Ring of Fire - Concert Band

Performance notes:
The beginning of the piece starts under the crust of the Earth. Just above it, active volcanoes ready to erupt at any moment. A low brass melody that gets transferred to the trumpets and altos with high woodwind ornaments set the mood for this section until measure 23.

Measure 23 is when the volcano theme is introduced to the listeners by the low brass. High brass joins them in the second play-through of this melody, once again with high woodwind ornaments added to fill the sound. Then the woodwinds get a feature accentuated by low voices and brass instruments. Picture a camera panning over the Ring of Fire and the volcanoes inside it.

Measure 75 is intended to show a lively town that is located near a volcano. The high woodwind melody in 7/8 is supposed to be bouncy and light, joined by middle voices and then finally low voices. The tempo is kept by a steady tapping in the snare drum until the time signature returns to 3/4. The melody keeps building to the final notes and then the high woodwinds help us transition back to the volcano theme.

Measure 115 revisits the volcano theme but this time with an echo from the high woodwinds, mallets and horns. There should be a feeling of suspense with the lack of background noise here. Just the melody playing with an echo two measures later and the snare under that. Then the trumpets add a bit of noise in the background joined with an alto solo. The solo should be heard over everything else, but the volcano melody should not move into the background. The only voices that should be in the background here are the trumpets with the percussive lines and the snare drum/timpani.

Measure 149 is when the volcano erupts. The people in the town begin panicking and trying to escape as the lava claims more ground. The volcano theme is joined by a new melody in the high voices creating an intense scene of destruction, lava, and flames. The volume increases with the damage until there is nothing left.