Original Suite | Jacob | ed. Heidenreich | Artist Level An Original Suite For Military Band Gordon Jacob Edited by C.R Heidenreich Instrumentation 1 — Full Score 4— Bb Comet 1 1 ~ Piccolo 4—Bh Comet 2 8 - Flute 2- Bb Trumpet 1, 2 2 Oboe 2-F Hom 1,2 1 = Bassoon 1 2—F Hom 3,4 1 — Bassoon 2 2- Trombone 1 1 Clarinet 2- Trombone 2 4~ Bb Solo Clarinet 2- Trombone 3 4— BP Clarinet 1 2— Baritone B.C. 4~ Bb Clarinet 2 4 — BP Clarinet 3 1 — BP Alto Clarinet 2— Bb Bass Clarinet 4— E> Alto Saxophone 2- B> Tenor Saxophone 2 E> Baritone Saxophone 2 Bb Bass Saxophone & BP Contrabass Clarinet 2 Baritone T.C. 4—Tuba 1 ~ String Bass 2— Percussion 1 Crash Cymbol, Triangle 2~ Percussion 2 Snare Drum, Bass Drum Total Time ~ 9:15 1. March (8:45) 2. Intermezzo (3:30) 3. Finale (2:00) Windépendence Boosey (oy HAWKES o-~ vieIntroduction The creation of « new edition of wind band music is important in maintaining the historical place of significant music and in keeping older literature relevant to present day wind band conductors. Gosdon Jacob's An Original Suite was completed in 1924, published by Boosey and Hawkes in 1928, and has been recognized as one of the important works from the early history of musie composed exclusively for wind band.! This first became evident in 1957, when William Tarwater surveyed the members of the College Band Directors National Association, and it was determined that An Original Suite was one of the ten best original works for wind band. Similar research of CBDNA members by Karl Holvik in 1970 indicated that this work way one of the most performed pieces by conductors of collegiate groups. Since its first publication, An Original Suite existed only in condensed score, and the parts and score contained errors, inconsistencies, and inaccuracies, Jacob wrote in his text The Composer andl His Art that “the aim of the composer should be to make his music as clear and limpid as possible."> Itis hoped that this new edition will help achieve Jacob's goals and aims Gordon Jacob Biography Gordon Jacob (1895-1984) was a prolific composer, arranger, teacher. conductor, and author, His oeuvre included over seven hundred original works, fora wide variety of chamber, solo. large-scale choral and orchestral works as well as compositions for brass and wind band. Jacob was highly regarded by his peers and countrymen in England throughout his career While a student at the Royal Academy of Music in 1918, Jacob studied conducting with Adrian Boult, who would later lead both the BBC Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra. He Studied composition with Charles Villiers Stanford, Ralph Vaughan Williams, and Herbert Howells, When he spoke of his time with Vaughan Williams, Jacob felt Vaughan Williams “was going through a revulsion against “technique” in favour of untrammeled imagination.” Further, Jacob Felt ‘Vaughan Williams was “too slow to take in a score at sight and the lesson was almost over before he had thought of anything to say."* However, it was Vaughan Williams who would recommend Jacob to Boosey & Hawkes as the person to transcribe his English Folk Song Suite from military band to orchestra. He also asked Jacob to copy parts for him on numerous other occasions. Vauighan Williams would say that Jacob “was at one time nominally my pupil, though there was nothing T could teach him, at all events in the matter of technique, which he did not know better than 1.5 Afier briefly teaching at two other schools in London, Jacob joined the faculty at the Royal College of Music in 1924, teaching composition, orchestration, and general musicianship, That same year, Jacob was asked to compose music for a massed military band for the 1924 Wembley Exhibition 4 promotion of British national art and spirit. As the conductor for this event, Adrian Boult recommended to Jacob that he transcribe his orchestral version of the William Byrd Suite for the massed band, Jacob authored four texts during his career, each aimed at different types of musicians. His third, The Composer and His Art was written in 1955 and was a short book in which Jacob gave brief teacher-to-student descriptions of composing music as a profession. He described his desire t0 produce music that was playable by many different types of players, including those that might attempt 2 work like An Original Suite: "Frank L. Batts, The Winds of Change, (Galesville, Maryland: Meredith Music Publications): 63 2kari Holvik, “An Emerging Band Repertory. A Survey of the Members ofthe College Band Directors National Association.” Journal of Band Research 6 (Spring 1970): 20, Garon Jacob. The Composer and His Ar, (London: Oxtord University Press. 1989) 1 “bid, 26, Swetherell. Gordon Jaci, 28‘There seems to be very little present-day music between ambitious sonatas designed for virtuosi and “teaching pieces’ which are too often devoid of interest and written in too conservative a style. It is so difficult to write music that is easy to play and at the same time has character and compelling interest that few composers have even attempted to solve the problem.S Indicative of his stature as a composer in England during the 1950's, Jacob was asked to provide music for two national events in Britain. First, Jacob was asked to compose music for the 1951 Festival of Britain, an event that was designed to raise the nation’s spirits while promoting the best in British art, design, and industry. Second, he was one of eight composers commissioned to provide music for the coronation of Elizabeth II in 1953, for which he wrote The National Anthem with Fanfare Afier his resignation from the Royal College of Music in 1966, Jacob focused his orchestral writing (on works for school and training groups. In addition, he wrote nine works for brass band during the years of 1965-1975, several of which became the test pieces used as the required selection ‘throughout England. Most of his fifty-five pieces written after 1978 until his death in 1984 were also for some type of brass group.” Jacob was named as the first president of the British Association of Symphonic Bands and Wind Ensembles and honored by the group in 1981 for a lifetime of contributions to wind bands. Over the span of teaching sixty years, his pupils included recognized composers Malcolm Arnold, Imogen Holst, Joseph Horovitz, and Bernard Stevens, He died in England on June 8, 1984, at the age of 89. An Original Suite (1924) Gordon Jacob composed An Original Suite as a student attending the Royal Academy of Music in 1924. Previously, Jacob had transcribed Ralph Vaughan Williams’ English Folk Song Suite from wind band to orchestra and developed an interest in writing for military band. By Jacob's description, the title was given to the work by Boosey and Hawkes, a decision he later regretted as described in the following passage: At that time very little original music was being written for what was then ‘military band,” so the title was a way of distinguishing that it was an original work rather than an arrangement—not that the music was original in itself. It was an unfortunate title, I know. ‘Throughout the composition, Jacob often emulates folk tunes, creating melodic passages based on pentatonic scales. The 4/4 time first movement entitled “March” is primarily cast in G minor with sections and alterations with Bb and F major. The structure resembles a British march, set formally in an A section, B section, Trio and retum to the A section, with four thematic ideas regularly changed by their orchestration and construction. After a snare drum introduction, the first theme ‘occurs twice between measures 3-20, with a brief two-measure interlude descending to the second theme. Measure 34 begins another transition to the third theme, which starts with a bold introductory statement from the brass and begins the B section. This third idea reflects the same character as the second theme but is much more forceful because of the orchestration and accompaniment parts. The trio is begun with the same transition material heard between the previous two sections at measure 56, with a descent towards a melodic theme cast in the relative of Bb major. Measure 75 transitions back to G minor, and a quick repeat of the A theme is given a new counter melody in the comets, trumpets, and trombones. The B theme returns with a new accompanying sixteenth-note passage for upper woodwinds that transfers to the cornet after four measures. The movement then returns to the A theme in G minor and concludes with the same snare drum figure that opens the work before a final G major chord from the brass. Sabi, 32, TWwetheral, 93. "Kevin Thompson. “Gowdon Jacob in Conversation.” Jounral of the British Association af Symphonie Bands P and Wind Ensembles (Spring 1982): 4Jacob described the second “Intermezzo” movement as “Irish rather than English “folky.” the reason being that the Londonderry Air was extremely popular and much admired during the “20's. Jacob's use of key centers on A minor and is structured around three statements of the primary theme, with a development between the second and third sections. The first theme begins in the alto saxophone, cued in the alto clarinet. The accompaniment is altered during the second A section, but the theme is simply restated. A development of this theme occurs between measures 35-67. The triplets heard in the clarinets and the uses of chromaticism throughout the harmonic changes of this section imply Impressionistic references. In measures 68-75, the primary theme returns followed by coda in which previous melodic ideas are employed to bring the movement to a close. ‘The 2/4 “Finale” is marked by contrasting sections of melody and accompaniment often juxtaposed and layered. The movement is ype of rondo by the placement of a repeat sign, Forming an ABA’ BA\ which is followed by a coda that hints at both A and B ideas, The accompaniment part begins in Bb major, in a flowing 6/8, while the metfody is composed in an aggressive duple and staccato G minor. Afier a two-measure introduction, the first two-part theme is heard and is constantly accompanied by the 6/8 figure first heard with the clarinets. In measure 25, the second theme begins in the upper woodwinds accompanied by descending lines in the euphonium and low reeds. A transition harmonically builds to a return of the A theme in measure 45. A repeat completes the form. A brief coda returns the material ofthe B section before the final unison Bb major fermata The Creation of the Edition The process of creating the new edition began with several attempts to determine the location of a manuscript score. An initial correspondence was begun with the publisher Boosey & Hawkes Boosey & Hawkes’ resources only indicated the availability of the parts and score in the Bi Library in the form of the 155th Boosey Military Journal. A comparison to the 1928 Boosey publication revealed that both versions had been created at the same time from plate number H12196. Further investigation about a manuscript score proved unsuccessful. The Royal Academy of Music, located in London, England, where Jacob taught for forty years (1926-66). could not provide any information about the manuscript score. Contact with Jacob's daughter through the Gordon Jacob website initiated a dialogue with Jacob’s widow, Margaret Jacob-Hyatt. Several exchanges revealed that she did not know the location or existence of the manuscript score, Continued conversation with Ms. Jacob-Hyatt’s daughter regarding the location of any archives or library in England holding Jacab’s scores also proved fruitless. With no manuscript, the input of parts into Finale® music publishing software began the process of creating a full score. After the score was created with these parts, an analysis was conducted of the notation errors and inaccuracies. A scrutiny of a concert pitch score helped determine notes missing. accidentals, oF misrepresented pitches. Articulation was determined by similarity of the musical line tnd the frequency with which it occurred; for example, if @ staccato appeared in the bass line of four parts, but was missing in the same line of another, the staccato was added to the missing line. A similar approach was utilized regarding phrasing, slurs, and dynamics. ‘The lack of a manuscript score leaves many issues unresolved, foremost of which is the instrumentation found in the Military Journal parts. While a study of other works for wind band by Jacob indicates tendencies to write for contemporary ensembles. the decision fies in the hands of the conductor. All parts within this score have been reproduced as found within the practical instrumentation of the wind band contained within the Mifitary Journal parts Notes provided by Christopher P. Heidenreich 9 Thompson, “Gordon Jacob in Conversation.Aller dt marcia (= 120) Allegro di marca (d= 120) AN ORIGINAL SUITE For Military Band No. 1 Mareh Gordon uo dad P Hecksie: omyIe\ a, € \ cscaEEFEL ET cate ees cect temeaset Stree cprnceat é pits angie terete t tititera = averettepttell . = = = - = ee saget eeteelt faNo. 2 Intermezzo - Andante, a no oppo (= 80)2. No. 3 Finale a © nee