St. Anthony Park Band Repertoire

The following is a review of repertoire performed by the St. Anthony Park Community Band over the years.

—2024—

Time again for Gustav Holst’s Second Suite

—2023—

We played some lesser known works by the great British composers: 

  • Gordon Jacob’s arrangement of Holst’s Moorside March
  • Sea Songs by Ralph Vaughan Williams

We also played Percy Grainger’s Country Gardens.  We opened every concert with Railroad Ramble, a fun piece by Dutch composer Peter Kleine Schaars.  We featured many American composers:

  • A Tribute to Stephen Foster by Sammy Nestico
  • portions of Vincent Persichetti’s Divertimento for Band
  • A Tribute to Stephen Foster by Sammy Nestico
  • On Stage With Cole Porter, arranged by Johnny Warrington
  • Charlie Chaplin’s The Terry Theme from the movie Limelight
  • Michael Kamen’s beautiful “Quintet” as arranged by John Moss and renamed Tribute

The band sounded great on the jazz tune Harlem Nocturne, and we ended many concerts with a fun arrangement of music from The Wizard Of Oz.  

We returned to Como Lakeside Pavilion for July 4th and were joined by a chorus for The Battle Hymn of the Republic and Carmen Dragon’s wonderful arrangement of America, The Beautiful.  And our own James McConville brought us his new transcription of Dudley Buck’s Festival Overture on the American National Air “The Star Spangled Banner”.

—2022—

This was a great season, topped by a 4th of July performance at Lake Como.  The band did an outstanding job on two great classics:

  • Gustav Holst’s First Suite in E-flat, and
  • Variations on America by Charles Ives

We brought back music from West Side Story and Big Band Showcase.  We often used a new arrangement of That’s Entertainment as an opener and we closed several concerts with Sammy Nestico’s beautiful arrangement of When You Wish Upon A Star.  Another piece new to us was Down A Country Lane by Aaron Copland.  The vocal feature If My Friends Could See Me Now and Irving Berlin’s Songs for America rounded out the list.

—2021—

We had a wonderful season , albeit short due to the pandemic.  The severe drought allowed a schedule of all outdoor rehearsals and performances to go off without a hitch.  The relatively limited music this list this year included some new works:

  • a new favorite I found,  Bruce Bray’s Hill Country Sketches
  • Ellington!  another great arrangement by Stephen Bulla
  • a fun piece with narrator, Pan The Piper

a couple of great classics:

  • The English Folk Song Suite of Ralph Vaughan Williams
  • Frank Tichelli’s gorgeous arrangement of Shenandoah

a couple medleys from Broadway:

  • The Music Man as arranged by Alfred Reed
  • Norman Leydon’s great arrangement of songs from Oliver!

and some fun standards:

  • Frank Bencriscutto’s Latina
  • Marche des Parachutistes Belges
  • Instant Concert

—2019—

New to our repertoire this year was:

  • Robert Russell Bennett’s most challenging Symphonic Songs For Band;  it was a lot of work but well worth it!
  • John Bavicchi’s unique little Corley’s March, a tribute to John Corley
  • A Short Ballet For Awkward Dancers, a very clever collection by Herbert Hazelman

We brought back the most neglected of the classic English suites for military band,

  • Gordon Jacob’s An Original Suite with the most beautiful slow movement of them all

as well as the hauntingly beautiful

  • Fantasia On A Folk Theme by Ed Madden

We performed some of our favorite pop and jazz selections

  • Hoagy Carmichael In Concert by Warren Barker
  • Glenn Miller In Concert by Wayne Scott
  • Just A Closer Walk With Thee, adapted from the Canadian Brass by Calvin Custer
  • and a vocal solo on Over The Rainbow

and for fun we added

  • Looney Tunes Overture
  • Pentland Hills
  • The Klaxon

and our own James McConville added two more movements to his The Three Camps.

—2018—

We played some great classic pieces for wind ensemble:

  • Toccata Marziale by Ralph Vaughan Williams
  • Robert Russell Bennett’s Suite of Old American Dances
  • Suite Francaise by Darius Milhaud

We featured soloists from within the band on:

  • Der Alte Brummbar (bassoon)
  • You Raise Me Up (vocal)

We played some works new to us:

  • Abracadabra by Frank Ticheli
  • Percy Grainger’s lovely Australian Up-Country Tune
  • Blue Moon
  • Malaga by John Cacavas
  • the premiere of St. Anthony Park March by our own James McConville

We recognized the centenary of Leonard Bernstein with Clare Grundman’s A Bernstein Tribute and featured the music of Duke Ellington in Sophisticated Ladies by John Cacavas

We opened many programs with Paul Yoder’s fun Alpha And Omega, and we played one of my favorite marches, Valdres by Johannes Hanssen.

—2017—

We played some of the great concert band masterpieces:

  • Gustav Holst’s Second Suite in F
  • American Overture by Joseph Willcox Jenkins
  • Samuel Barber’s lone work for band: Commando March

and we resurrected a great piece Dr. Ben wrote in the 60’s that needs much more playing:

  • Latina by Frank Bencriscutto

We found some fun new pieces:

  • The Toy Trumpet
  • Pop and Rock Legends: Elton John
  • Bond… James Bond
  • premiered a great work by James McConville, The Three Camps

We enjoyed a bit of Christmas in the summer with:

  • A Christmas Festival by Leroy Anderson

and we enjoyed:

  • Warren Barker’s salute to Jerome Robbins’ Broadway
  • and the ‘Best Song’ of 1965, The Shadow of Your Smile

—2016—

We played some pieces which were new to us:

  • Eric Whitacre’s beautiful October
  • Legends of Jazz by Stephen Bulla
  • premiered a new work by our own James McConville, Two to Tango
  • the classic Funeral March of a Marionette
  • Entry March of the Boyars

and some classics:

  • Sea Songs by Ralph Vaughan Williams
  • Polka & Fugue from Schwanda the Bagpiper
  • Instant Concert
  • Carmen Dragon’s great arrangement of America the Beautiful

and two of my most favorite works for band:

  • Elie Siegmeister’s Wilderness Road
  • Marche des Parachutistes Belges

—2015—

We played two of the great classics:

  • The one that started it all, Gustav Holst’s First Suite in Eb
  • Widely considered the greatest piece ever written for band, Lincolnshire Posy  by Percy Grainger

As well as a first look at another wonderful work:

  • Frank Tichelli, Shenandoah

We premiered a new work by one of our members:

  • The British Grenadiers by James McConville

And, among others:

  • Irving Berlin’s Songs For America
  • Third Army March

—2014—

This year we are playing some major band classics for the first time:

  • William Schumann’s Chester
  • Variations on a Korean Folk Song by John Barnes Chance
  • Porgy and Bess in a marvelous old arrangement by Robert Russell Bennett

returned to some old friends, like:

  • Ralph Vaughan Williams’ English Folk Song Suite

discovered a fun piece by a legendary Minnesota musician:

  • All Things Considered by Frank Bencriscutto

and a fabulous work written for the Canadian Brass, Michael Kamen’s Quintet, now called Tribute as arranged by John Moss

—2013—

This year we featured some great classics:

  • Variations on America by Charles Ives
  • Gordon Jacob’s wonderful An Original Suite
  • Percy Grainger’s Country Gardens
  • Battle Hymn of the Republic

From pop, jazz and Broadway:

  • Sammy Nestico’s beautiful arrangement of When You Wish Upon A Star
  • Harlem Nocturne
  • Someone To Watch Over Me with solo vocals
  • Big Band Signatures
  • Sinatra!

a couple more contemporary works:

  • And In The End It Was Earth
  • Ed Madden’s Fantasia on a Folk Theme

and familiar marches like:

  • On The Mall
  • Washington Post

— 2012 —

We played some old favorites:

  • Sammy Nestico’s wonderful Tribute to Stephen Foster
  • Chorale and Shaker Dance by John Zdechlik
  • English Suite by Clare Grundman
  • Warren Barker’s Symphonic Gershwin
  • One of my favorite marches, Valdres 

— 2011 —

We played some great classics:

  • Second Suite for Band by Gustav Holst
  • American Overture for Band by Joseph Wilcox Jenkins
  • Grainger’s Children’s March

great music from Broadway:

  • West Side Story
  • As Time Goes By as a vocal feature

some fun pieces:

  • Alpha and Omega
  • Railroad Ramble
  • Leroy Anderson’s Phantom Regiment

we featured an assortment of four instrumental soloists various nights on:

  • Chartreusse by Frank Cofield

plus:

  • Big Band Showcase
  • Knightsbridge March

— 2010 —

Wonderful performances of great classics:

  • Toccata Marziale by Ralph Vaughan Williams
  • Suite from Pineapple Poll
  • Morton Gould’s American Salute
  • Suite Francaise by Darius Milhaud

jazz tunes:

  • Neal Hefti’s classic ‘Lil Darlin’
  • Amazing Grace as arranged for the Canadian Brass

and also:

  • Clare Grundman’s A Bernstein Tribute
  • the great songs of Hoagy Carmichael in Concert
  • the wonderful Marche des Parachutistes Belges

— 2009 —

Two American and two British classics:

  • Robert Russell Bennett’s Suite of Old American Dances (all 5 movements)
  • Samuel Barber’s Commando March
  • Sea Songs by Ralph Vaughan Williams
  • Moorside March by Gustav Holst

An assortment of jazz:

  • Glenn Miller in Concert
  • Original Dixieland Concerto
  • ‘Round Midnight as a vocal feature

A wonderful Broadway arrangement:

  • Oliver

Just for fun:

  • Instant Concert
  • Leroy Anderson’s The Waltzing Cat

— 2008 —

This year’s repertoire includes two great classics:

  • Gustav Holst’s First Suite in Eb
  • Percy Grainger’s Lincolnshire Posy

We have Broadway music from three different eras:

  • Some great old Cole Porter songs from his Kiss Me Kate
  • Jerome Robbins’ Broadway features some great Leonard Bernstein songs from Candide, On the Town, and West Side Story
  • A medley of tunes from the current hit, Hairspray

Jazz tunes include:

  • A great arrangement from the Canadian Brass of Just A Closer Walk With Thee
  • An Alto Saxophone feature, Come Sunday
  • And a fun movement called Congo Square from The French Quarter

This being Minnesota’s sesquicentennial, we are featuring:

  • Frank Bencriscutto’s arrangement of Hail! Minnesota
  • Sousa’s Minnesota March

The percussion gets to shine on:

  • Henry Fillmore’s The Footlifter
  • Washington Post
  • Armed Forces Salute

Other pieces include:

  • Jimmy Howe’s wonderful Pentland Hills
  • Grainger’s lyrical Irish Tune From County Derry
  • Irving Berlin’s Songs for America

— 2004 —

  • America, The Beautiful
  • Armed Forces Salute
  • Colonel Bogey
  • Commando March
  • Country Gardens
  • English Suite
  • Harlem Nocturne
  • If My Friends Could See Me Now
  • Irish Tune from County Derry
  • Marche Des Parachutistes Belges
  • On Stage with Cole Porter
  • Pavanne
  • The Shadow of Your Smile
  • The Symphonic Gershwin

— 1999 —

  • Some familiar band classics like:
    • Second Suite for Military Band in F-major – Gustav Holst
    • Variations on America – Ives/Schuman/Rhoads
    • Ye Banks and Braes O’Bonnie Doon – Percy Grainger
    • American Patrol – Meacham
  • And we played some great pieces you’ve probably never heard of:
    • Wilderness Road – Elie Siegmeister
    • Satchmo – Warren Barker
    • Mr. Wonderful – Jerry Bork
    • La Belle Americana – Warren Barker
  • We played some jazz tunes:
    • Bill Bailey
    • Sophisticated Ladies – John Cacavas
  • And of course some Broadway medleys:
    • Jerome Robbins’ Broadway
    • Highlights from My Fair Lady
  • And marches including:
    • Minnesota March
    • His Honor
    • Fairest of the Fair
    • Russian Army March

— 1998 —

  • Holst’s First Suite in E-flat
  • Sammy Nestico’s terrific Tribute to Stephen Foster
  • Vocal solos on Someone to Watch Over Me and As Time Goes By
  • Big Band Showcase
  • The Magic of Andrew Lloyd Webber
  • A horn section feature, Holiday for Horns
  • A couple of lovely but lesser-known works:
    • Frank Erickson’s Deep River Suite
    • Ed Madden’s Fantasia on a Folk Theme

In 1997 our repertoire included Gordon Jacob’s Original Suite and American Salute by Morton Gould. We featured vocal solos on Round Midnight and If My Friends Could See Me Now. We played the jazz tunes Glenn Miller in Concert and Just a Closer Walk with Thee. We played medleys from The King & I and Carousel, and played a fun collection of marches including Semper Paratus, The Footlifter, and Marche des Parachutistes Belges.

— 1988 —

  • Gordon Jacob’s Original Suite
  • Glenn Miller in Concert
  • Irving Berlin’s Songs for America
  • Dance & Interlude by Clare Grundman
  • Charles Ives Variations on America
  • Pentland Hills
  • Minnesota March
  • Harlem Rag

This gives you an idea of the music we play. I know I can’t please everyone all the time, but hopefully everyone enjoys most of the music.  Repertoire suggestions are welcomed!

Paul Husby, Director