Sarah Kelley

The Red Balloon

Anne McGinty
Unit 1. Composer
Anne McGinty was born in 1945 in Findley, Ohio. Ms. McGinty is a composer, flutiest, teacher,
clinician, and learner. Known as the most prolific woman composer in the concert band literature
field, McGinty has written over 220 pieces, 130 of which are for band. She has paid special
respects to her primary instrument, flute, in her other compositions. Solo flute, solo flute with
band, duets, trios, and flute choir have all been published works of hers. In addition to the above,
she has also published pieces for brass band, string orchestra, and clarinet. As a composer, she
writes for a musical and educational purpose, aligning with her ideals as a teacher. Donald
McGinnis was McGinty’s flute teacher and band director at The Ohio State University before she
left and pursued a flute performance career in Arizona. There, she sat as principal flute for the
Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Tucson Pops Orchestra, and TSO Woodwind Quintet. After
touring around Arizona, McGinty returned to college, attending Duquesne University in
Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. She studied flute performance under Bernard Goldberg and composition
under Joseph Wilcox Jenkins. During her teaching career, McGinty became a flute clinician for a
manufacturer, performer in professional chamber groups and orchestras, and became the first
woman composer to be commissioned to write for the United States Army Band. Though not a
performer or teacher anymore, she does operate Queenwood Publications with her husband John
Edmondson.

Unit 2. Composition
The Red Balloon was composed in 1992, from the bases of a painting. Though she only
viewed the painting once, Anne McGinty was left with a heavy impression that gave her the
inspiration for her newest composition. The painting was of an older man facing away from a
small child; however, the only non-white color in the work was of the balloon. The balloon was
painted red and in the hands of the small child. This piece is intended to encourage imagination
from the performers. Just as the spectator of the painting does not know the flight and journey of
the balloon, the ensemble must use their imagination to perform the piece that suggests and
provides that visualization. The duration of The Red Balloon is about 2 minutes and 30 seconds,
and is a Grade 2.

Unit 3. Historical Perspective

Due to the inspiration of The Red Balloon coming from a nonmusical subject or idea. The
category that this piece is in is referential music. Also known as program music, this category
became a prominent art form beginning in the nineteenth century. Program music identifies with
the Romantic movement, which is evident from its expression, and references to other or non
musical events, ideas, or situations. The Red Balloon is descriptive, especially as it paints the
picture of the floating balloon. This movement and depiction is the intention of Anne McGinty
for this piece. Other well known referential music titles are Romeo and Juliet, Pictures at an
Exhibition, and A child’s Garden of Dreams.
 Sarah Kelley
The Red Balloon
Anne McGinty
Unit 4. Technical Considerations
This piece is written without a key signature, and Anne McGinty cautions students of the
B and E naturals. Playing in a lydian mode including both flats and sharps may be a new tonal
center for some of the ensemble. The instrumentation is very common with added claves and
tambourine parts in the percussion section. There are optional Oboe and Horn parts to enhance
the timbre and tone of the ensemble. McGinty references the beginning of the piece as an
ethereal woodwind and percussion feature. Octaves are written often throughout the piece which
will need intonation attention from the director and ensemble. Clarinet 1 is written over the
register break, as opposed to Clarinet 2, which is written below a B for the entirety of the piece.
At the end of the piece, the Clarinets split up to divide into four parts. Balance and intonation
will need to be addressed at this moment in measure 70. Flutes are going to be required to
produce a solid and mature sound for their higher octave notes, while the alto and tenor
saxophones will have to do the same for their lower pitches. These notes will be played at a
piano dynamic. An optional solo is found in the trumpet section. The range for the brass
instruments is consistent with a Grade two, meaning the pitches don’t extend to wild.
Woodwinds and low brass have the melody together in the middle of the piece. The bell part of
this piece is an exposed part with accidentals which is why it will need to be played by a skilled
and confident player. Wind Players will need to remain primarily in a smooth and legato playing
articulation for most of the piece. The rhythm of The Red Balloon is very basic and doesn’t
extend past an eighth note. The dotted quarter note is the prominent melodic rhythm.

Unit 5. Stylistic Considerations

It is necessary that the phrases remain four bars long and that the ensemble feels it as
such. The final note of each of these phrases must be held for the full value without any rests in
the sound. The passing of the melody happens immediately and often, so the ensemble needs to
be made aware of who has the melody when, and when their slurred phrases are the melody, and
when it is part of the ethereal feel. There are many dynamic changes, which Anne McGinty has
asked to be observed truly. Diminuendos are used to shift the melody from one sound to another,
making it important that those diminuendos are considered carefully. The pitch and tone of each
instrument will need to be confident and consistent for the full duration of each tied note.
Balance of the different colors and timbres that this piece, especially in the percussion section,
reveals will need attention, providing the educational perspective that Anne McGinty writes for.

Unit 6: Musical Elements

The melody is grouped within the four bar phrase. The flute and oboe are the first to play
the melody. Theme A is varied in the sense of instrumentation and transposition each time it is
introduced. This piece includes the handing off of the melody between different sections very
often. The melody and sustained notes should always be held until the downbeat of the next
measure. The Lydian mode is the prominent tonal center in the piece, but uses many bases within
it. These include C, G, Db, Bb, F, Eb, Gb, D, and Eb. Use of the lydian mode should be
 Sarah Kelley
The Red Balloon
Anne McGinty
intertwined with warm ups and exercises. Four part harmonies are used not only as a whole in
the ensemble, but within the clarinet and trumpet sections also. Subdividing will need to be
reminded, as the dotted quarter eighth note rhythm is found frequently during the melody. The
rhythm is fairly simple, yet each part has a unique addition to the piece. The timbre is meant to
be light, airy-felt, sensitive, and contrasted from the other tones in the ensemble.

Unit 7. Form and Structure

Measure Number Section Musical Considerations Tonal Centers

1-9 Section 1A Flute and oboe have C Lydian

the melody. Stepwise
motion.

9-16 Section 1B Melody has skips. A Dorian, Bb Lydian,

Harmonically Ab Lydian, Db
unsettling (tritones). Lydian, G Lydian
Alto saxophone and
clarinets add
harmonies, and bells
and triangles add
color.

17-24 Section 2A Stepwise melody in G Lydian

oboe, clarinet, horn,
tenor saxophone, and
bells. Triads in low
winds.

25-36 Section 2A Melody in trumpet is Db Lydian and D

stepwise. Clarinet has major
similar
accompaniment to
beginning.

37-46 Transition Stepwise melody in Eb Major and G

low brass and Lydian
woodwinds.
Percussion is sparse
in areas.

47-55 Section 3A Section A returns. Bb Lydian

Flute adds to melody
in the second phrase.
 Sarah Kelley
The Red Balloon
Anne McGinty
55-62 Section 3B Melody in flute for 2 Bb Lydian
measures and trumpet
for 4 measures, then
back to the original
melody instruments.
Harmonically
unsettling.

63-70 Section 4A Variation of the first F Lydian

two Section A
phrases

71-80 Section 4A Melody in Trumpet. Eb Lydian. Gb

Shortened Section B Lydian, and C Lydian
for two measures,
trumpet, for four, and
overlap of the flute,
oboe, and clarinet for
two measures.

81-92 Closing Presentation of the C Lydian

first phrase. Bell solo.
Incomplete cadence
to end the melodic
line.

Unit 8. Suggested Listening

Colgrass, Michael. Winds of Nagual. Hearts Music.
Maslanka, David. A Child’s Garden of Dreams. Emblems
Schuman, William. George Washington Bridge. American Dreams.

Unit 9. Additional Resources

Miles, Richard B., and Larry Blocher. Teaching Music through Performance in Band. 2nd ed.,
vol. 1, GIA Publications, Inc., 2010.

“Anne McGinty.” Neil A Kjos Music Company, https://kjos.com/person/view?id=56.