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"Bouncing the Beat"

GENERAL INFORMATION
Title Bouncing the Beat
ComposerF.G.J. Absil
InstrumentationConcert Band/Fanfare (feature for solo baritone and tuba)
Date21 February 2003
Duration5'30
StyleSwing (bounce) - Latin Rock
KeyAb - Bb
Meter4/4
Measures167
Tempo120 BPM
Grade5
FULL INSTRUMENTATION
CONCERT BAND VERSION:
Piccolo, Flute 1-2, Oboe 1-2, Bassoon 1-2, Eb Clarinet, Bb Clarinet 1-2-3, Bass Clarinet
Alto Saxophone 1-2, Tenor Saxophone 1-2, Baritone Saxophone
French Horn 1-2-3-4, Trumpet 1-2-3-4, Trombone 1-2-3-4 (1st Trombone solo), Baritone 1-2, Tuba (Eb and Bb Bass)
Jazz Guitar, Piano, Bass Guitar, Drums
Timpani, Percussion (2 players: bar chimes, congas, cowbell, guiro, shaker), Mallets (marimba, vibraphone)
FANFARE BAND VERSION:
Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone 1-2, Tenor Saxophone 1-2, Baritone Saxophone
Bugle in Eb, Flugelhorn 1-2-3, Horn in F 1-2-3-4, Trumpet 1-2-3-4
Baritone 1-2, Euphonium, Trombone 1-2-3-4 (1st Trombone solo), Eb Bass, C Bass
Jazz Guitar, Piano, Bass Guitar, Drums
Timpani, Percussion (2 players: bar chimes, congas, cowbell, guiro, shaker), Mallets (marimba, vibraphone)
NOTES FOR THE PERFORMER

This piece for fanfare or concert band, entitled Bouncing the Beat, is in medium tempo. It will feature the bass part players in the band (they must be fairly skilled). The style is twofold: sections in swing are juxtaposed with sections in 16th latin-rock style. The dotted 8th plus 16th figure indicates that the swing is strongly accented (bouncing style).

The piece is in three-part form (mm. 1-60, 61-123, 124-167). The introduction is followed in m. 9 by the main theme in A-B-A-B form (the A-part in swing style, the B-part of the sentence in latin rock style). After a transition (mm. 49-60) there is a 2-part solo in parallel 10ths (mm. 60-79 and mm. 89-96) for the lower brass (tuba, baritone and euphonium) and bass guitar. This should not be played by the full section; feature your best instrumentalists (up to 2 players per part). Play a relaxed swing (triplet feeling) during the solo and apply the rest of the band for colouring the backgrounds. Occasionally there are snippets of double time feeling for the soloists and in m. 89 the style changes into latin with a climax in mm. 97-106.

After the transition (mm. 116-123) the main theme returns, but now in the new key of Bb. The piece concludes with a coda (mm. 157-167), where there is a final solo line (mm. 157-166) before everybody settles down in a tranquil cadense.