"Esprit De Corps" by Jager

This piece is essentially a fanfare, as one would guess from the title, though it is pretty long for a fanfare clocking in at about five minutes.

The piece begins with an A section that has a three part polyphonic structure with most of the woodwinds doing scalar runs, the clarinets doing eighth notes, and the trumpets doing the main melody. Though there is a hierarchy between these three parts, all can be heard well and are important elements of the structure. This is contrasted in the A section with a lyrical low brass melody with accompaniment on the beat by the woodwinds and drums. The harmonic structure is fairly predictable with distinct cadences at the end of each phrase.

Then there is a very nice little piccolo section solo that transitions into the B section, which features the clarinets and has the feel of a march trio. However, once the clarinets complete the B section, the horns take over the melody and it with accompaniment with the trumpets it turns into a glorious section.

There is a little reminiscence of the first section and then the song moves into a really nice third section. It has the saxophone playing the main melody with the pickles providing a backup line. The nice thing about this section is the waltz feel, though it isn't pure but a 4/4 time signature accenting every third eighth note for a measure and a half and then two quarter notes at the end of the second measure.

Then the piece goes back to the low brass melody of the beginning, this time with woodwind accompaniment, then returns to the clarinet trio section, and then this theme grows as it moves to the brass, and in one of the best sections of the piece is when the crescendo comes to a completion and the horns have a beautiful countermelody that is extremely high in their range and gives a great sound countering the rest of the brass. Then the piece ends with a very rhythmic crescendo with the two sixteenth note eighth note pattern that has a very recognizable authentic cadence into the final one chord.

This piece is a very nice fanfare type piece with a few very nice polyphonic melodies that are complicated and yet still sound regal.

This is off the subject, but I'm thinking something on this blog is set to pacific time. Is anyone else's time/date stamp saying it is three hours earlier than when you got on?