JOY

By Frank Ticheli
Tonality
- Determine tonality (major, minor, dorian, mixolydian, other)
- Bb major with a slight modal change to Eb major at measure 18

Melody
- Extract (a) melodies and (b) countermelodies to teach everyone; document where they
occur (i.e., specific instruments and specific measure numbers).
- (1:A) The melodic motive at the very beginning of the piece is represented with
rising 8th notes in thirds. This occurs first measures 2-10 in 1st trumpet, alto sax,
and clarinet parts. It occurs again measures 51-59 in flutes, 1st alto sax, and 1st
clarinet.
- (1:B) The countermelody that accompanies this first melodic motive appears in
the exact same way but is shifted two beats after the melody starts (canon). This
occurs first in measures 6-10 in the flute part and again 55-59.
- (2:A) Melodic, march-style line found in measures 10-14 and 59-64 in the 1st
trumpet, alto sax, mallet, and flute parts with unison or similar rhythms with
harmony in the clarinets, 2nd alto, oboe, french horn, and 2nd trumpet. This
quarter, quarter, dotted 8th/16th rhythm would be very good to teach in a scale
articulation pattern as a warm up.
- (2:B) Countermelody found in low reeds, low brass, and timpani from measures
10-14 and 59-64.
- (3:A) This melody is the lyrical part of the piece with the flutes at measure 28-39
and gets passed off to trumpets and french horn in the second half.
- (3:B) Countermelody is found in 2 forms with 8th note lines in the clarinet, oboe,
flute, and alto sax lines and the other form is in the trombones and euphoniums
as a call and response from the flutes’ melody.
- (4:A) The last melody occurs in measures 39-47 in a triumphant fanfare style led
by the 2nd clarinet, french horn, tenor sax, 2nd alto sax with the melody along
with the oboe, 1st clarinets, and mallets in the same rhythm but in 3rds above the
melodic line.
- (4:B) The countermelody is very simple, following the same rhythm as the melody
just in sustained notes. This can be found in the trumpet parts, 1st alto, flute, and
triangle.
- Analyze thematic transformation techniques the composer employs with your melodies:
- Sequence of moving 3rds ascending
 - Leitmotif, ostinato:​ This pattern appears a lot as a harmonic part and can be
found in various pitches throughout the piece.

- Repetitions with variations of pitch, rhythm, timbre

- This melody and the first one above appear at least twice in this piece in
the exact same way. The second pattern is also highlighted in every part
with different pitches (some start the same sequential line in 3rds above
the melody).

Harmony
- Extract bass lines to teach everyone; document where they occur (i.e., specific
instruments and specific measure numbers). (Note: all melodies and countermelodies
you extract above should be paired with a bass line you extract at this step.)
- Bass line with melody #1): A simple half and quarter note pattern with the 5th and
4th (or even root and 5th) would be appropriate and fairly easy to teach to the
entire class. ​This can even be explored in different keys to give a sense of
transposition​. Occurs 2-10 and 51-59 in trombone, euphonium, and bassoon.
 -
- Bass line with melody #2): The second melody bass line is very similar in rhythm
to the melody itself and stays stagnant on one note. Therefore, I do not believe
this would be a good one to teach to the rest of the class. HOWEVER, there is a
transition section from measures 14-18 highlighting a descending scale that is
found in the horns and euphonium parts and also in the tenor sax, altos, and
clarinets. They trade off the line of quarter notes to one another.

- Bass line with melody #3): There is no bass line

- Bass line with melody #4): Bass line is holding out the root (not helpful to teach)
- Identify functions (e.g., tonic, dominant, subdominant, subtonic, other) in your piece.
- Document any non-tertian harmony (e.g., quartal), bitonality, tone clusters,
harmonic tension/dissonance and release/consonance, use of nonharmonic
tones to create tension
- This piece is extremely diatonic with little to no strange chordal or harmonic
factors.
- Interesting chordal harmonies: Use of concert Db and Gb on the second beat of
the last measure: (Gb major chord) is created which is the major 6th in the key of
Bb;
- Non-harmonic tones: Concert Ab in measure 3, 7, and 56 in horn, sax, clarinet
parts (this is the added flat 7 which is an interesting choice to have in a piece like
this)
- Identify important harmonic events:
- Cadences (e.g., perfect, half, plagal)
- Measure 6 and 55: Perfect I
- Measure 14 and 64: Perfect I
 - Measure 24: Plagal cadence in the modulated key of Eb
- Measure 42: Half cadence in original key
- Measure 47: Perfect I
- Measure 72: Perfect I
- Modulations (e.g., by fifth, third)
- Measure 18-24: Eb major; modulates to the fourth of the key of Bb
- Sequence

Meter

-Common 4/4 time

-​ Identify rhythm motives/”motors” to teach everyone; these should contribute to students

learning important rhythmic theme(s) in your selection.
-These would be really great rhythms to teach to the whole class since many have the
unison rhythm somewhere in the piece. It also gives a great opportunity for tubas and low brass
to have more experience with trickier rhythms. The second example can also be played in
different keys as well.

Identify functions (e.g., macrobeat, microbeat, divisions, elongations) in your piece

- Identify and document specific rhythmic techniques employed:
- thematic rhythmic motifs and ostinatos
-The melodic and rhythmic motif within the melody occurs often, continuing with
three beats of intervallic thirds in eighth notes. The ostinato rhythmic pattern also shows up a lot
and in different parts like the clarinet in measure 28.
 -
- juxtaposition of diverse rhythm groupings

- rhythmic patterns that give energy and drive to the music: t​ he full and held articulation
drives the music to the next idea and this creates a very regal moment to the piece. The grace
notes in measure 59 also drive the music forward, giving momentum.
- ​Examine tempo markings throughout the composition and document:
-Tempo Markings: Tempo 1; 120-138 (Lively), A tempos
-the tempo is kept pretty consistent throughout, falling more on the brighter side
of the spectrum and a more march-like feel. There are only slight variations of slower tempi that
build back up to the original tempo.
-there are no references as to how slow the “slightly slower” section is so it is up
to the discretion of the conductor. I was also surprised by the lack of musical terms of tempi; all
there is is lively.
-a​ ccelerando and ritardando used often

Expression

Stylistic Articulations and Expressive Terms

- Document the composer’s expressive use of stylistic articulations (i.e., symbols, words),
for example: legato, staccato, marcato, tenuto, poly articulations.
- Accents, slurs, tenutos, staccatos, staccato/accent, tenuto/staccato,
- Document musical terms used by the composer to indicate expression (e.g., leggiero,
cantabile, dolce, expressivo)
- Lively, Slightly slower
- These can go in a category all their own: divide, unison, -/+ Piccolo
Orchestration
- Straight mutes for trumpets and grace notes for flutes and saxes used as interesting
techniques to provide variety.
- Percussion instruments for coloristic effects
- Woodblock: used to create cute, light, and crisp sound to match with the staccato
higher instrumented 8th notes
- Snare: used for emphasis of melodic rhythms and to bring out the march-like,
triumphant style
- Cymbals and bass drum: impact moments; bass drum provides rich, dark tone
color
- Xylophone: used to create cute, light, and crisp sound to match with the staccato
higher instrumented 8th notes. The higher color tones help the change of style.
- Triangle: used for emphasis of melodic rhythms to introduce the new layer of
music at measure 39; the style is more regal and majestic.
- Timpani: adds a new layer of chordal emphasis.
- Mallets: reinforced melodic lines and rhythms of piece

Texture
- Identify/compare musical textures employed in the work (movements, sections,
subsections):
 - There are a lot of Homophonic parts (chordal (“familiar style”, note against note);
melody with accompaniment (sustained chords, repeated chord,
arpeggiated/Alberti bass)) with little Monophonic
- Polyphonic
- Number of parts
- 18 plus 5 percussion instruments
- Relative importance of each part
- The upper woodwinds are usually carrying the melody with the
upper brass section and the other middle and bass voices share
parts with their corresponding instrument groups (etc tuba is
similar to euphonium, alto sax is similar to horn,e tc)
- The clarinets and french horn at times have elements in the
background all by themselves that are important.
- The flute and trumpet parts also sometimes are seen carrying the
melody in their sections alone.
- Degree and melodic independence of each line
- Each line usually contains melody, bass, and harmony and each
line is doubled in multiple parts. This score is very thick in texture
with almost all sections playing most of the piece. Sections such
as in measures 28-34 have more of an individual independence
and importance in the piece since the texture is a lot thinner.
- Contrapuntal techniques employed (e.g., imitation, stretto, augmentation,
inversion, retrograde; parallel, oblique, contrary motion)
- There are a few instances with parallel, similar, oblique, and
contrary motion as seen in most band literature. Examples:
- Contrary motion: 8th notes in measure 34 with the
saxophone parts (one goes up and other goes down)
- Similar: Measure 10 in all parts (general shape going
down)
- Oblique: Measure 39 (flute and oboe line)
- Parallel: Measure 73 in both clarinet parts
- Examine the density (thickness, thinness) of each movement, section, and subsection.
Notice how the orchestration (and the harmony) contribute to the textural sound of the
musical fabric.
- The Texture in the majority of the piece is very thick with the entire band playing
in most sections. Sections with thinner texture and orchestration include
measures 28-34 and 51-55. All major sections have many block chords
emphasizing the major one a lot.

Form
- Analyze the overall form of your selection to determine if it aligns with a common formal
design, such as:
 - Compound or multi movement forms (e.g., concerto, symphony, sonata,
divertimento, oratorio, mass)
- Common concert tune form and not multimovement.
- Sectional forms (e.g., binary, ternary, rondo, combinations/variations thereof)
- This has 5 sections that repeat the first two at the end. In broad terms, the
first two sections are distinct with a third one filled with a variety of
different transitional styles.
- Developmental forms (e.g., sonata allegro)
- ABCDEA’AB’
- Imitative forms (e.g., fugue, canzona, ricercare, canon)
- Canon parts in measure 34 and 55

- Based on extramusical ideas (e.g., poem, story, play, mythology)

- Based on a story of the birth of the composer’s daughter.
- Analyze the internal form of your selection and document sections, subsections, periods,
and phrases (indicate specific instruments and specific measure numbers).
- Document the composer’s use of:
- Balance (symmetry): Balance is fairly full orchestration but has an equal balance
of Melody, Harmony/Countermelody, and bass line. At times, the melody isn’t in
many parts and so the underlining harmony and bass lines can seem a little
overpowering.
- Unity (coherence, continuity): This piece is very continuous in all parts with very
little sections of silence or empty instrumentation. All instruments tend to play
together.
- Time factors (total length of movement or large sections): Piece is 2:30 minutes

Dynamics
- Examine the overall dynamic scheme of the composition (horizontal dynamics):
- Perimeters (loudest and softest dynamics)
- Dynamic Range: pp-ff (ffff in timpani at the end)
- Climaxes, subclimaxes, and low points
- Climax points occur 24 (slight subclimax), main climax 39 triumphant into the
peak at 47
- Low points at 24 and 34
- Examine the dynamic curve of large sections, subsections, periods, phrases
- This piece bounces back and forth between soft and loud, generally changing
ever major rehearsal number/section. Many of the phrases also generally either
crescendo or go somewhere in general.
- Study the balances within each phrase (vertical dynamics)
- Melody to accompaniment
- There are times where there are only one instrument group playing the
melody which is okay considering the accompaniment is also only in one
or two parts; sometimes though the low brass has thick half/whole note
 chords underneath so that can cause and imbalance if there are few
woodwinds and a lot of brass.
- Primary to secondary (subordinate) material
- Oftentimes, the middle/secondary voice is not present in a lot of parts, at
least not in louder resonating instruments. The clarinets, saxophones, and
horns tend to have these parts but usually not all together, making it hard
to hear.
- Instrument tessituras (register strength or weakness)
- Range for most woodwinds are in the middle to low register
- Brass is also in the middle to low register; low brass is pretty low for the
whole piece (especially tuba)
- With every instrument being in the lower/middle range, it will be pretty
balanced throughout with possible moments of the higher woodwinds
being too soft (depending on instrumentation) and heavier low brass,
which is oftentimes embraced in ensembles.
- Document the composer’s use of dynamic effects:
- Terraced dynamics; extremes; polydynamics (simultaneous use of contrasting
dynamics); dynamic accent (fp, sf, sfz, sfp); orchestrated crescendo or
diminuendo; subtle dynamic nuances; subito dynamic changes; extremely
quick/slow crescendos or diminuendos
- There are no sudden shifts to dynamics: each change is lead by a
crescendo or decrescendo
- There are occasions where the crescendo and decrescendo are in two
beats which is very short but most of these are extended to at least 4
beats.
- Document the specificity (or lack thereof) with which the composer indicates dynamic
crescendos and decrescendos. Observe whether or not specific dynamic markings are
indicated at the beginning and ending of crescendos and decrescendos.
- There is a very clear depiction of what dynamic is to be played before and after
each crescendo and decrescendo. These are also utilized a lot in the piece.

Executive Skills
- Ranges (4=low C octave on treble clef for each instrument)
- Flute (and optional Piccolo)
- A4-D6
- Oboe
- A4-G5
- Bassoon
- F2-Bb3
- Bb Soprano Clarinet I-II
- C4-A5
- E3-E5
- Bb Bass Clarinet
 - F3-G4
- Eb Alto Saxophone I-II
- G4-B5
- E3-G5
- Bb Tenor Saxophone
- F4-G5
- Eb Baritone Saxophone
- C4-G5
- Bb Trumpet I-II
- C4-E5
- C4-C5
- Horn in F
- Bb below staff- D on staff
- Trombone
- Bb2-C4
- Euphonium
- Bb2-C4
- Tuba
- Bb1-C3
- Percussion needs (4-8) players
- Timpani
- Mallets
- Bass Drum
- Crash Cymbals
- Glockenspiel
- Snare Drum
- Suspended Cymbal
- Triangle
- Woodblock
- Xylophone
- Instrument-specific technical considerations
- Consider specific problems for individual instruments in certain sections of your
selection (e.g., tonal elements, rhythm elements, executive skills, register,
fingerings, articulation, embouchure, dynamics, phrasing, balance, intonation,
endurance). Indicate specific instruments and measure numbers.
- There are a few spots where certain sections are exposed in a fairly thin
texture. The Clarinters and Euphonium parts in particular have a
descending line at measure 64; being heard especially for the clarinets
could be an issue. Another section like this is in measure 28 with the flute
and the trombone lines.
- Endurance is another common issue that may arise in certain
instruments. Specifically, the low Bb in the tuba part in measure39 would
be quite challenging.
Background/historical summary
- Composer: Frank Ticheli
- Composition: Joy
- This piece was written in 2005 and encapsulated the idea of joy and is represented with
various climactic moments and changes in styles. The piece was inspired by the birth of
Frank Ticheli’s first child and his revision of the piece “Joy Revisited” followed,
referencing the birth of his other children.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqBDjtcB5Gg