On behalf of a grateful nation by Andrew F. Poor



Commissioned by the Feagin Mill Middle School Band (Warner Robins, Georgia), Lloyd McDonald, Director of Bands in the fall of 2015. The work is dedicated to the children of members of our armed forces and the ongoing sacrifices these children make on behalf of our country.

The work is divided into three sections—Service, Sacrifice and Tribute—and each section honors different aspects of this commitment. The Service section (measures 1 to 23) is a blending of various patriotic melodic fragments, including, Star-Spangled Banner, America the Beautiful and Taps. These children are surrounding by patriotic music throughout their everyday lives. This section of the work symbolizes the dedication and purpose for the service for both the parents and the children. Sacrifice (measures 24-39) is longingly lyrical portion of the work loosely based on the melodic structure of Taps and symbolizes the heartfelt losses the children are often forced to endure. These sacrifices, include, long and unplanned absences from their parents, frequent moves and loss of friends, and sometimes the ultimate sacrifice—being raised without a parent. Tribute (measures 40-59) begins with a bold brass fanfare and leads into a heroic restatement of the Sacrifice theme in a fanfare style. Symbolic of the heroism of these children, this section attempts to capture the strength and pride of these young people and their service to our country. The piece concludes with a brief restatement of the melodic content from initial Service section, which symbolizes the never-ending nature of their service.

Rehearsal Notes In the Service section, careful attention should be given to the balance of the melodic fragments. If possible, the trumpet/Taps part should be performed as a muted solo. America the Beautiful is the primary melodic focus and Taps serves as countermelody. Sustaining voices must remain softer than both melodic ideas.

In Sacrifice, there are numerous cross-cues and optional solos to allow optimal flexibility for your ensemble. The choice to utilize solos and cues is left to the discretion of the conductor. Be sure to strive for proper balance of accompaniment voices to the various melodies. Detailed dynamic adjustments have been noted in the score to assist with this balance. Freedom with the tempo is encouraged in this section.

Tribute was conceived as a bold brass fanfare, but utilize the cues as needed for your ensemble. Strive for excellent clarity and uniformity of articulation with clear spacing between quarter notes and eighth notes. When you arrive at the modulation, continue in the heroic and majestic feel of the previous section when playing the melodic material. The primary melody is in the clarinet and trumpet parts.

The closing should be a gradual unwinding of the musical energy of the previous section. Feel free to take liberties with the tempo and strive for clarity of the various motifs.

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