Brave the River(big) - Score

Brave the River
For Concert Band
Amber Sheeran
© 2023, Amber Sheeran, ASCAP, all rights reserved

Brave the River
Commissioned by the Keokuk High School Band
Instrumentation
Flute 1+2
Oboe
Bassoon
B♭ Clarinet 1+2
Bass Clarinet
Alto Sax. 1+2
Tenor Sax.
Bari Sax.
B♭ Trumpet 1+2
F Horn 1+2
Trombone 1+2
Euphonium
Tuba
-------------------
Timpani
Glockenspiel
Vibraphone
Marimba
Percussion 1
- Snare
Percussion 2
- Ocean Drum
- Tam Tam
- Prepared Triangle
- Sus. Cymbal
- Ratchet
- Crash Cymbal
- Brake Drum
- Sleigh Bells
Percussion 3
- Sus. Cymbal (bowed)
- Claves
- Sleigh Bells
- Wind Chimes/Mark Tree
- Temple Blocks
- Bass Drum
- Crash Cymbal
- Triangle
Program Notes:
This piece was written for Keokuk High School Band’s 100th anniversary. When first approached with this request,
they asked for a piece that focused on the town and how it became. One of the most interesting historical events
from Keokuk, Iowa, was that in 1913 a hydroelectric energy plant and dam was created on the Mississippi River.
This specific dam had many notable “firsts” in the world of hydroelectric engineering, and is still in operation
today. Because it was such a notable part of the town’s history (and I love writing about nature), the piece is based
on the building of the dam, and celebrates an incredible feat of engineering. As such, the rhythmic ostinato
throughout the piece is based on the spelling of Mississippi. When learning to spell this long name, we often learn
it as a chant, with accents on the M, and the i’s. This ostinato flows through the piece, starting out untamed and
almost sinister. In the middle we can hear the sounds of construction starting, before the river sweeps back in to
remind us that it will not be so easy to keep it contained. It is a fight to get it finished, but our engineers prevail and
victory is celebrated. We have braved the river.

Score
Brave the River
Commissioned by the Keokuk High School Band
Amber Sheeran
Flute 1
Cautious ( = 92)
accel. poco a poco
Flute 2
Oboe
Bassoon
Clarinet in B 1
Clarinet in B 2
Bass Clarinet
Alto Sax 1
Alto Sax 2
Tenor Sax
Baritone Sax
Trumpet in B 1
Trumpet in B 2
Horn in F 1+2
Trombone 1+2
Euphonium
Tuba
Timpani
Glockenspiel
Vibraphone
Marimba
Percussion 1
Percussion 2
Percussion 3
G
D
Bb
A
Ocean Drum
stir (slow/calm)
1
Bowed cymbal
Snare
With brushes
stir
sim...
Tam Tam
w/ triangle beater
2
3
motor on - slow
Bowed
© 2023, ASCAP, all rights reserved
4
5
6
7

2 Brave the River
Fl. 1
8
With energy ( = 136)
14
Fl. 2
Ob.
Bsn.
B Cl. 1
B Cl. 2
B. Cl.
A. Sx. 1
A. Sx. 2
T. Sx.
B. Sx.
B Tpt. 1
8
B Tpt. 2
Hn.
Tbn.
Euph.
Tuba
Timp.
Glk.
8
Vib.
Mrb.
Perc. 1
Perc. 2
Perc. 3
8
8
9
10
Claves
11
Triangle
12
Sleigh bells
13
14

Brave the River
3
Fl. 1
15
Fl. 2
Ob.
Bsn.
B Cl. 1
B Cl. 2
B. Cl.
A. Sx. 1
A. Sx. 2
T. Sx.
B. Sx.
B Tpt. 1
15
B Tpt. 2
Hn.
Tbn.
Euph.
Tuba
Timp.
15
Glk.
Vib.
ord
Mrb.
Perc. 1
Perc. 2
Perc. 3
15
15
16
17
sim...
18
19
20

4 Brave the River
Fl. 1
Fl. 2
Ob.
Bsn.
B Cl. 1
B Cl. 2
B. Cl.
A. Sx. 1
A. Sx. 2
T. Sx.
B. Sx.
B Tpt. 1
B Tpt. 2
Hn.
Tbn.
Euph.
Tuba
Timp.
Glk.
Vib.
Mrb.
Perc. 1
Perc. 2
Perc. 3
21
21
21
21
21
22
23
24
26
Triangle and bowl
let ring
of water
25
26
dip
27
ord
28

Brave the River
5
Fl. 1
29
34
Fl. 2
Ob.
Bsn.
B Cl. 1
B Cl. 2
B. Cl.
A. Sx. 1
A. Sx. 2
solo
T. Sx.
B. Sx.
B Tpt. 1
B Tpt. 2
Hn.
29
Tbn.
Euph.
Tuba
Timp.
Glk.
29
Vib.
Mrb.
Perc. 1
Perc. 2
Perc. 3
29
dip
29
30
dip
31
32
dip
Sus Cymbal
W. Chimes
33
34
35
36
37
38
39

6 Brave the River
Fl. 1
40
42
Fl. 2
Ob.
Bsn.
B Cl. 1
B Cl. 2
B. Cl.
A. Sx. 1
tutti
A. Sx. 2
T. Sx.
B. Sx.
B Tpt. 1
B Tpt. 2
Hn.
Tbn.
Euph.
Tuba
Timp.
40
40
Glk.
Vib.
Mrb.
Perc. 1
Perc. 2
Perc. 3
40
40
41
42
Ocean Drum
stir (aggressively)
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
slow down poco a poco
50

Brave the River
7
Fl. 1
51
54
Fl. 2
Ob.
Bsn.
B Cl. 1
B Cl. 2
B. Cl.
A. Sx. 1
A. Sx. 2
T. Sx.
B. Sx.
B Tpt. 1
B Tpt. 2
Hn.
Tbn.
Euph.
51
Tuba
Timp.
Glk.
Vib.
51
Mrb.
Perc. 1
Perc. 2
Perc. 3
51
51
52
53
54
Temple Blocks
With sticks
Snare off
Ratchet
55
56
57
58
59
60

8 Brave the River
Fl. 1
Fl. 2
Ob.
Bsn.
B Cl. 1
B Cl. 2
B. Cl.
A. Sx. 1
A. Sx. 2
T. Sx.
B. Sx.
B Tpt. 1
B Tpt. 2
Hn.
Tbn.
Euph.
Tuba
Timp.
Glk.
Vib.
61
61
61
Mrb.
Perc. 1
61
Perc. 2
Perc. 3
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70

Fl. 1
Fl. 2
Ob.
Bsn.
B Cl. 1
B Cl. 2
B. Cl.
A. Sx. 1
A. Sx. 2
T. Sx.
B. Sx.
B Tpt. 1
B Tpt. 2
Hn.
Tbn.
Euph.
Tuba
Timp.
Glk.
Vib.
Mrb.
Perc. 1
Perc. 2
Perc. 3
71
71
71
71
rit. solo
stir (slow/calm)
71
72
Andante ( = 80) accel.
tutti
solo
Sus Cymbal
73
74
75
76
Brave the River
tutti
77
78
79
Bass Drum
w/ timp mallets
80
9

Fl. 1
Fl. 2
Ob.
Bsn.
B Cl. 1
B Cl. 2
B. Cl.
A. Sx. 1
A. Sx. 2
T. Sx.
B. Sx.
B Tpt. 1
81
Fierce ( = 150)
81
In 1
10 Brave the River
B Tpt. 2
Hn.
Tbn.
Euph.
Tuba
Timp.
Glk.
Vib.
Mrb.
Perc. 1
Perc. 2
Perc. 3
81
Snare on
81
81
82
83
84
85
86
Crash Cymbal
87
88
89

Brave the River
11
Fl. 1
Fl. 2
Ob.
Bsn.
B Cl. 1
90
97
B Cl. 2
B. Cl.
A. Sx. 1
A. Sx. 2
T. Sx.
B. Sx.
B Tpt. 1
90
B Tpt. 2
Hn.
Tbn.
Euph.
Tuba
Timp.
Glk.
Vib.
Mrb.
Perc. 1
Perc. 2
Perc. 3
90
90
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
Triangle
dip
97
G->F
D->Db
Bb
F
sim...
98
99

12 Brave the River
Fl. 1
100
Fl. 2
Ob.
Bsn.
B Cl. 1
B Cl. 2
B. Cl.
A. Sx. 1
A. Sx. 2
T. Sx.
B. Sx.
B Tpt. 1
B Tpt. 2
Hn.
Tbn.
Euph.
100
Tuba
Timp.
Glk.
Vib.
Mrb.
Perc. 1
100
100
Perc. 2
Perc. 3
W. Chimes
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110

Fl. 1
Fl. 2
Ob.
Bsn.
B Cl. 1
B Cl. 2
B. Cl.
A. Sx. 1
A. Sx. 2
T. Sx.
B. Sx.
B Tpt. 1
B Tpt. 2
Hn.
Tbn.
Euph.
Tuba
Timp.
Glk.
Vib.
Mrb.
Perc. 1
Perc. 2
Perc. 3
111
111
111
111
Crash Cymbal
Ratchet
111
112
Break Drum
Temple Blocks
113
Brave the River
114
115
116
13

Fl. 1
Fl. 2
Ob.
Bsn.
B Cl. 1
B Cl. 2
B. Cl.
A. Sx. 1
A. Sx. 2
T. Sx.
B. Sx.
B Tpt. 1
B Tpt. 2
Hn.
Tbn.
Euph.
Tuba
Timp.
Glk.
Vib.
Mrb.
Perc. 1
Perc. 2
Perc. 3
14 Brave the River
117
117
117
G->F
Db->Eb
Bb
F
117
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125

Fl. 1
Fl. 2
Ob.
Bsn.
B Cl. 1
B Cl. 2
B. Cl.
A. Sx. 1
A. Sx. 2
T. Sx.
B. Sx.
B Tpt. 1
B Tpt. 2
Hn.
Tbn.
Euph.
Tuba
Timp.
Glk.
Vib.
Mrb.
Perc. 1
Perc. 2
Perc. 3
126
126
126
126
126
127
128 Maestoso
( = 136)
Sleigh bells
Crash Cymbal
128
129
Brave the River
130
131
132
133
134
135
15

Fl. 1
Fl. 2
Ob.
Bsn.
B Cl. 1
B Cl. 2
B. Cl.
A. Sx. 1
A. Sx. 2
T. Sx.
B. Sx.
B Tpt. 1
B Tpt. 2
Hn.
Tbn.
Euph.
Tuba
Timp.
Glk.
Vib.
Mrb.
Perc. 1
Perc. 2
Perc. 3
16 Brave the River
136
136
136
136
136
137
139
rit.
cresc. poco a poco
cresc. poco a poco
cresc. poco a poco
cresc. poco a poco
cresc. poco a poco
cresc. poco a poco
cresc. poco a poco
cresc. poco a poco
cresc. poco a poco
cresc. poco a poco
cresc. poco a poco
cresc. poco a poco
cresc. poco a poco
cresc. poco a poco
cresc. poco a poco
cresc. poco a poco
cresc. poco a poco
cresc.
poco
a poco
cresc. poco a poco
cresc. poco a poco
cresc. poco a poco
cresc. poco a poco
Sus Cymbal
cresc. poco a poco
cresc. poco a poco
138
139
140
141
142
143
144

Fl. 1
Fl. 2
Ob.
Bsn.
B Cl. 1
B Cl. 2
B. Cl.
A. Sx. 1
A. Sx. 2
T. Sx.
B. Sx.
B Tpt. 1
B Tpt. 2
Hn.
Tbn.
Euph.
Tuba
Timp.
Glk.
Vib.
Mrb.
Perc. 1
Perc. 2
Perc. 3
145
145
145
145
145
146
148
G.P. meno mosso ( = 120)
Ocean Drum
stir (slow/calm)
Triangle
Claves
147
Snare on
With brushes
148
149
Brave the River
150
151
152
153
154
17
155

18 Brave the River
Fl. 1
Fl. 2
Ob.
Bsn.
B Cl. 1
B Cl. 2
B. Cl.
A. Sx. 1
A. Sx. 2
T. Sx.
B. Sx.
B Tpt. 1
B Tpt. 2
Hn.
Tbn.
Euph.
Tuba
Timp.
Glk.
Vib.
Mrb.
Perc. 1
Perc. 2
Perc. 3
156
156
156
156
stir
156
157
molto rall.
158
159
160
161
162