1 Hymn for US - Score

JAMES M STEPHENSON
HYMN for US
for concert band
ComposerJim.com

James M Stephenson
HYMN for US
for concert band
Dedicated to Highland Park High School Band and community; Joshua Chodoroff, Director.
Commissioned with support from the students of the Libertyville HS Band program
duration: 6 minutes
instrumentation:
flute 1-2, oboe, bassoon, B clarinet 1-3, bass clarinet
saxophones: soprano, alto 1-2, tenor, baritone
B trumpet 1-3, French horn 1-4, trombone 1-3, euphonium, tuba
timpani + minimum 6 percussion (up to 8)
percussion instrumentation:
1) glockenspiel (+ vibes, if available)
2) chimes
3) marimba (+ xylo, if available)
4) cymbals: crash cym. + sus. cymb.
5) one player needed: triangle, wind chimes, snare drum
6) bass drum
Program Notes, by the composer:
On July 4, 2022, like many other Americans, I was standing on a parade route enjoying one of America's
most enduring traditions. Ten minutes into our parade, news begin to disseminate throughout the crowd
that just down the road - merely 6 miles - there had been (yet another) public and tragic mass-shooting.
As the day unfolded, it became known that seven individuals had lost their lives during what is normally
supposed to be a day to celebrate the United States' freedom.
I didn't expect that this tragedy would lead to my being asked to create a piece for the Highland Park
High School Band. The HPHS band was marching in that parade and were literally right at the spot
where everything took place. When Adam Gohr (Libertyville High School) contacted me on behalf of
Joshua Chodoroff and the HSHB, I was both humbled and troubled. I was humbled to be given the trust
to create a piece that might honor and represent those who lost their lives, as well as those who were
witness to the day's horror. I was troubled with the weight of such a request, as well as troubled by the
United States in general. It goes without saying that these types of things have happened way too often,
with little hope in sight for any change.
The music:
After giving a lot of thought as to how I might pay homage to the victims, I decided that most
importantly, I wanted to keep things "simple", and let the emotion of the performers come through, rather
than try to impress with player technique or harmonic invention.
The piece opens with a horn call of pathos, melting into G minor and a rhythmically unison accompaniment
figure. (More on that soon). The lamenting and descending melody in the solo soprano saxophone (or oboe)
lays out a motif that later becomes the accompaniment for the ensuing Hymn. This entire introduction
eventually gives way to what I have called "Hymn for US". The double-entendre is very much on purpose, as
it is meant to invoke a hymn both for the community ("us") as well as the United States ("US") in general.
The "Hymn fo US" starts very quietly, and repeats four times, each time modulating upward, and growing
louder in hopeful gesture. The rhythm of the hymn's melody comes from a sentence that kept flowing
through my head: "No-bod-y should mess with Highland Park." This came from the outpouring of
"Highland Park Strong" that showed up in the community and displayed on front lawns everywhere.
As hinted earlier, the accompanimental rhythm that appears constantly throughout the piece (starting at letter A)
is in fact the rhythm of the phrase "High-land Park strong."
Lastly, the indication at the end is an attempt to truly pay homage to the seven victims. That seven players
might stand straight up upon the final chord, showing that they have risen to another place, and are no longer
with us, but should still be visible in all our minds. And that the last chord should be held for seven seconds
is very much on purpose too, of course.
Thank you very much to Adam Gohr and Joshua Chodoroff for entrusting this project to me. It is my only
hope that this music might allow comfort, even if just a little, for the musicians, the community,
and the families affected by the tragedy of July 4, 2022.
It is dedicated to:
Katherine Goldstein, Irina McCarthy, Kevin McCarthy, Stephen Straus, Jacquelyn Sundheim,
Nicolas Toledo-Zargoza, and Eduardo Uvaldo
~ Jim Stephenson; August 10, 2023
ComposerJim.com

Score
Flute 1-2
Oboe
Bassoon
B Clarinet 1
B Clarinet 2-3
Bass Clarinet
Soprano Saxophone
Alto Sax 1-2
Tenor Sax
Baritone Sax
B Trumpet 1
B Trumpet 2-3
Horn 1-2
Horn 3-4
Trombone 1
Trombone 2-3
Euphonium
Tuba
Timpani
Glock.
Chimes
Marimba
Cymbals
Adagio rubato (q = 56)
freely
solo
Adagio rubato (q = 56)
for the Highland Park High School Band, and community; Joshua Chodoroff, Director
HYMN for US
A
A
a tempo
a tempo
Marimba
James M. Stephenson
Percussion
Percussion
©2023, by Stephenson Music, Inc., and the composer. All rights reserved. Duplication by any means without permission is strictly prohibited.

2 HYMN for US
Fl. 1-2
Ob.
Bsn.
Cl. 1
Cl. 2-3
B. Cl.
S. Sax.
A. Sx. 1-2
T. Sx.
B. Sx.
Tpt. 1
Tpt. 2-3
Hn. 1-2
Hn. 3-4
Tbn. 1
Tbn. 2-3
Euph.
Tuba
Timp.
Glock.
Chimes
Mal.
10
solo
Sop. Sax.
3
3
3 3
3 3
solo
3
3
3 3
3 3
10
10
warmly
warmly
warmly
warmly
warmly
coldly
rit.
coldly
coldly
coldly
coldly
rit.
Cym.
Perc.
B.D.

HYMN for US
3
Fl. 1-2
Ob.
Bsn.
Cl. 1
Cl. 2-3
B. Cl.
S. Sax.
A. Sx. 1-2
T. Sx.
B. Sx.
Tpt. 1
Tpt. 2-3
Hn. 1-2
Hn. 3-4
Tbn. 1
Tbn. 2-3
Euph.
Tuba
Timp.
Glock.
Chimes
Mal.
B
a tempo
3 3 3
(play)
3
3 3
3
3 3
16
tutti
a2
B a tempo
a2
3 3 3
3
3
3
3
3 3
warmly
warmly
warmly
warmly
3
3
Glock.
coldly
coldly
coldly
coldly
3
3
Cym.
Perc.
B.D.

4 HYMN for US
Fl. 1-2
Ob.
Bsn.
Cl. 1
Cl. 2-3
rit.
22
C
a2
3 3 3
3 3 3
B. Cl.
S. Sax.
A. Sx. 1-2
T. Sx.
B. Sx.
3 3 3
3 3 3
3 3 3
3 3 3
Tpt. 1
Tpt. 2-3
22
solo
3
3 3
3
3 3
Hn. 1-2
Hn. 3-4
a2
Tbn. 1
Tbn. 2-3
Euph.
Tuba
Timp.
Glock.
Chimes
22
rit.
3
3 3
C
solo
3
3 3
Mal.
Sus. Cym.
Sus. Cymb.
L.V.
Perc.
B.D.

HYMN for US
5
Fl. 1-2
Ob.
Bsn.
Cl. 1
Cl. 2-3
B. Cl.
S. Sax.
A. Sx. 1-2
T. Sx.
B. Sx.
Tpt. 1
Tpt. 2-3
Hn. 1-2
Hn. 3-4
Tbn. 1
Tbn. 2-3
Euph.
Tuba
Timp.
Glock.
Chimes
Mal.
27
27 tutti
tutti
27
3 3
3 3 3 3
3 3 3 3
3 3
3 3
3
3
3 3
soaring
soaring
3
3
3 3
3 3 3 3
rit.
3 3 3 3
3 3 3 3
3
3 3 3
a2
3 3
3
3
3 3 3
a2
3 3
3
3
rit.
3 3 3 3
3
3
3
3
Cym.
Perc.
B.D.

6 HYMN for US
Fl. 1-2
Ob.
Bsn.
Cl. 1
Cl. 2-3
B. Cl.
S. Sax.
A. Sx. 1-2
T. Sx.
B. Sx.
Tpt. 1
Tpt. 2-3
Hn. 1-2
Hn. 3-4
Tbn. 1
Tbn. 2-3
Euph.
Tuba
Timp.
Glock.
Chimes
Mal.
a tempo
32
D
D
a tempo
3 3 3
3 3
3 3 3
3 3 3
3 3 3
3
Cymb. a2
Crash Cym.
Perc.
B.D.

HYMN for US
7
Fl. 1-2
Ob.
Bsn.
Cl. 1
Cl. 2-3
B. Cl.
S. Sax.
A. Sx. 1-2
T. Sx.
B. Sx.
Tpt. 1
Tpt. 2-3
Hn. 1-2
Hn. 3-4
Tbn. 1
Tbn. 2-3
Euph.
Tuba
Timp.
Glock.
Chimes
Mal.
E
Hymn for US
a2
sempre legato
sempre legato
38
E Hymn for US
sempre legato
sempre legato
sempre legato
Cym.
Perc.
B.D.

8 HYMN for US
Fl. 1-2
45
F
poco piu mosso
Ob.
Bsn.
Cl. 1
Cl. 2-3
B. Cl.
sempre legato
sempre legato
S. Sax.
A. Sx. 1-2
sempre legato
T. Sx.
B. Sx.
Tpt. 1
45
Tpt. 2-3
Hn. 1-2
Hn. 3-4
Tbn. 1
Tbn. 2-3
sempre legato
sempre legato
sempre legato
Euph.
Tuba
Timp.
45
F
poco piu mosso
Glock.
Chimes
Mal.
Sus. Cym.
Sus. Cymb.
Perc.
B.D.

HYMN for US
9
Fl. 1-2
Ob.
Bsn.
Cl. 1
Cl. 2-3
B. Cl.
S. Sax.
A. Sx. 1-2
T. Sx.
B. Sx.
Tpt. 1
Tpt. 2-3
Hn. 1-2
Hn. 3-4
Tbn. 1
Tbn. 2-3
Euph.
Tuba
53
53
sempre legato
sempre legato
sempre legato
a2
G
encore poco piu mosso
a2
3
3
sempre legato
sempre legato
sempre legato
3
sempre legato
sempre legato
3
3 3
3 3
3 3
3 3
Timp.
53
G
encore poco piu mosso
Glock.
Chimes
Mal.
Sus. Cym.
Sus. Cymb.
Perc.
B.D.

10 HYMN for US
Fl. 1-2
60
Ob.
Bsn.
Cl. 1
Cl. 2-3
3
3
3
3
3
sempre legato
3
3
3 3
3 3
B. Cl.
S. Sax.
3 3
3
3
3
A. Sx. 1-2
T. Sx.
B. Sx.
Tpt. 1
60
3
3 3
Tpt. 2-3
Hn. 1-2
Hn. 3-4
Tbn. 1
Tbn. 2-3
Euph.
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3 3
3 3
Tuba
3
3
3
3
3
Timp.
Glock.
60
Chimes
Mal.
Cym.
Perc.
B.D.
B.D.

HYMN for US
11
Fl. 1-2
Ob.
Bsn.
Cl. 1
Cl. 2-3
B. Cl.
S. Sax.
A. Sx. 1-2
T. Sx.
B. Sx.
Tpt. 1
Tpt. 2-3
Hn. 1-2
Hn. 3-4
Tbn. 1
66
66
3 3
3
3
3 3
3 3
3 3
3 3
3 3
3 3
rit.
3
3
3
3
H
tempo primo (q = 56)
piu
piu
broadly
piu
piu
broadly
piu
piu
piu
broadly
broadly
broadly
broadly
broadly
Tbn. 2-3
Euph.
Tuba
Timp.
Glock.
66
3 3 3
3
3
rit.
H
broadly
broadly
tempo primo (q = 56)
broadly
broadly
Chimes
Mal.
Chimes
Sus. Cym.
Trgl.
B.D.
Sus. Cymb.
Triangle

12 HYMN for US
Fl. 1-2
Ob.
Bsn.
Cl. 1
Cl. 2-3
72
3
3
3
3
3 3
3 3
3
3
3 3
3
3
3
3
3 3
3
3
3 3
3
3
3 3
3
3
3 3
3
3
I
3
3
3
3
B. Cl.
S. Sax.
A. Sx. 1-2
T. Sx.
B. Sx.
Tpt. 1
72
Tpt. 2-3
Hn. 1-2
Hn. 3-4
Tbn. 1
sim.
sim.
sim.
sim.
3
a2
3
a2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3 3
3
3
3 3
3
3
Tbn. 2-3
sim.
Euph.
sim.
Tuba
Timp.
Glock. + Vibes
Chimes
Mar. + Xylo.
Sus. Cym.
Perc.
72
Glock. + Vibes
3
Wind Chimes
3 3
Marimba and Xylo
(ad lib.)
3
3
3 3
3 3
3
3
3
I
3 3
3 3
3 3
3
3
3 3 3 3
B.D.
3

Fl. 1-2
Ob.
Bsn.
Cl. 1
Cl. 2-3
B. Cl.
S. Sax.
A. Sx. 1-2
T. Sx.
B. Sx.
Tpt. 1
Tpt. 2-3
Hn. 1-2
Hn. 3-4
Tbn. 1
Tbn. 2-3
Euph.
Tuba
Timp.
Glock. + Vibes
Chimes
Mar. + Xylo.
Cymb. a2
Perc.
B.D.
77
77
77
3
3
3
3
3 3
3
3 3 3
3
3 3 3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3 3
3 3
3
3 3
3
3
3
3
3
3 3
3 3
S.D.
Crash Cym.
HYMN for US
3
3
3
3
3
3
3 3
3 3
3 3 3 3
3 3 3 3
3
3 3 3
**Immediately upon downbeat of last measure, 4 males and 3 females should stand straight up, stoically, emotionless,
scattered throughout the ensemble, but facing toward, and visible to, the audience. These represent the victims of the crime.
rit.
a2
solo
rit.
**
3
3 3
3
3
3
3 3
3 3
13
(hold 7 seconds)
lunga
**
(hold 7 seconds)
lunga
L.V.