This is the Drum (manuscript)

 

This is the Drum was commissioned by the Japan Wind Ensemble Conductors Conference and is dedicated to the memory of Morton Gould. The inspiration for the piece comes from an interview Gould gave to Bruce Duffie in 1988.  As I read the interview, I was struck by how much I agreed with Gould's words.  He was discussing what makes some pieces succeed and others fail, and he spoke of the way that certain works seem to have a viceral impact on the listener.  He said, "This is the drum," referring to the ability of drums to immediately connect with us.  I have chosen to honor Morton Gould by attempting to create a piece which makes that viceral impact and features the drum in many ways.  The basic material for the piece comes from the opening motive of Gould's most famous work, American Salute. The piece also includes the use of a marching machine, famously used by Gould in his Symphony for Band. 

 

Consortium

 

Nagoya Academic Winds

Hokuriku High School Wind Orchestra (Norikazu AKASHI)

Wind Ensemble Soleil

Million Wind Orchestra

Mamoru NAKATA (Wind Ensemble Du Nord)

Toshiya IWATA (Kawaswaki Unversity of Medical Welfare Wind Orchestra Heartful Winds)

Okayama Sanyo High School Wind Orchestra (Masafumi MATSUMOTO)

Iyo High School Wind Orchestra (Kimihiko HASEGAWA) 

Tsuruoka Minami High School Wind Orchestra (Akira TAKOI)

Kochi Nishi Senior High School Wind Orchestra (Naoyuki NAKAYAMA)

Hikarigaoka Girls' High School Wind Orchestra (Kentara HINO)

Masato IKEGAMI (Senzoku Gakuenn College of Music)

Kotai YO (Aomori Yamada High School Wind Orchestra)

Yatsusiro Shirayuri Gakuen High School Wind Orchestra (Akiko HATTORI)

Izumo Wind Orchestra

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Performance by the Hikarigaoka Girls' High School Band, Yasuyuki Kagawa, conductor