Lakota West - SPOON RIVER by Percy Grainger - 2011 Midwest Clinic Preview Concert

lakotawestbands.org Lakota West High School Symphonic Winds in West Chester, Ohio, performs "Spoon River" by Percy Aldridge Grainger, ed. William S. Carson & Alan Naylor (Grade 4), Midwest Clinic Preview Concert, December 12, 2011. Greg Snyder, Director.
Guest Conductor: Dr. Barry E. Kopetz, Capitol University
Percy Grainger's orchestral setting of Spoon River was published in 1929, with instructions for what he called "elastic scoring:' allowing the conductor to perform the work with any number of instrumental combinations, from three instruments up to full orchestra, as long as proper balance was achieved. The piece became widely popular, and Grainger traveled around the United States performing the flashy piano part as a soloist with many different groups. Following is the program note written by Grainger himself: "A Captain Charles H. Robinson heard a tune called Spoon River played by a rustic fiddler at a country dance at Bradford, Illinois (U.S.A.) in 1857. When Edgar Lee Masters' Spoon River Anthology appeared in 1914, Captain Robinson (then nearly 90 years old) was struck by the likeness of the two titles that old tune and that of the poem-book and he sent the Spoon River tune to Masters, who passed it on to me. The tune [is] very archaic in character; typically American, yet akin to certain Scottish and English dance-tune types. My setting (begun in 1919, ended 1929) aims at preserving a pioneer blend of lonesome wistfulness and sturdy persistence. It bears the following dedication: "For Edgar Lee Masters, poet of pioneers:"

[@theviewer052]

I'm so glad somebody taped this! I was so sad when I heard Midwest wasn't making a video :( Thank you!

[@tictac1361]

My band, the cedar park symphonic band, is playing this for our UIL. It is soooo much fun.

[@DiIdoBaggins]

The piano solo version is so amazing.

[@OhioBandDad]

@mrcmrtnz1 It's grade 4