The Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op.18, is a concerto for piano and orchestra composed by Sergei Rachmaninoff between the autumn of 1900 and April 1901. The second and third movements were first performed with the composer as soloist on 2 December 1900. The complete work was premiered, again with the composer as soloist, on 9 November 1901, with his cousin Alexander Siloti conducting.  The piece established Rachmaninoff's fame as a concerto composer and is one of his most enduringly popular pieces.
Some years ago Paul Noble, the arranger, had the privilege of conducting an orchestral performance of this work.  In listening to the recording of that performance, he felt that it would make a magnificent work for a piano soloist with Concert/Wind Band accompaniment.  "My thought has been that there must be many college level piano majors who would like to perform one movement of this work, which has seemingly become acceptable, since it is so complete by itself.  And now, with a band arrangement, the opportunities should expand for greater accessibility.  While I have been immersed in arranging this magnificent music, the television is showing the horrors of the invasion of Ukraine,  birthplace of Rachmaninoff, which is heartbreaking in today's world."

Piano Concerto No 2, 3rd Movement - Rachmaninoff; arr. by Paul Noble

The Organ Symphony, composed in 1886, was commissioned by the Royal Philharmonic Society in the UK, and Saint- Saëns travelled across the Channel to conduct its premiere at the old St. James’s Hall, now the site of Le Meridien Hotel in Picadilly. ‘I gave everything to it I was able to give,’ said the composer of the work. ‘What I have accomplished here, I will never achieve again.’   It has been one of the most popular symphonies in the repertoire, and is one of those rare works that instantly entered the canon of masterpieces and has remained there ever since. Its most famous melody, the radiant theme of the finale, has even entered into popular culture: it has been featured in the 1995 movie Babe and at Disney World’s Epcot Center, and has even been adapted as the anthem of the would-be micronation of Atlantium.
Some years ago Paul Noble, the arranger, had the privilege of conducting an orchestral performance of this work.  In listening to the recording of that performance, he felt that it would make a magnificent work for the Concert/Wind Band.   So he has now produced the arrangement and offered it in several formats: the complete symphony in two movements; the first movement alone; the second movement alone;  and the finale alone, beginning with what may be called one of the great C Major chords in music.  Organ parts are cued when necessary.

Symphony No. 3 (Organ) Complete

The Ballade in A Minor, Op. 33 was composed in 1898, when Samuel Coleridge-Taylor was 23 years old. Filled with youthful emotion and power, it gave the composer early recognition by publisher August Jaeger when he described the piece as “genius”. The one movement piece echoes the Romantic symphonic styles of Tchaikovsky and Dvořák , and it is full of ravishing and lush melodic moments.

Ballade in A Minor - Samuel Coleridge-Taylor; arr. by Paul Noble

Petite Suite de Concert was composed in 1911 and is one of the composer’s lighter works. Cast into four contrasting movements, the suite is very appealing and showcases Coleridge-Taylor’s memorable melody writing. It is said to be in a style somewhere between Edward Elgar and Arthur Sullivan, a delightful example of British Light Music. The opening movement, a playful caprice, sets the scene for the rest of the suite. The arrangement is exciting, with much full ensemble playing. A reprise of the main theme of this movement leads into the poignant coda section that sees the opening movement conclude in a thrilling manner.

Petite Suite de Concert No. 1 Le Caprice de Nannette

Petite Suite de Concert was composed in 1911 and is one of the composer’s lighter works. Cast into four contrasting movements, the suite is very appealing and showcases Coleridge-Taylor’s memorable melody writing.  It is said to be in a style somewhere between Edward Elgar and Arthur Sullivan, a delightful example of British Light Music. Perhaps the most well-known movement of the four, Demande et réponse opens with a graceful upper woodwind theme. The quiet dynamic and thin textures make the ensemble entry later on all the more influential. The warm sounds from the brass radiate between the luscious woodwinds.

Petite Suite de Concert No. 2 Demande et Reponse - Samuel Coleridge-Taylor; arr. by Paul Noble

Petite Suite de Concert was composed in 1911 and is one of the composer’s lighter works. Cast into four contrasting movements, the suite is very appealing and showcases Coleridge-Taylor’s memorable melody writing. It is said to be in a style somewhere between Edward Elgar and Arthur Sullivan, a delightful example of British Light Music. The lyrical serenade that is the third movement is full of rich textures and memorable melodies. The nuanced sway of this movement adds to its charm and dance-like roots.

Petite Suite De Concert, No 3 Un Sonnet D'Amour - Samuel Coleridge-Taylor; arr. by Paul Noble

Finale, Symphony No. 3 (Organ). Performed by the Wheaton Municipal Band, Dr. Bruce Moss, Conductor

A new John Rutter composition is "The Colours of Christmas". The melody is beautiful in its simplicity, and the words are descriptive of the holiday spirit. This arrangement is written and intended for combined Wind Band and Chorus. However, it is also arranged so that it is complete with Wind Band alone. The scoring is done with some cue size notations that should be played if
performing without the chorus. This will make a delightful addition to any Christmas or seasonal concert. The choral part is shown in the conductor's score, but is not a part of the download.

The Colours of Christmas; John Rutter; arr. by Paul Noble

Gaelic Symphony, 4th Movement; Amy Beach; arr. by Paul Noble

Entry March of the Boyars was written for orchestra in 1893 by the Norwegian composer Johan Halvorsen (1864–1935). It is one of the most popular works of the composer, and quickly became an international success. The piece has an occupational inspiration behind it. Halvorsen was offered a post at Bucharest Conservatory but he declined. He became however interested about the city and read about it and the entry of the Romanian boyars into Bucharest in the 18th century.  From the 10th through the 17th centuries, the Boyars were the highest-ranking members of the Bulgarian, Romanian, Russian, and Ukrainian aristocracy, second only to the ruling princes.  The melody has been used as a signature tune for a Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation's weekly radio program since its start in 1950.

Entry March Of The Boyars - Johan Halvorsen; arr. by Paul Noble

The American Rhapsody - Music by S. Coleridge-Taylor, narration by Aaron Dworkin; arr. by Paul Noble

Coronation March From The Prophete- Giacomo Meyerbeer; arr. by Paul Noble

Edward Elgar’s arrangement of the old French carol, The Holly and The Ivy, was written in 1898 and  performed only once, conducted by Elgar in 1898 for the Worcestershire Philharmonic Society, an amateur orchestra he formed.  The music then disappeared for over 70 years, and was found in an attic wrapped  in newspaper dated Dec. 29, 1898.  This lovely, most atmospheric arrangement is more than a choral accompaniment.  It belies Elgar’s subtlety and skill as a composer.  Paul Noble is privileged to have received a copy of Elgar’s original, handwritten, autographed drafts of the score, on which this arrangement for Concert/Wind Band is based.  The arrangement is written for combined band and chorus, with the choral part provided.

The Holly And The Ivy

Chorale Prelude And Fugue

In 1846, Hector Berlioz conducted two concerts in Budapest to popularize his compositions. For this occasion, as it was usual in his era, he composed a few pieces for Hungarian melodies to win the favor of the audience. One of these pieces was an adaptation of the Rákóczi March that immediately became the favorite one of the audience as he noted in his memoirs: "...the hall was shaken by unprecedented shouting and stamping of feet. (…) We had to start again but on the second occasion, too, the audience could hardly or not at all control themselves, just like on the first occasion." With some modifications, he included this composition later in La damnation de Faust.
The Berlioz version has become a popular folk-music selection in Hungary, especially for weddings. The March is played at state and military celebrations and is the official inspection march of the Hungarian Defence Forces. The tune was used for decades as the morning signal of Kossuth Rádió at the beginning of the daily broadcast.

Marche Hongroise (Hungarian March; Hector Berlioz; arr. by Paul Noble

Entry Of The Gladiators;  Julius Fučík; arr. by Paul Noble

The Florentiner March, “Grande marcia Italiana,” was written in 1907 by the prolific Bohemian (Czech) composer and bandmaster Julius Fučik, in Budapest. He is considered to be the Bohemian "Sousa" with his prolific outpouring of great marches.  During this time the musical trends by many European composers were writing in styles of other lands, including Russia, Spain, and in this case, Italy. The Florentiner bears the subtitle Grande marcia Italiana, with the main title giving homage to Florence, Italy.

Florentiner March

The Florentiner March, “Grande marcia Italiana,” was written in 1907 by the prolific Bohemian (Czech) composer and bandmaster Julius Fučik, in Budapest. He is considered to be the Bohemian "Sousa" with his prolific outpouring of great marches.  During this time the musical trends by many European composers were writing in styles of other lands , including Russia, Spain, and in this case, Italy. The Florentiner bears the subtitle Grande marcia Italiana, with the main title giving homage to Florence, Italy.

Florentiner March - Julius Fučik; arr. by Paul Noble

Florentiner March: Julius Fucik; arr. by Paul Noble

As a tribute to the people of Ukraine, it is my privilege to freely offer this instrumental version to all bands around the world.  Until the war ceases, it is my hope that every band will consider opening its program with this anthem.

National Anthem of Ukraine -  Mykhailo Verbytsky; arr. by Paul Noble

Solemn Prelude requires a more special description than space will allow. It has been my privilege to receive from the Three Choirs Festival in the U.K. the opportunity to produce this arrangement for Concert/Wind Band from a long-lost piece of music. Samuel Coleridge-Taylor was commissioned in 1899 by the Three Choirs Festival, with its history spanning over 300 years and having commissioned over 550 works, to create this beautifully romantic and highly chromatic work. The exploration of ten tonal centers contributes to a depth of feeling and emotion that brought added prestige to the young composer. This arrangement has been produced from a copy of the original, handwritten, autographed score. There is a most interesting story about how the music was found, which should produce relevant and interesting program notes. PN
https://cso.org/experience/article/10876/how-a-british-sleuth-uncovered-a-long-lost-wo

Solemn Prelude - Samuel Coleridge-Taylor; arr. by Paul Noble

The five-movement Othello Suite was written as incidental music in 1909 for a 1912 production of Shakespeare’s Othello at His Majesty’s Theatre in London.  The Willow Song is the fourth of the five movements, and has been adapted as a solo for trumpet.

The Willow Song, From Othello - Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, arr. by Paul Noble

The five-movement "Othello Suite" was written as incidental music in 1909 for a 1912 production of Shakespeare's Othello at His Majesty's Theatre in London. "Incidental music" is used in a film or a play as a background to accompany action or create mood. The five movements are: Dance, Children's Intermezzo, Funeral March, The Willow Song and the Military March. The two-minute work should make a delightful and short march, with lots of depth and drama.

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