America, the Beautiful

David Gillingham’s gorgeous setting of the ever-popular America, the Beautiful seeks to preserve the beauty of the hymn, while simultaneously transcending some of the harmonies and scoring we have grown to expect over the years, without straying too far from its simple beauty.

Program Notes

In 1882, Samuel A. Ward wrote the music for the hymn, O Mother dear, Jerusalem. Three years later, in 1895, Katherine Lee Bates published her poem “America.” In 1910, it was combined with Ward’s music and published as America, the Beautiful. Sadly, Samuel Ward died in 1903 and never knew the national prominence his music would achieve.

There have been numerous arrangements of this inspirational patriotic hymn since its birth and there will certainly be many more, as it is a favorite of both the American people and many composers. While this arrangement seeks to preserve the beauty of the hymn, it transcends some of the harmonies and scoring we have grown to expect over the years, without straying too far from its simple beauty. Beginning in B-flat major, the introduction utilizes motives from the 1st and 2nd phrases of the hymn with a transient modulation to A major and then back to B-flat major for the first verse of the hymn.

Grade Level: 3
Copyright: 2022
Number of Players: 6+
Series: SpectraFlex Band Series

Listen to Recordings

Watch Video

Instrumentation

Part 1
Flute
Oboe
B-flat Clarinet

Part 2
Flute
Oboe
B-flat Clarinet
Alto Saxophone

Part 3
B-flat Clarinet/Trumpet
Alto Saxophone
F Horn

Part 4
B-flat Clarinet/Trumpet
Alto Saxophone
F Horn

Part 5
Tenor Saxophone
F Horn
Trombone/Euphonium/Bassoon

Part 6
B-flat Bass Clarinet
Baritone Saxophone
Trombone/Euphonium/Bassoon
Tuba
Double Bass

Optional Percussion Timpani (4 drums)
Percussion 1: Bells, Bass Drum
Percussion 2: Vibraphone, Chimes
Percussion 3 [2 players]: Suspended Cymbal, Crash Cymbals