Review

William D. Pardus
Fanfare for Patriots for Brass Choir and Tympani:

Marlborough, NH, United States
Publisher: Creation Station
Date of Publication: 2004

Score and parts

Primary Genre: Brass Ensemble - 6+ brass (choir)

William D. Pardus is Professor of Music Emeritus and former chairman of the Music Department at Keene State College, University System of New Hampshire, where he taught Arranging, American Music, Jazz History and was Director of the KSC Electronic Music Studio and Jazz Ensemble. Pardus composed the Fanfare for Patriots (from the composer’s notes), “…as an entry in the Dallas Wind Symphony’s ‘fanfare competition.’” The work is scored for traditional brass choir with three trumpet, four horn, three trombone, one euphonium, one tuba and timpani parts. The harmony is pretty traditional and won’t be a challenge for an average audience. This could easily be used as a brass section feature in a band or orchestra concert. The brunt of the melodic material is carried by the trumpet section though the horn section occasionally interjects. The euphonium part seems rather superfluous much of the time. It often doubles first trombone in unison or occasionally in octaves when it’s not doubling tuba in octaves. Depending on the high register endurance of the principal players of the trumpet, horn and trombone sections, this piece is accessible by a good-quality high school band brass section.  The principal parts ride rather high at times and tend to linger around high concert g1,2 or a-flat1,2.  First trumpet tops out on written high c3, horn on written high b-flat2 and trombone and euphonium on high a-flat1. The tuba stays down in low to middle registers. The bass trombone part descends to pedal AA-flat in the middle of the piece. This piece is not rhythmically challenging; it is largely homophonic and its sixteenth-note patterns often repeat. The Fanfare contains no recognizable patriotic melodies, but has that distinctly “American” sound that is Copland-esque in its harmonies.  

-David Johansen
Southeastern Louisiana University