Fog of War - Grade 2.5 - Concert Band - Printed Version
Fog of War was accidentally written for the Brazos High School Band, Billy Mere, Director.
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When I started this piece I didn't have much of a plan other than the material that is played in the first 4 measures. As I continued working, it took on the feel of a battle of some sort. Because I was trying to keep the piece under 3 minutes, I found myself working through sections a little quicker than I have in pieces I've written before.
As I continued writing it starting to feel like an overture that you might hear before an opera. This overture was introducing themes and moods of an imaginary battle that would occur later in an imaginary opera.
Moving forward in "overture-mode", it started to not only feel like an overture, but also like an intro sequence to a movie or tv show, where the credits are rolling past. This is probably because I've seen a lot more movies and tv shows than operas. But in essence, both types of music are serving the same purpose. Setting the mood.
Whichever way you happen to interpret this piece is fine with me. But I definitely feel like it's a prelude to a battle of some kind.
Probably a battle of olden times, with swords and horses, on a foggy hillside, with a castle or a village looking on in the distance.
Instrumentation
Flute
Oboe
Bassoon
Clarinet 1, 2
Bass Clarinet
Alto Saxophone
Tenor Saxophone
Baritone Saxophone
Trumpet 1, 2
French Horn
Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
Timpani*
Snare Drum & Ride Cymbal
Bass Drum
Tambourine, Gong, & Suspended Cymbal
Glockenspiel & Chimes
Marimba
If cutting a percussion part is necessary, the first I would cut would be timpani.
Other than a few spots, its music is very similar to the bass drum.