TRN Music Action Brass - Sadler - Concert Band - Gr. 4

Composer: Brian Sadler
Format: Score and Parts
Instrumentation: Concert Band
Level: 4

Originally a piece for brass ensemble, Action Brass brings the excitement of a modern orchestral film score to concert band. The composition opens with a one measure "action motif" that dominates the piece. Ascending woodwind runs mixed with heroic brass fanfares as well as softer, more tense sections break up the action. Another round of the action motif with ascending diminished scales culminates in a loud, unsettling chord (think spaceship crash landing) and ends the first section of the piece. Continuing on, low brass bell-tones set the foundation for a sombre trumpet solo. The woodwinds pick up the melody next and a solo flute soars above them with a counter-melody.

The following "B" section crescendos into a full band statement of this evil theme, as if a super-villain from a "James Bond" film is monologuing his diabolical plan to take over the world. An accelerando leads us into a triumphant brass fanfare with woodwind flourishes, and then the tempo drastically takes off into a triplet ostinato figure played by low brass and woodwinds. The French horns and trombones introduce a new melody which is then passed on to the trumpets with a change of key. A standard heroic bVI-bVII-I chord progression precedes one final round of the action motif, and the piece ends in a glorious finale.
Duration: 4:00