I enjoy playing a variation of “Bugler’s Dream” by John Williams. Mr. Williams is a flat out genius. Anyone else enjoy playing the Olympic theme music or variations there of? Of the whistles I own, the music fits the personality of my Susato D best.
There are tons of MIDI arrangements of this music if someone wants to take a look. I don’t play the “straight” trumpet version, I have made concessions to adapt it to whistle.
That I can second. I have a two-cd collection of many of his themes, including the Olympic theme. Some are repetitive, but when he nails it, he nails it. The complex-thinking that goes into orchestral composition impresses me more than almost any other intellectual feat.
Perhaps in my next life, instead of being a writer who wishes she were smarter, I’ll be, like Salieri, a composer who wishes he/she were smarter.
“Bugler’s Dream” was not written by John Williams - it was written by Leo Arnaud in 1968. This is the most famous Olympic fanfare and the one you are probably talking about.
For the 1984 Olympics in LA, John Williams wrote “Olympic Fanfare and Theme”, which is also very recognizable but is a different piece by a different composer. Unfortunately they often get spliced together so you can’t tell who wrote what (see the MP3 clip below)… I hope Mr. Arnaud is still getting his royalties.
Sound clip: Arnaud’s “Bugler’s Dream” followed by a snippet of Williams’ “Olympic Fanfare”
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/assets/mp3/D2350823.MP3
Well, since Mr. Arnaud died in 1991, I assume his estate is still getting the royalties…
Thanks for the correction. Yes it is the slow sequence that I enjoy on the whistle. For the fast part, I have improvised my own arrangement. I’m surprise no one else is playing it. It is immediately identifiable, easy to learn and a beautiful melody. I learned it by ear many years ago and have dusted it off recently. The exact phrasing may not match my ABC, but all interested parties have heard it a thousand times, so play by ear.
For those that want a quick shot at it, here’s an approximation of what I play:
F2A D/D/ | E FDE/E/ | EE F/E/D/ E/4 F/4 | G/4 F/4 E2 z
three times then
F/4 E/4 F/4 E/4 F/4 E/4 D/4 E/4
F/4 E/4 F/4 E/4 F/4 E/4 G/4 A/4
A/4 G/4 A/4 G/4 F/4 G/4 A/4
A/B/A/G/ A2
or something like that for a fanfare effect, then back to the slow part. If done with a bit of flair and pacing the slow part can sound majestic with the right acoustics (yes, even on a whistle). I’m sure most readers that give it a try will like it, it is a nice melody.
Enjoy.
Very interesting. The theme on the Williams album most definitely incorporates the well known fanfare. I’ll have to dig out the cd cover to see how it’s credited.
Sort of reminds me of the Aaron Copland piece which works the Shaker tune “Simple Gifts” into a larger context. I guess composers can do that, although in the case of Copland, the Shaker tune is probably more or less public domain, whereas Williams would have had to credit Arnaud.
About 4 years ago I was in my old universities marching band. We had an olympic theme (because of the Olympics in Sydney) and I played the Mellophone. If you listen to Bugler’s Dream you will notice a slight counter melody played by the mid brass range instruments, I loved that lick. I must say it was one of my most favorite field shows to play in, mostly because of the music and strong brass sound.
I consider that to be the greatest benefit of having played with an ensemble of any kind…that you have greater appreciation and a better ear for the less prominent layers of a piece.