List of concert band literature

This is a list of some of the standards of concert band repertoire.

Original works

This is an inclusive list of the accepted standard works written specifically for concert band or wind ensemble.

Cornerstone works

The following works are some of the most universally respected and established cornerstones of the band repertoire. All have "stood the test of time" through decades of regular performance, and many, either through an innovative use of the medium or by the fame of their composer, helped establish the wind band as a legitimate, serious performing ensemble.

Samuel Barber
Commando March (1943)
Robert Russell Bennett
Suite of Old American Dances (1949)
Symphonic Songs for Band (1957)
Hector Berlioz
Grande symphonie funèbre et triomphale, Op. 15 (1840)
Arthur Bird
Suite in D Major, Op. 29 (1889)
John Barnes Chance
Elegy (1972)
Incantation and Dance (1960)
Symphony No. 2 (1972)
Variations on a Korean Folk Song (1966)
Aaron Copland
Emblems (1964)
Ingolf Dahl
Saxophone Concerto (1948)
Sinfonietta (1961)
Antonín Dvořák
Serenade in D Minor (1878)
Henry Fillmore
Americans We (1929)
The Footlifter (1935)
His Honor (1933)
Morton Gould
Symphony No. 4 (West Point) (1952)
Percy Grainger
Irish Tune from County Derry (1918)
Lincolnshire Posy (1937)
Howard Hanson
Chorale and Alleluia (1954)
Paul Hindemith
Symphony in B-flat (1951)
Gustav Holst
Hammersmith: Prelude and Scherzo, Op. 52 (1930)
First Suite in E-flat Major, Op. 28/1 (1909)
Second Suite in F Major, Op. 28/2 (1911)
Karel Husa
Music for Prague (1968)
Apotheosis of This Earth (1971)
Gordon Jacob
An Original Suite (1928)
William Byrd Suite (1923)
Leon Jessel
Parade of the Wooden Soldiers (1905)
Peter Mennin
Canzona (1951)

Darius Milhaud
Suite Française (1944)
Camillo de Nardis
The Universal Judgement (1878)
Ron Nelson
Rocky Point Holiday (1967)
W. Francis McBeth
Masque (1968)
Vincent Persichetti
Divertimento, Op. 42 (1950)
Psalm for Band, Op. 53 (1953)
Symphony No. 6, Op. 69 (1956)
Walter Piston
Tunbridge Fair (1950)
Sergei Prokofiev
March in B-flat Major, Op. 99 (1944)
Alfred Reed
Armenian Dances (Part I) (1972)
Armenian Dances (Part II) (1976)
Russian Christmas Music (1944)
H. Owen Reed
La Fiesta Mexicana (1949)
Gioachino Rossini
Scherzo (1863)
Camille Saint-Saëns
Orient et Occident, Op. 25 (1869)
Arnold Schoenberg
Theme and Variations, Op. 43a (1943)
William Schuman
George Washington Bridge (1950)
Joseph Schwantner
...and the mountains rising nowhere (1977)
John P. Sousa
Semper Fidelis (1888)
Stars and Stripes Forever (1896)
The Washington Post (1889)
Richard Strauss
Sonatina No 1 in F major (Aus der Werkstatt eines Invaliden) (1943)
Igor Stravinsky
Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments (1924)
Symphonies of Wind Instruments (1920/rev. 1947)
Clifton Williams
Fanfare and Allegro (1956)
Symphonic Dance No. 3: Fiesta (1967)
Ralph Vaughan Williams
English Folk Song Suite (1923)
Flourish for Wind Band (1939)
Toccata Marziale (1924)

Respected works

These pieces may not necessarily be quite as universally acknowledged as the above list, but occupy an extremely important place in the repertoire nonetheless. Like the previous works, they have proven themselves through many performances, most over a span of decades.

David Amram
King Lear Variations (1966)
Leslie Bassett
Concerto Grosso (1982)
Designs, Images and Textures (1965)
Lullaby for Kirsten (1985)
Sounds, Shapes and Symbols (1977)
David Bedford
Sun Paints Rainbows over the Vast Waves (1982)
Frank Bencriscutto
Latina (1964)
Let the Light Shine (1978)
Richard Rodney Bennett
Morning Music (1986)
Warren Benson
Concertino for Alto Saxophone and Band (1954)
The Leaves Are Falling (1963)
The Passing Bell (1974)
Recuerdo (1966)
The Solitary Dancer (1966)
Symphony for Drums and Wind Orchestra (1963)
Symphony No. 2, "Lost Songs" (1983)
Wings (1984)
Jerry Bilik
Block M (1955)
Eugene Bozza
Children's Overture (1964)
Houston Bright
Prelude and Fugue in F minor (1960)
Howard Cable
Newfoundland Rhapsody (1956)
Quebec Folk Fantasy (1953)
Snake Fence Country (1954)
Alfredo Casella
Introduzione, Corale e Marcia, Op. 57 (1935)
Michael Colgrass
Winds of Nagual (1985)
John Corigliano
Gazebo Dances (1973)
Symphony No.3 Circus Maximus (2004)
Paul Creston
Celebration Overture (1955)
Norman Dello Joio
Fantasies on a Theme by Haydn (1968)
Satiric Dances: For a Comedy by Aristrophanes (1975)
Scenes from the Louvre (1966)
Variants on a Medieval Tune (1963)
Thomas C. Duffy
Crystals (1985)
Frank Erickson
Air for Band (1956)
Toccata for Band (1957)
Henry Fillmore
The Klaxon (1929)
Military Escort (1928)
Rolling Thunder (1916)
Luboš Fišer
Report (1971)
Vittorio Giannini
Symphony No.3 (1959)
David Gillingham
Heroes Lost and Fallen (1990)
Edwin Franko Goldman
On the Mall (1924)

Morton Gould
Derivations (1956)
Jericho (1939)
Percy Grainger
Children's March (Over the Hills and Far Away) (1919)
Colonial Song (1928)
Country Gardens (1928)
The "Gumsuckers" March (1928)
Handel in the Strand (1911)
Molly on the Shore (1921)
Shepherd's Hey (1918)
Clare Grundman
Kentucky 1800 (1954)
Kenneth Hesketh
Masque (1987)
Frigyes Hidas
Merry Music (1983)
David Holsinger
In the Spring, at the Time When Kings Go Off to War (1986)
Liturgical Dances (1981)
To Tame the Perilous Skies (1992)
On a Hymnsong of Philip Bliss (1988)
Alan Hovhaness
Symphony No.4 (1959)
Karel Husa
Concerto for Wind Ensemble (1982)
Gordon Jacob
Music for a Festival (1951)
Robert Jager
Diamond Variations (1967)
Esprit De Corps (1984)
Third Suite (1966)
Tristan Keuris
Catena (1988)
Boris Kozhevnikov
Symphony No. 3: Slavyanskaya (1950/rev. 1958)
Robert Kurka
The Good Soldier Schweik Suite (1956)
Elizabeth Maconchy
Music for Woodwind and Brass (1965)
Martin Mailman
For precious friends hid in death's dateless night (1988)
Liturgical Music (1963)
David Maslanka
A Child's Garden of Dreams (1981)
Johan de Meij
Symphony No. 1 "The Lord of the Rings" (1984-1988)
Vaclav Nelhybel
Antiphonale (1972)
Trittico (1965)
Olivier Messiaen
Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum (1964)
Oiseaux exotiques (1956)
Ron Nelson
Medieval Suite (1983)
Passacaglia (Homage on B-A-C-H) (1992)
Roger Nixon
Festival Fanfare March (1971)
Fiesta del Pacifico (1966)
Music of Appreciation (1944)

Vincent Persichetti
Masquerade, Op. 102 (1965)
Pageant, Op. 59 (1954)
Parable IX, Op. 121 (1972)
Alfred Reed
A Festival Prelude (1962)
The Hounds of Spring (1980)
Anton Reicha
Commemoration Symphony (1815)
Ottorino Respighi
Huntingtower, P. 173 (1932)
Florent Schmitt
Dionysiaques (1913)
Gunther Schuller
Diptych for Brass Quintet and Concert Band (1964)
Meditation (1963)
On Winged Flight (1989)
Symphony for Brass and Percussion, Op. 16 (1950)
Symphony no. 3 "In Praise of Winds" (1981)
Joseph Schwantner
From a Dark Millennium (1981)
John P. Sousa
The High School Cadets (1890)
The Thunderer (1889)
Claude T. Smith
Emperata Overture (1964)
Festival Variations (1982)
Flight (1984)
Incidental Suite (1966)
Philip Sparke
Jubilee Overture (1983)
Eric Stokes
The Continental Harp and Band Report (1975)
Richard Strauss
Festmusik der Stadt Wien (1943)
Virgil Thomson
A Solemn Music (1949)
Fisher Tull
Sketches on a Tudor Psalm (1971)
Clifton Williams
Caccia and Chorale (1973)
Dedicatory Overture (1964)
Symphonic Dance No. 3 Fiesta
Festival (1962)
Sinfonians (1960)
Kurt Weill
Kleine Dreigroschenmusik (1929)
Dana Wilson
Piece of Mind (1987)
Haydn Wood
Mannin Veen (1938)
Guy Woolfenden
Gallimaufry (1983)
Illyrian Dances (1986)
John Zdechlik
Chorale and Shaker Dance (1971)

Recent works

The following works are rapidly gaining acceptance as standard repertoire. Most have been composed within the last twenty years.

Richard Rodney Bennett
Concerto for Trumpet and Wind Orchestra (1993)
The Four Seasons (1991)
Steven Bryant
Concerto for Wind Ensemble (2007)
Dusk (2004)
Ecstatic Waters (2008)
Howard J. Buss
Fanfares (1981)
Trombone Concerto for trombone and band (1983)
Illuminations for Bass Trombone (or tuba) and Band (2013)
Energico! (2014)
Mark Camphouse
A Movement for Rosa (1992)
Michael Colgrass
Urban Requiem (1996)
Michael Daugherty
Bells for Stokowski (2001)
Niagara Falls (1997)
Eric Ewazen
A Hymn for the Lost and the Living (2001)
Aldo Rafael Forte
Synergy! (1997)
Michael Gandolfi
Vientos y Tangos (2003)
David Gillingham
Apocalyptic Dreams (1997)
Galactic Empires (1998)
With Heart and Voice (2000)
Julie Giroux
Culloden (2000)
No Finer Calling (2007)
Khan (2008)
Peter Graham
Harrison's Dream (2001)
Donald Grantham
Fantasy Variations (1997)
J'ai ete au bal (1995)
Southern Harmony (1998)
Baron Cimetière's Mambo (2004)
Edward Gregson
Celebration (1991)
Samuel Hazo
Ride (2003)
John Harbison
Three City Blocks (1991)
Kenneth Hesketh
Diaghilev Dances (2002)
Yasuhide Ito
Gloriosa (1990)

Scott Lindroth
Spin Cycle (2001)
James MacMillan
Sowetan Spring (1990)
David Maslanka
Give Us This Day (2007)
Symphony No. 4 (1994)
Nicholas Maw
American Games (1991)
John Mackey
Kingfishers Catch Fire (2006)
Redline Tango (2004)
Aurora Awakes (2009)
Scott McAllister
Black Dog (for Clarinet & Band, 2003)
W. Francis McBeth
Of Sailors and Whales (1991)
Cindy McTee
Circuits (1990)
Lior Navok
Gleams from the Bosom of Darkness (2002)
Tetris (2009)
Ron Nelson
Courtly Airs and Dances (1996)
Epiphanies (Fanfares and Chorales) (1994)
Lauds (1991)
Pastorale: Autumn Rune (2006)
Sonoran Desert Holiday (1994)
Carter Pann
Slalom (2003)
Javier Pérez Garrido
Fantasía, Op.14 (2005)
Marco Pütz
Derivations (2003)
Four Sketches (2007)
Steven Reineke
Symphony No.1, New Day Rising (2007)
Jan Van der Roost
Suite Provençale (1992)
Rolf Rudin
The Dream of Oenghus, Op. 37 (1996)
Richard Saucedo
Windsprints (2004)

Joseph Schwantner
In Evening's Stillness (1996)
Recoil (2004)
Robert W. Smith
The Divine Comedy (1995)
The Odyssey
Twelve Seconds to the Moon (1996)
Inchon (2001)
Philip Sparke
Dance Movements (1997)
Sunrise at Angel's Gate (2001)
Jack Stamp
Cloudsplitter Fanfare (1999)
Escapade (2002)
Gavorkna Fanfare (1990/1)
Steven Stucky
Funeral Music for Queen Mary (1992)
Frank Ticheli
Amazing Grace (1994)
An American Elegy (2000)
Angels in The Architecture (2009)
Blue Shades (1996)
Postcard (1991)
Symphony No. 2 (2004)
Vesuvius (1997)
Michael Tippett
Triumph (1992)
Fandango
Serenade Romantic
Chronicles for solo trumpet & band
Illuminations for solo trombone & band
High Flight
Soundings
Dedication for band
The Sounding of the Call for trumpet & band
Dan Welcher
Zion (1996)
Circular Marches (1997)
Eric Whitacre
Cloudburst (2002)
Ghost Train Triptych (1994)
Godzilla Eats Las Vegas! (1996)
October (2000)
Dana Wilson
Shortcut Home (1998)
Charles Rochester Young
Tempered Steel (1997)

Transcriptions

There are thousands of transcriptions of pieces from other media (mostly orchestra) available for the concert band; however, some transcriptions are performed so often that they can be said to have achieved a place of their own in the concert band repertoire.

John Adams
Short Ride in a Fast Machine (trans. Lawrence Odom)
Isaac Albéniz
Iberia, Book 1: III. Fête-dieu à Seville (trans. Lucien Cailliet)
Malcolm Arnold
Four Scottish Dances (trans. John Paynter)
Prelude, Siciliano, and Rondo (trans. John Paynter)
Tam o' Shanter Overture (trans. John Paynter)
Johann Sebastian Bach
Fantasia in G Major (trans. Goldman / Leist)
Fugue a la Gigue (trans. Gustav Holst)
Toccata, Adagio, and Fugue in C Major (trans. John Paynter)
Toccata and Fugue in D Minor (trans. Erik W. G. Leidzén or Donald Hunsberger)
Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor (trans. Nicholas Falcone or Donald Hunsberger)
The Art of Fugue (trans. Kenneth Amis)
Samuel Barber
First Symphony (trans. Guy Duker)
Hector Berlioz
Le corsaire, Op. 21: Overture (trans. Gunther Schuller)
Leonard Bernstein
Overture to "Candide" (trans. Walter Beeler or Clare Grundman)
Slava! A Political Overture (trans. Clare Grundman)
Symphonic Dances from "West Side Story" (trans. Paul Lavender)
Johannes Brahms
Academic Festival Overture (trans. Mark Hindsley)
Haydn Variations (trans. Mark Hindsley)
Aaron Copland
Down a Country Lane (trans. Merlin Patterson)
El Salón México (trans. Mark Hindsley)
Lincoln Portrait (trans. Walter Beeler)
An Outdoor Overture (trans. Aaron Copland)
Preamble for a Solemn Occasion (trans. Aaron Copland)
Claude Debussy
Préludes, Book 1: X. La cathédrale engloutie (trans. Merlin Patterson)
Antonín Dvořák
Carnival Overture, Op. 92 (trans. Leigh Steiger)
Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, Op. 95, "From the New World": IV. Finale (trans. Mark Hindsley, Erik W. G. Leidzén or Weston Nicholi)
George Gershwin
Cuban Overture (trans. Dwayne S. Milburn)
Prelude No. 2 in C Sharp Minor (trans. John Krance)
Rhapsody in Blue (trans. Ferde Grofé, Donald Hunsberger or Tohru Takahashi)
Alberto Ginastera
Estancia Suite, Op. 8a (trans. Donald Patterson)
Percy Grainger
The Warriors (trans. Frank Pappajohn)
Ferde Grofé
Mississippi Suite, "A Journey in Tones" (trans. Don Chown)
Paul Hindemith
Symphonic Metamorphoses on Themes by Carl Maria von Weber (trans. Keith Wilson)
Gustav Holst
A Moorside Suite (trans. Gordon Jacob or Denis Wright)
Capriccio (trans. John Boyd)
The Planets (trans. George Smith probably with the collaboration of the composer)

Charles Ives
Old Home Days (trans. Jonathan Elkus)
Country Band March (trans. James Sinclair)
Fugue in C Minor, from String Quartet No. 1, "From the Salvation Army": I: Chorale (trans. James Sinclair)
Variations on "America" (trans. William Schuman / William Rhoads)
Edward MacDowell
Woodland Sketches, Op. 51 (trans. Frank Winterbottom)
Felix Mendelssohn
Fingal's Cave Overture (trans. Julius Seredy or Frank Winterbottom)
Modest Mussorgsky
Night on Bald Mountain (trans. William Schaefer or Mark Hindsley)
Pictures at an Exhibition (trans. Mark Hindsley, Erik W. G. Leidzén or Tohru Takahashi)
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Procession of the Nobles from "Mlada" (trans. Erik W. G. Leidzén)
Scheherazade (trans. Mark Hindsley)
Ottorino Respighi
The Pines of Rome (trans. Guy Duker or Yoshihiro Kimura)
Gioacchino Rossini
Italian in Algiers Overture (trans. Lucien Cailliet)
William Tell Overture (trans. Erik W. G. Leidzén)
Tancredi Overture (trans. Leonard Falcone)
William Schuman
New England Triptych (1956)
Dmitri Shostakovich
Festive Overture (trans. Donald Hunsberger)
October (trans. Preston Mitchell)
Folk Dances (trans. H. Robert Reynolds)
Galop from "Moscow, Cheryomushki" (trans. Donald Hunsberger)
Jean Sibelius
Finlandia (trans. Lucien Cailliet)
Igor Stravinsky
The Firebird Suite (trans. Guy Duker, Thomas Knox, or Lawrence Odom)
Fireworks (trans. Mark Rogers)
Arthur Sullivan/Charles Mackerras
Pineapple Poll (trans. William J. Duthoit)
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
1812 Overture (trans. Conway Brown, Yoshihiro Kimura, Mayhew Lake or Mark Williams)
Suite No. 3 in G Major (trans. Frank Winterbottom)
Richard Wagner
Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral from "Lohengrin" (trans. Lucien Cailliet)
Prelude to Act III of "Lohengrin" (trans. Mark Hindsley)
"Tannhauser" Overture (trans. Vincent Frank Safranek)
William Walton
Crown Imperial (trans. William J. Duthoit)
Carl Maria von Weber
Invitation to the Dance
Oberon Overture (trans. Mark Hindsley)
Giuseppe Verdi
Prelude to Act 1, La Traviata (trans. Leonard Falcone)

Recordings of concert band literature

The Klavier Wind Recording Project, begun in 1989 by Eugene Corporon while he was director of bands at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, has helped provide recordings of many of the most important and more recent pieces in the wind band literature. The recording project continues today, having followed Corporon to the University of North Texas. Still more recordings have been released by The Keystone Winds, conducted by Jack Stamp. The Keystone Winds consists of faculty, alumni and students from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. The Concordia University Chicago Wind Symphony, under Dr. Richard Fischer, has just released its twelfth recording of sacred wind music. Since the series began in 1991, the ensemble has made many premiere recordings of now widely known and played wind literature.

See also

External resources