Journey through the Stratosphere (Band Gr. 4)

Journey through the Stratosphere is a celebratory work comprising two themes – one soaring & the other lush & lyrical. Cinematic in its scope, one can almost visualize a spacecraft taking you on a journey through the cosmos.

Genre: Band | # of Players: Standard
Series:
Level: 4 | Duration: 5:30

Instrumentation
Conductor's Score (1)

Piccolo (1)
Flute 1 (4)
Flute 2 (4)
Oboe 1 (1)
Oboe 2 / English Horn (1)
Bassoon 1 (1)
Bassoon 2 (1)
B-flat Clarinet 1 (4)
B-flat Clarinet 2 (4)
B-flat Clarinet 3 (4)
Bass Clarinet (2)
Alto Saxophone 1 (2)
Alto Saxophone 2 (2)
Tenor Saxophone (2)
Baritone Saxophone (1)

B-flat Trumpet 1 (3)
B-flat Trumpet 2 (3)
B-flat Trumpet 3 (3)
F Horn 1 (1)
F Horn 2 (1)
F Horn 3 (1)
F Horn 4 (1)
Trombone 1 (2)
Trombone 2 (2)
Trombone 3 (1)
Euphonium (2)
B-flat Euphonium T.C. (2)
Tuba (4)
String Bass (1)

Timpani (4 drums)
Mallets: Glockenspiel, Xylophone
Percussion 1-2: Snare Drum, Bass Drum
Percussion 3-4: Suspended Cymbal, Crash Cymbals
Percussion 5: Triangle

Program Notes
Commissioned by the Atlanta Freedom Band, Journey through the Stratosphere is a celebratory work comprising two themes. The opening theme is a soaring melody stated by the trumpets with rhythmic ostinati in the winds. As the main theme passes to the winds, the brass picks up the pulse of the piece.

We now transition to a lush, lyrical theme stated by horns and clarinets which builds emotionally by use of a powerful and more robust orchestration. The work evolves to a variation of the opening theme, recapitulating in a grandiose, slower tempo, bringing the piece to its riveting conclusion.

Cinematic in its scope, one can almost visualize a spacecraft taking you on a journey through the cosmos.