American Overture for Band

Joseph Willcox Jenkins

General Info

Year: 1953 (Edited in 2003)
Duration: c. 4:30
Difficulty: VI (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Theodore Presser
Cost: Score & Parts - $95.00   |   Score Only - $10.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
Condensed Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II-III
Oboe I-II
English Horn
Bassoon I-II
Contrabassoon
Eb Clarinet
Bb Clarinet I-II-III-IV
Eb Alto Clarinet
Bb Bass Clarinet
Bb Contrabass Clarinet
Alto Saxophone I-II
Tenor Saxophone I-II
Baritone Saxophone
Bass Saxophone
Cornet (in Bb) I-II-III-IV
Trumpet (in Bb) I-II
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III-IV
Euphonium I-II-III
Tuba
Cello
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III-IV, including:

• Snare Drum
• Bass Drum
• Crash Cymbals
• Gong
• Wood Block
• Glockenspiel

Errata

See Fonder article below for errata from 1956 edition.

Program Notes

This work was composed for the United States Army Field Band while the composer was on the arranging staff for the group. The instrumentation of this work is based on the players in the Field Band. In 2003, at the request of the American Bandmaster's Association, a full score was developed by the composer in order to correct the previous versions of the work. An orchestral version of the work, done by Derry Wilson Ochoa, has been performed by the Indianapolis Symphony and Nashville Symphony.

Commercial Recordings

• Audio CD: Keystone Wind Ensemble (Jack Stamp, conductor)
• Audio CD: United States Army Band

State Ratings

• Florida:: VI
• New York: VI
• Texas: V

Recent Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

• Ohlone Wind Orchestra (Tony Clements, conductor) - 14 October 2012
• Madison Wind Ensemble (Brian Vanderbloemen, conductor) - 18 March 2012
• Concordia University Wind Symphony [at Paso Robles, Calif.] (Richard R. Fischer, conductor) - 7 March 2011
• Omaha Symphonic Winds (William Hall, conductor) - 28 February 2010

Works for Winds by this Composer

• American Overture for Band
• Cuernavaca
• Cumberland Gap Overture

References

• Fonder, Mark. “Joseph Wilcox Jenkins’s American Overture for Band: A Performance Guide.” The Instrumentalist 60/5 (December 2005): 30–32, 34,36, 87. Includes errata list for 1956 edition.

Additional Resources

• Jenkins, JW (2003). American overture for band [full score]. Theodore Presser Company, King of Prussia, PA.