's visit to Kansas in June 1964. It is a colorful work published by Boosey & Hawkes.]

THE NAVAL SEA CADETS
CN 237
Completed:  1967.06.19
Duration:  1:50
Picc, 2 fl, 2 ob, Eb cl, 3 Bb cl, Alto cl, B cl, 2 bn;
2 alt sax, T sax, B sax;
3 cornets, 2 trp, 4 hn, 3 tbn, euph, tuba, timp, perc (4)

[This is not a characteristic piece but rather an everyday project which resulted from TRG's work as composer-arranger for the United States Navy Band. It was played by the band but never published.]

FIVE DANCES
CN 238
Completed:  1967.12.20
Duration:
Picc, 2 fl, 2 ob, Eb cl, 3 Bb cl, Alto cl, B cl, 2 bn;
2 alt sax, T sax, B sax;
3 cornets, 2 trp, 4 hn, 3 tbn, euph, tuba, timp, perc (4)
Band materials on rental.

[Also an uncharacteristic piece, FIVE DANCES was written in Washington, D.C. The score was revised when TRG was living in Quincy, Illinois. It is unpublished.]

OBOE CONCERTO NO. 3 by George Fredric Handel
Transcribed by Thom Ritter George
CN 243
Completed:  1967.11.17
Duration:  9:35
Solo oboe and wind ensemble -
2 fl, Eb cl, 3 cl, alto cl, bass cl, 2 bn, 4 hn
Wind ensemble materials on rental.

[This transcription of Handel's most famous OBOE CONCERTO is often played. The basic problem with having an oboe soloist appear on a wind concert is that accompaniments are too heavy for the comparatively delicate nature of the solo instrument. This success of this transcription is largely due to its light, clear instrumentation which uses only flutes, clarinets (including alto and bass clarinets), bassoons, and four horns.]

THE U.S.S. NEW JERSEY MARCH
CN 248-bis
Completed:  1968.03.07
Duration:  1:59
Picc, 2 fl, 2 ob, Eb cl, 3 Bb cl, Alto cl, B cl, 2 bn;
2 alt sax, T sax, B sax;
3 cornets, 2 trp, 4 hn, 3 tbn, euph, tuba, timp, perc (4)

[This work is not a characteristic piece, but it was created as part of TRG's documentary film score THE AMERICAN DREADNOUGHT. The subject of this film was the history and reactivation of the battleship USS NEW JERSEY. The United States Navy Band played this march at the USS NEW JERSEY reactivation ceremonies at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in Spring 1968. The march has not been published.]

AMERICAN FESTIVAL OVERTURE
CN 257
Date:  1969.05.26 (Incomplete)
Duration:  ca. 6:02
Picc, 2 fl, 2 ob, Eb cl, 3 Bb cl, Alto cl, B cl, 2 bn;
2 alt sax, T sax, B sax;
3 cornets, 2 trp, 4 hn, 3 tbn, euph, tuba, timp, perc (4)

[A concert piece for band which is incomplete, it has neither been played or published.]

ADORATIONS
CN 262
Completed:  1969.11.25
Duration:  26:04
STB soloists, SATB, band -
Picc, 2 fl, 2 ob, Eb cl, 3 Bb cl, Alto cl, B cl, 2 bn;
2 alt sax, T sax, B sax;
3 cornets, 2 trp, 4 hn, 3 tbn, euph, tuba, timp, perc (4)
Band materials available on rental.

[ADORATIONS is a multi-movement Christmas work for vocal soloists, mixed chorus, and band. It was first performed by the United States Navy Band, Sea Chanters, and a women's chorus from the Catholic University of America under the direction of Donald Stauffer. In 1977, the FANFARE (first movement) of ADORATIONS was performed in England as part of the celebration of Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Anniversary as monarch.]

ENGLISH DANCE VARIATIONS
CN 269
Completed:  1971.01.02
Duration:  9:55
Picc, 2 fl, 2 ob, Eb cl, 3 Bb cl, Alto cl, B cl, 2 bn;
2 alt sax, T sax, B sax;
3 trp, 4 hn, 3 tbn, euph, tuba, timp, perc (5)
Wind ensemble materials available on rental.

[ENGLISH DANCE VARIATIONS is based on a theme taken from 17th Century British broadsides. The work was written for the Quincy (Illinois) High School Band in conjunction with TRG's role as composer-in-residence for the City of Quincy.]

RITUALS: A SYMPHONY FOR WIND AND PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS
CN 281
Completed:  1973.03.12
Duration:  18:10
Picc, 2 fl, 2 ob, Eb cl, 4 Bb cl, B cl, 2 bn;
4 trp, 4 hn, 3 tbn, euph, tuba, timp, perc (4)  pno/cel (1)
Wind ensemble materials on rental.

[RITUALS is another composition resulting from TRG's work as composer-in-residence during the Quincy years. It is a four movement piece for wind ensemble with piano but without saxophones. The music was first performed by Charles Winking leading his Quincy College Wind Ensemble. In appreciation, Quincy College awarded Thom Ritter George its Citation for Meritorious Service (1973).]

FIRST SUITE IN F
CN 285
Completed:  1975.02.22
Duration:  11:00
Picc, 2 fl, 2 ob, Eb cl, 3 Bb cl, Alto cl, B cl, 2 bn;
2 alt sax, T sax, B sax;
3 trp, 4 hn, 3 tbn, euph, tuba, timp, perc (8)
Published by Southern Music Company,
P. O. Box 329, San Antonio, TX  78292

[This four movement work was written for the 50th Anniversary of the United States Navy Band which gave the first performance under Lcdr. Ned E. Muffley in the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.]

SECOND SUITE IN C
CN 318
Completed:  1983.09.13; Revised 1995
Duration:
Picc, 2 fl, 2 ob, Eb cl, 3 Bb cl, Alto cl, B cl, 2 bn;
2 alt sax, T sax, B sax;
3 trp, 4 hn, 3 tbn, euph, tuba, timp, perc (5)

[Like the FIRST SUITE IN F, the SECOND SUITE IN C is a four movement composition. This work had the longest evolution of any of TRG's wind and percussion pieces. The original version dates from Fall 1983. This version was recorded by Col. Arnold Gabriel and the United States Air Force Band. Not until 1995 did the composer find it possible to make the necessary changes and revisions to put the music in its final form. A study recording of the revised version was made by Timothy Weiss and the Oberlin College Conservatory Wind Ensemble. The music has not been published.]

CONCERTINO FOR TUBA
CN 320C
Completed:  1985.01.27
Duration:  7:30
Solo tuba and wind ensemble -
2 fl, 2 ob, 3 Bb cl, B cl, 2 bn, 2 alt sax, T sax, B sax,
2 trp, 4 hn, 3 tbn, euph, tuba, timp, perc (3)
Wind ensemble materials on rental.

[This brief, three movement CONCERTINO FOR TUBA was scored so that it could be accompanied by either piano, string orchestra, or wind ensemble. R. Winston Morris of Tennessee and James Self of Los Angeles gave the first performances around the same time in 1985.]

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(TRGcm:2007.11.09)