The Guantlet

SKU: CF.BPS115

ISBN 9781491152010. UPC: 680160909513.

The Gauntlet is a piece written to sound bold and exciting while also being accessible to young performers with a limited range. Simple yet bold rhythms add excitement, heightened by the fact that every section has an opportunity to play melodic content. The interesting “development” section provides a contrast to the opening and helps to build the suspense before the return of the main theme. The percussion helps to drive the energy of the piece by providing a variety of colorful sounds including a gong solo at the end to signal the knight’s triumph.
A knight gallops over the rise of the hill into battle, determination shining in his eyes. He must charge through the treacherous lines and survive in order to preserve his kingdom and his honor. The pounding of the battle drums echoes the desperate pounding of his heart. Swords clash and the hooves of the horses strike the muddy ground. He must run this torturous gauntlet. Will he succeed before it is too late?The Gauntlet is a piece written to sound bold and exciting while also being easy for young players to perform due to the piece’s limited range (comprised of the first seven notes in most method books). Simple but bold rhythms add an air of excitement. This is heightened by the fact that every section has an opportunity to play melodic content, even the low brass. The interesting “development” section provides a contrast to the opening section and helps to build some intrigue and suspense before the return of the main theme. The percussion helps to drive the energy of the piece by providing lots of colorful sounds including a gong solo at the end to signal the knight’s triumph.