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Commonwealth
March: Officer’s Processional
NMPL111
for concert band
by John Wilson
Commonwealth March: Officers’ Processional debuted in grand circumstance. As the featured piece of the opening ceremonies of the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, British Columbia, Commonwealth March was heard by a live audience of over 50,000 and an estimated television audience of 500,000,000. Prince Edward was among the dignitaries who entered the stadium to this stately but lively processional.
The composition begins with a brass fanfare followed by a dignified, tuneful melody, with jazz-based harmonies, carried by the clarinet section. This middle section and the trio that follows can be repeated if necessary for commencement activities and convocations. The trio features a trumpet solo and a quirky surprise played by the piccolo. The piece finishes in the coda with another fanfare flourish by the brass.
Approximate Duration
3'15"
Grade 4
Score and parts $61.00
Score only $13.00
Replacement parts $3.00
Composer’s
Notes
Instrumentation
Composer’s
Notes on Commonwealth March
The main melody for Commonwealth March was originally written
as a four-part chorale for trombone choir. I wasn’t really happy
with the piece and it sat on the shelf for several years until I decided
to rewrite it as a concert band march.
By adding a fanfare-type introduction and a bridge in a contrasting style, I had a piece that was really starting to take shape. I decided to use a trumpet solo for the trio in deference to the great cornet soloists of the early 1900s.
It was originally titled Fanfare and Processional but was officially retitled when Music Director Ian McDougall used the melody to open the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, British Columbia.
Instrumentation
for Commonwealth
March
The quantity of parts provided in complete set is shown in the right-hand
column. Extra scores for competition purposes and additional individual
instrument parts may be ordered separately.
| Part |
Qty.
|
| full score |
1
|
| C Piccolo |
1
|
| Flute 1 |
4
|
| Flute 2 |
4
|
| Oboe |
1
|
| B flat Clarinet 1 |
3
|
| B flat Clarinet 2 |
3
|
| B flat Clarinet 3 |
3
|
| B flat Bass Clarinet |
1
|
| Bassoon |
2
|
| E flat Alto Saxophone 1 |
2
|
| E flat Alto Saxophone 2 |
2
|
| B flat Tenor Saxophone |
2
|
| E flat Baritone Saxophone |
1
|
| B flat Trumpet 1 |
3
|
| B flat Trumpet 2 |
3
|
| B flat Trumpet 3 |
3
|
| F French Horn 1 |
1
|
| F French Horn 2 |
1
|
| F French Horn 3 |
1
|
| F French Horn 4 |
1
|
| Tenor Trombone 1 |
2
|
| Tenor Trombone 2 |
2
|
| Bass Trombone |
2
|
| Euphonium Treble Clef |
2
|
| Euphonium Bass Clef |
2
|
| Basses |
4
|
| Snare Drum |
1
|
| Percussion 1 (Cymbals, Triangle) |
2
|
| Percussion 2 (Bass Drum) |
2
|
| Percussion 3 (Timpani, Glockenspiel) |
2
|