Melvin L. Shelton

Elegy

A touching and intense memoriam piece, the mechanics are on the easy side of Grade 4, but the demand for tone quality and control in tenuto passages and long slurred phrases calls for the best of musicianship from any group. The 'Adagio e Rubato' tempo indication invites the kind of wonderfully expressive ensemble playing that should probably make up a larger part of band literature than it does today. Over a quiet unifying heartbeat from the timpani, the band explores the emotions felt after a tragic personal loss. A soaring F Horn solo (cued in Trumpet. and Alto Saxophone) leads poignantly toward a gentle Orchestra Bells and Wind Chime ending.