We Meet Again by Samuel R.

Hazo
Unit Study
Bailey Tadda
3/8/21

Composer

Samuel R. Hazo was born in 1966 and currently resides in Pittsburg Pennsylvania with his

family. He was able to get both his master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Duquesne University.

Throughout his time as a composer, he has won both composition contests sponsored by the

National Band Association. Back in 2012, two of Hazo’s compositions were performed in the

London Summer Olympic Games. In 2013, Hazo was asked by the Newtown School District to

compose a memorial piece for the Sandy Hook Elementary tragedy. It was a major work for

choir, Wind Band, and Orchestra. He has also been able to compose for all school levels, as well

as compose original scores for television, radio, and stage. Brook Shields, James Earl Jones,

David Conrad, and Richard Kelly have been able to perform Hazo’s original symphonic

compositions. Hazo’s compositions have been performed and recorded worldwide. Most of his

compositions have been premiered at the Music Educator’s National Conference (State and

National), Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, National Band Association/Texas Bandmaster’s

Convention, and other well-known band organizations in the country. He has received multiple

ASCAPlus Awards and is a member of ASCAP. Hazo has been able to teach every grade level

from kindergarten to college, including receiving tenure as a university and high school director.

He has been named “Teacher of Distinction” twice by the southwestern Pennsylvania Teachers’

Excellence Foundation. He also serves as a guest conductor and clinician for the Hal Leonard

Corporation.

Composition
We Meet Again is a regal overture for bands. It evolves from a fanfare into a fugue-like allegro

section that builds up to a harmonic, and glorious ending. The creative part of the piece is the

fugue does not stay the same. The Fugue only lasts for two measures in the beginning, then the

second fugal entrance jumps a fourth where the original theme jumps a third. Eventually the

fugue ends, but the second fugal theme gets turned upside down until it is brought back normally.

This is a concert opener that will get any student excited about band and performing.

Historical Perspective

We Meet Again was premiered in 2009 at the National Concert Band Festival in Indianapolis,

Indiana by the Walter Jr. High School Band of Waller, Texas. Originally, the title was “Waller

Fanfare and Fugue,” then eventually “Fanfare and Fugue.” Because of the melody throughout the

piece not being a constant fugue melody, even though it has a fugue-like motive, Hazo decided to

name the piece “We Meet Again” to emphasise the “opener” aspect of this piece. Back in 2007,

Hal Leonard published a piece of Hazo’s called “Three Concert Fanfares.” These were composed

for Hazo’s beginning/middle school band students back when he was teaching. Each of those

concerts began with those fanfares, so Hazo was inspired to write an opening fanfare for this

commission. When he was finishing composing this piece in 2009, he was inspired by his time as

a clinician at the Oregon High School All-State band and at the Northern New Jersey Region

Band clinic. He finished the piece in the Tokyo Narita Airport Delta/Northwest club in between

watching airliners land and takeoff. That inspired the last 24 measures to have an

“aviation/majestic sound.”

Technical Considerations

The key of this piece stays within the key of Eb Major, and eventually transposes to Ab major.

There is a section around measure 45 that switches to Ab Major (the major IV of Eb) until
measure 50. Measure 50 continues in the key of Eb. From 53 to 60, the main harmony switches

from Gb Major (the III of Eb Major) and the tonic and dominant of Eb Major. Throughout these

mode/chord changes, the third needs to be brought out. Whenever there is a Db, it needs to be

emphasized. Because it is outside of the key signature, it is essential to hear the key change to Ab

major in certain areas of the piece. Because of the flutes and oboe starting in their low register,

the intonation is going to be flat. Keeping up the pitch in the introduction is important to

emphasize the fanfare style in the brass and saxophones. The device in the trumpets need to be

evenly balanced in the introduction, and throughout the piece. The syncopated measures need to

be constant throughout the piece. Because it switches between instruments, the ensemble needs

to feel the constant 8th note for the subdivision. The duple vs. triple feel changes throughout the

piece, but it should feel effortless. The trills in the upper register in the flutes and clarinets in

measure 6 should be flourishes and not feel rushed. Whenever the timpani has rolls, the rolls

should be clean and even as the roll continues to grow.

Stylistic Considerations

The difference between the slurred legato quarter notes and the accented articulated notes needs

to be emphasized. The notes are only accented and articulated heading into the finale of the

piece, so that drives the ending fanfare. Each melody should feel like it is floating. All of the

piece is supposed to feel majestic, so the WWs need to balance on the top of the ensemble. The

aviation sound at the end of the piece should contrast with the beginning fanfare. The piece

builds up to the final chord, and percussion leads the drive on dynamic contrast and style at the

end. From measures 17-33, the music should sound celebratory. No instrument should stick out

from the ensemble color because of two melodies happening. From 33-53, the music should feel

like it is floating. The music is almost all slurred until 47, where the main melodic lines
introduce accents into the color. The accents are brought out by the dynamic contrast from

pianissimo to fortissimo in this area.

Musical Elements

At the beginning of the piece, the flutes, oboes, and bass voices have long notes before the

clarinets, alto sax, tenor sax, trumpet, and horn have their fanfare starting in measure 3. The

sound should not die out and should have shape going into the fanfare section. The piece starts in

4/4 time then switches to ¾ until measure 59. Measure 59 is a 4/4 time, going into a 2/4 time in

60, then back to ¾ in 61. This is to contrast a double over triple feel that has been going on

throughout the piece until that point. There are many color shifts happening after measure 13.

The orchestration is thinned out to only timpani and bells in measures 13-17. The flute and

trumpet join in at 17 with the first fugue melody. Horn, clarinet, and alto sax join that melody in

21. Starting at 24, the full ensemble has joined in and the dynamic is forte until 33. There is a

counter melody and the main fugue motif happening until 33. Measure 33 introduces a new

theme in the flute, oboe, clarinet, and alto saxes. Tenor sax and horn have their own counter

melody underneath what the upper WWs have. The band grows into measure 41, and trumpets

now enter with the original fugue melody on top of all the melodies that were introduced in 33.

This continues until 47 where the triple feel is accented through articulated quarter notes into 49,

to contrast the triple feel with an articulated duple rhythm. The dotted quarter notes and dotted

half notes are accented and strong leading into measure 59. That shows the 2/4 feeling in ¾

time.

Form and structure:

Measure Section: Musical Considerations: Tonal Centers:

Number:

M. 1-12 Introduction ● M. 1-5 the chord needs ● Eb Major

 to be balanced to find
the right medium for
the staccato fanfare in
the trumpets, horns,
and clarinets.
● The style of the
introduction is
marcatto, but sounds
like a fanfare
announcing royalty
● Keeping the 8th note
pulse is key to
establishing the regal
feel
● In m. 6-12, the moving
quarter notes are the
priority.
● The triplets in beat 3 of
measure 8 are
important in
emphasising the
fanfare introduction
● The accented notes in
measure 9 should not
be too heavy. They
should mimic bell
tones going into
measure 11.
● Measure 11 and 12
should be at a mf +. If
it is too loud, there
would be too much of a
climax before the main
motive of the piece
begins.

M. 13-16 Fugue ● Only percussion ● Percussion

Melody/Rhythm ● Timpani introduces the
Introduction main rhythmic motive:
quarter notes switching
with dotted quarter
notes causing a duple
over triple syncopation.
● The bells come in with
the chord structure that
is going to be used
 throughout the piece.

M. 17-24 Fugue Variation 1 ● Trumpets and flutes ● Eb Major

introduce the fugue
melody in M. 17-20.
This melodic and
rhythmic motive is
used throughout the
piece through different
variations.
● The trumpet and flute
need to match the
tempo from the timpani
● The melodic motif is
light and should feel
like it is floating
throughout the piece.
● Clarinets, alto sax, and
horn pick up from the
flute and trumpet
motif. While they are
happening, the flute
and trumpet are
playing through the
counter melody.
● When instruments
layer in, they need to
match dynamic and
playing style.

M. 25-32 Fugue Variation 2 ● The Forte dynamic ● Eb Major

should be about a
forte-. Not too loud
because it is not the
climax of the piece, but
because all instruments
are in, the melodies
need to be heard.
● Balance is important
for both melodies to be
heard, with the main
color and chord
structure coming from
the low voices
● Whenever there are
dotted quarter notes the
 same time there are
three quarter notes, the
dotted quarter notes
need to be emphasized.
● In m. 29, the pickup
notes on beat 3
introduce the change of
pace/melody going into
33.
● The pickup note lays
the foundation for the
descending quarter
note melody.
● The half note in 32 on
beat 2 introduces the
variation of the
descending quarter
note motif

M. 33-40 Fugue Variation 3 ● The flutes need to be ● Eb Major

confident in their part.
They lead the ensemble
in a smooth, legato
style. It should feel like
the piece is floating at
this point
● Each instrument’s
voice picks up from the
measures before. Ex:
Flutes, clarinets, oboe,
and alto saxes start the
descending line. The
Tenor sax and horn
pick up into m. 34
where the other
instruments are ending
their phrase.
● From 33-40, the
ensemble needs to
decide on the phrasing
that is going to be used.
Because the music
sounds like it is telling
a story, the ensemble
needs to figure out how
they want to “speak”
 the musical sentences.
● In m. 37, the horn and
tenor sax comes back
with the original
melody
● The OG melody needs
to shine on the top, and
the counter melody
needs to hide in the
background.
● These measures do not
include trumpet.

M. 41-52 Fugue Variation 4 ● Trumpets enter with ● Eb Major

the main fugue melody. (m. 41-44)
They need to sound ● Db Major
above the band (VII of Eb
● The counter-melody Major, m.
should push the tempo, 45-48)
but it needs to be light, ● cm7-gm7
legato, and balanced (vi7 and
throughout the band. iv7 of Eb
● The same Major) in
instrumentation from m. 49
the previous section is ● Eb Major
used for the counter (m. 50-52)
melody introduction.
There are three
melodies on top of one
another.
● The bells have the only
moving 8th notes.
● 45-46 emphasize the
duple feel. The dotted
quarter notes syncopate
the upcoming quarter
notes in m. 47
● The quarter notes need
to be bell tones on the
accents, and the
stagnant Db leads the
crescendo into 49
● 49 and 50 syncopate
the moving quarter
notes in 51. Instead of
being slurred, they are
 accented, so the notes
need to show the
variety from the duple
feel from earlier in the
piece.

M. 53-60 Transition to Finale ● From 53 to 58, the ● Gb Major

duple feel needs to be
the most evident. I will
conduct in a large 2 in
order to emphasize the
syncopation.
● Flute, oboe, clarinet,
alto sax, and trumpet
need to bring out their
notes, especially if they
are descending. The
descending notes
represent the variations
of the dotted quarter
notes that have been
used throughout the
piece.
● The low voices need to
emphasize their beat
three in measures 54,
56, and 58.
● The 4/4 bar needs to
emphasize beats 1 and
3 to feel like a large
duple feel going into
60.
● Measure 60 is a triplet
measure in a 2/4 meter.
Focusing on the correct
syncopation is key
leading into the final ¾
measures of the piece.

M. 61-69 Finale ● The quarter notes ● Ab Major

should sound resolute
before the final chord
in 65
● The piece has been
leading up to this
celebratory moment. It
 reminds me of the end
of “Music of the
Night” from Phantom
of the Opera, so it
needs to feel loving
and open-ended.
● The trumpet divisi in
61-64 needs to be
balanced
● The 8th notes in 62
should be emphasized
because it is different
than the fugue motif
from the rest of the
piece.
● The long notes need to
be balanced, and the
Dbs need to be pushed
into the final chord.
● Percussion is the only
section that grows
dynamically at the end
of the piece.

Suggested Listening:

Three Concert Fanfares Samuel R. Hazo

In Flight Samuel R. Hazo

Flight of the Thunderbird Richard L. Saucedo

Fugue State Matthew Schoendorff

Additional Resources:

Hazo, S. R. (2015). Biography. Retrieved March 25, 2021, from

http://www.samuelrhazo.com/biography.html

Hazo, S. R. (2009). We meet again - (Concert Opener). Retrieved March 25, 2021, from

https://www.halleonard.com/product/4002965/we-meet-again