Worst/best thing about high school band is that you almost always have a band piece stuck in your head.

this is like the best song evarrrrr

So this comment section has become like the official meeting place for high school band nerds

4:37 makes me cry the chord progression is so beautiful

the horn rip at 5:03 makes my soul soar

In case anyone was wanting to know, this is the North Carolina 11-12 All State band from 2008. My band director was one of the Tubas!

For any woodwind who’s played this song, two words, measure 50.

i’m japanese high school student i love american wind music,so i’m often listening to the song my favorite part is4:57-5:23

I heard you like forte so I put forte in your forte in your forte in your forte

God the timpani and low brass section of this song is just amazing

OOPS I FELL IN LOVE WITH THIS

Lord help the first clarinets...

Might I just say that the Low Brass ostenato at 2:50 is really addicting to play, and fun, and basically great to play in front of freshman to make them think you are amazing

2:47 That Low Brass.... Wow. Just... Wow.

My sons High School played this tonight for festival and scored ALL Superiors. Incredible piece. Incredible band. And a little of mom's bragging, because my son has the tympani drum solo and he played it perfect WITH his arm in a cast. He worked hard to be able to do it. The whole band worked exceedingly hard and I'm very proud of all of them!

4:57 never fails to give me chills

I actually met this man!! He guest conducted at our Honor Band and I absolutely loved the way he conducted with so much passion!!

Anyone else think this would make a great DCI show?

Hazo is so nice to his percussionists. I'll gush about the xylo part in this song probably near forever

5:45 The single greatest moment in the history of the tuba

Flute, Clarinet and Alto Sax players, the first 1.5 pages is basically your worst nightmare. Unless, you know, you can play that sort of stuff. Personally I love the bass clarinet in this. But I could be biased.

We played this song the year that our band took a small trip to Wisconsin. The room I was in had like 8 guys and we were all hanging out at night, playing the Wii that one kid brought. Since we're all band nerds, we had Arabesque playing in the background as we were playing. Alex and I vs. Dave and Mitch. Wii tennis series was tied and the next game won. The match was about half done, and the intense part at 4:29 started playing, amping us up. Just as I hit the ball into the corner of the opposing court, winning the game, and thus the whole series, the majestic trumpet sound at 4:58 filled the room, as well as my heart. Alex and I had fought hard against Dave and Mitch for the title of best wii tennis duo in the room, and we'd finally won. Euphoric glory filled Alex and I (both of us are trumpet players), and it was topped off with the splendid fanfare of the trumpet. We celebrated and when I listen to this song now, I get chills that bring me back to that night. You couldn't have written a more perfect moment.

2024 anyone? 😂😂

I'm a clarinet player in college and I would KILL to play this.

Ok but can we take a second to talk about the amazing tubas in this recording?

To quote my band director, "Hazo fortes."

Throughout the seven years I was in concert band, this was by far my favorite piece we ever played. This song is so epic.

played this my freshman year of high school on the flute; honestly the scariest thing we played all year for me

This has been my favorite of Samuel Hazo's compositions.

Where the heck is the clap?

Even though I'm a woodwinds person(clarinet) I loved the low brass part. I don't say that too often.

As an 8th grade trombone player, this song is on my list of things I MUST play before I die.

Playing this my Sophomore year of high school was the most beautiful nightmare of my life. Man, I love this song.

Wow...I played this probably 6 years in high school. What an exciting song! This song scared the crap out of me but it pushed me to become better!

I played this in my marching band show this year. It was the most fun I've had in a long time. I smiled so big during the low brass feature at 2:40. It's simply amazing

3:18 when all the different parts come together 0.0

Bari sax player here (clearly). We had no low brass to speak of throughout my high school band career, so I'd double on reading a baritone bc part and changing the play style to match as best I could. Well, when this piece was passed out, I've never heard a band suddenly learn to sight-read so quickly. It sounded wonderful, and every practice we would always nail the entire thing, each time. It was truly a set of spectacular moments (and a great bassline to embellish!)

5:32 when the cockroach you had just killed is not there anymore.

I love Hazo's syncopations he puts in his music.

Playing trombone on this song is to die for.

Rip every Clarinet and Flute player. Ever.

i had to play the flut solo my freshman year, i cried when i first got the piece

My band started playing this and my god is it epic

This is quite possibly the best thing I have ever heard.

we attempted to sight read this in band. it didn't go well. it's an amazing price tho. Hazo is an amazing composer

4:58 that was the loudest time I have ever played the bass drum.

All-County band wind ensemble Greenville, SC. 3rd chair tuba as freshman with everybody above me as a senior. This song will tear your lips to shreds, but is SOO fun to play. Quite frankly one of my favorite peices ever.

I played this my final year of high school for MEA; a proud moment.

There was this guy performing in a jazz band at our middle school playing the cowbell and absolutely rocking out to it like he had the greatest part in the world. We (band people) called him cowbell boy and he is legendary. For some reason this song reminds me of him.You may have noticed that I have posted four comments in a row. This is because I have listened to this song for about two hours trying to do homework but laughing at biased instrument comments and geeking out over this masterpiece.

4:57 - 4:59 i wanna cry...

We played this my freshman year of high school, 7 years ago. I auditioned and got into the highest level band and was one of two oboists. The oboe solo at 5:20 was my first ever and it will always have a place in my heart.

Hazo was clearly being nice to the percussion.

This man is my conductor at my All-District honor band. It will be an honor to play while he conducts!!

performed this insane flute solo yesterday and it was probably the funnest thing i've ever gotten to perform

I did 2nd Trumpet in this song... SUCH a good one!

I'm scared to play this hearing how good it is :)

i clicked this while listening to the great locomotive chase seeing a french horn as tge photo as i do play thd french horn. after listening to it its pretty amazing

5:37 Dat chord structure though... POWERFUL

My band is playing this, and it's a challenge. It is a very beautiful and intricate piece.

The flute part at the beginning is so cool 🎶🎶

As a percussionist I thought this song was extremely fun to play

FRENCH HORN IN ALL OF IT

So much fun on Trombone. Especially the 1st part

Had first trumpet on this piece and it was so much fun getting to that double D at the end! I love how he uses all sections in his pieces. An overall fun piece for every section!

I still remember when we got this piece in wind band: the looks of the woodwinds when the tutti starts at 1:28. half of them didn't believe an euph could play that fast

FRIK my only complaint is that it's not long enough 😂😂😂 I iust don't want it to end..

So happy to actually be playing this amazing piece! The tuba parts are actually very fun to play and I think it's a pretty enjoyable piece for all instruments. I love and found it quite funny how my band director described the low instruments entering at measure 58 to be badass Arabians strutting into a party HAHA.

1:18 to 2:41 is definitely the most fun as a percussionist. I was told to go to wind ensemble for a day, and we played arabesque. I was told to play marimba and glockenspiel and my god it was the most fun thing I've ever played. No piece we've done in symphonic band will ever be as fun as this piece Edit: fixed a timestamp, I was off by a second

oh my gosh.. The horns at 5:03. THAT SUSPENSION YESSS

I present to you, the greatest masterpiece of all time...

the flute part...jesus christ. my director gave us this song today and she gave me the flute solo. two words...can’t....breathe

Sam Hazo came to my university as a guest conductor for an honor band and conducted this piece. I could tell how much this meant to him and it was truly an amazing experience with a wonderful man.

This and Russian Christmas music on the same concert

When I heard this during state I was captivated, and knew we were done.

The last piece we played as a band before covid 🙈

That's it. I've listened to this only a couple of times and I'm an eighth grade trumpet player. I'm telling my teacher symphonic band needs to play this this for our spring concert. By far the most amazing piece I've ever heard.

I swear I'm half those views

played first horn, died a few times but it was worth it

In seven years of band, this is my favorite piece I ever had the honor and pleasure to play.

This is my absolute favorite piece ever!! I hope to be able to play it in my lifetime. The brass part is amazeballs. The woodwind part is fantabulous. The percussion part is awesome. And they way they all fit together creates a piece that just blows me away. This is such a work of art.

favorite part I low brass at 2:50

Marching this on first trumpet for the 2018-2019 season

This is the best song arrangement I’ve ever heard in my life

I’m not the same person I was before listening to this. Suddenly my skin is clearer, my teeth are whiter and my life is 10x better. -fellow trombone ❤

I played this song yesterday and it was so fun! I just wish I was better so I could play the awesome flute solo!

playing the oboe solo in this piece was definitely the highlight of my high school band days

Still one of my proudest high school memories was playing bass bone on this freshman year. If you think that trombone lick is saucy now, I can assure you it certainly is when it's an octave down too

As the person who had the flute solo and was first chair as a sophomore in high school, this song will always be my nemesis, but also my favorite and most impactful piece of music I've ever played or heard. I still remember when our director played this for the first time after our fall concert, and we were all like, LOL NOPE, and he just stared at me with a smile, nodding while I died inside xD

Probably the most iconic band song out there

Coolest piece I’ve ever played. Still have the fingers memorized to this day

The flute solo at the beginning....I know what I'm practicing over Spring Break. It's such a good piece I'm glad we're putting it on our list for state concert festival.

Guys.... my old high-school band is marching this music. Pray for them.❤

This song is a timpani players best dream and worst nightmare.

4:47 when it slows down is truly a magical part in this piece. I get to play this later on this year for festival and I’m so excited(clarinetist btw)

2016 Syracuse Allegro, I miss you guys tons. This was so much fun.

My 6th Grade Band Director planned on us playing a song by Samuel R. Hazo but we never got around to it. I love his pieces

Played this at a very competitive honor band. coolest piece ever.

I’m a freshman flute and we’re doing this for our end of year concert...

It was amazing having Samuel R. Hazo conduct the 2013 Iowa All State band with this piece! Amazing experience! He is truly brilliant. The low brass part is fun to play and also a challenge. The expressive percussion parts makes the piece one of my favorite. I have to compliment the tambourine player in this recording - great technique!

We just received this in class yesterday and we're going to play this in our concert next month. I received the second Bb clarinet part and being a freshman, I thought, "Oh dear, I could never play this right, I don't want to play this." Then I heard the recording and I just thought, "Must play must play must play must play" because this is worth practicing my mouth off. Worth it.