Francis McBeth

flipib05 · Post by **flipib05** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 7:23 pm

Has anyone ever heard of Francis McBeth?

I was chosen to play in an honor band in the middle of april and we are playing a song with and written by him. I haven't ever heard of him but my band teacher said he is one of the greatest middle school composers of all time(in her opinion). thanks

kflutist · Post by **kflutist** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:01 pm

my highschool played one of his pieces Mausque (i don't think that i spelled it right) but he's rather contemporary and if you are playing one of his peices you need to be confident with your part because each part is different...that's about what i know

flipib05 · Post by **flipib05** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 5:25 pm

hi kflutist
thanks for the reply. we are playing a song called Canto. It is really easy I think.

MeLizzard · Post by **MeLizzard** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 8:29 am

Here's a link with a bio:
http://www.sai-national.org/phil/compos ... cbeth.html

McBeth has written dozens of band compositions, many of which have become standards for intermediate (mostly high school) bands. My state's graded music list includes 6 grades, with 6 as the most difficult, and these are mostly 4s and easier 5s. 6=Lincolnshire Posy, Maslanka, Husa's Music for Prague, Hindemith Symphony, etc. Some of his most=performed pieces include Chant and Jubilo, Cantique and Faranade (a local band just played this...), Masque, Drammatico, Divergents, To Be Fed By Ravens, Seventh Seal, Beowulf, and others. Canto was composed in the mid-'70s, I think.

flipib05 · Post by **flipib05** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 4:30 pm

thanks Melizzard