Equus By Eric Whitacre

[UlysseHol]

playing timpani on this song is the challenge of my life!

[MrSaxman321]

5:20 sounds like a whale song,was that what Whitacre was trying to imitate?

[MrSaxman321]

I listened to my high school's Sym.1 play this and was blown away!I didn't want the song to end and the girl sitting next to me started to cry because of how beautiful the piece sounded!This is an awesome song!

[ohsnapitbejenna]

i want to take a field trip inside eric whitacre's head.

[jasonfriedman1]

Im a freshman and i played this in high school. Meh fourth horn doesnt have rips but its still cool

[COOKIEMONSTERATHOME]

Trombone In this song is awesome! (I play bass trombone. Gotta love those petal A's and low F's at fortissimo)

[AlongcameIvan]

The first clarinets were a little overpowering. Just stating my opinion. They should have balanced more within the whole ensemble.

[bbdpskim12]

love it my high school band played this(deer park,TX) but i wasn't in high school yet but this year we are playing angels in the architecture and the 3 cullodens

[neroshrimp1]

This so far my favorite song :)

[Confortina5]

does anyone know what band this is?

[Logology101]

@Confortina5

This was on the "Live from Tokyo Album"

It's composed and I think also conducted by Eric Whitacre, while being performed by the Tokyo Youth Orchestra.

[1256pillowcase]

...sometimes i feel like people dislike good videos just to be dicks...8 of em.



[K00lstorybrah]

love it..

[TheEnglishQuail]

Saw this video in the "related videos" section, I noticed equus, means "horse" in Latin

[floobersnoot]

i'd love to play this trombone part.

[sugarpancakes69]

i would love to see a horse that relates to this song :)

[camcam2015]

I just finished listening to this... I cried.

[camcam2015]

HOLY CRAP! THIS IS FREAKIN' AWESOME!

[BurritoCrafter]

I started head banging to this.... then the time signature changed... and yeah...

[Dragonight70]

So you are one of those guys. That's interesting. Prove that your anything but a figment of my imagination or you don't exist.

[milkacowTv11]

What is the time signature and Key of this piece?

[Sato1515]

@milkacowTv11 There are multiple time signatures, It usually says in 4/4 with some 3/4 or 3/2. But there is also an annoying 3+2/4 Which can really piss the hell out of ya

[unitedkindrum214]

@milkacowTv11 it changes between 4/4 and 3/2 a lot, but I forgot the key it's in

[browncoat697]

@unitedkindrum214 I'm pretty sure it's partially in C and partially in A flat. The beginning is in C, for sure.

[dean12345123]

@unitedkindrum214 I thought it was 3||2/4

[unitedkindrum214]

@dean12345123 some of it, but it switches quite a bit throughout the whole piece

[7forthewin7]

this piece is glorious. but soooo insane to play

[unitedkindrum214]

We're playing this for band.. THE BELL PART AT THE END IS RIDICULOUS!!

[jalenmichaelheggie]

@unitedkindrum214 lol i feel your pain i had to play bells marimba bass snare piano and many mor instruments on this .lol

[Dragonight70]

Bassoonists all the way. Played 32 measures of this straight not taking a breath from rest to rest and I was the only bassoonist and I couldn't break the tempo. Then played another 64 measures with only a short breath around the 35th measure of play.

[justie1220]

@Dragonight70 Proof or it didnt happen.

[UlysseHol]

percussion and timpani are super awesome in this song!

[emospadakun04]

my sister is playing this song for her high school band. she's a freshman flute :D

[MrsCurrin]

We're playing this piece in my high school band as well. I personally looovee this piece!

[PukingRabbit321]

My high school band is playing this when we go on our trip to Boston! I'm so excited! This piece rocks!!!!

[STApercussionkid]

This is my favorite song in the world right now. <3 Trombone glisses in the ballad portion.

[Phoxus]

8:31 almost sounds like something from Shadow Rituals by Michael Markowski.

[jasonfriedman1]

Playing it in high school. This is such a great song

[Zielkenoel]

@jasonfriedman1 really? Wow, where did you go to high school? This is really advanced for a high school band.

[7dylanmoore]

So in my school we are starting this peice and we are starting a bit slow, but it sounds super dramatic, like there are armies marching to face each other. I can't wait to play it at speed!

[natst251]

I really wish my school had a band so that we could play this song. It's amazing.

[TheJakeL152]

TUBA part, proably one of the best songs ive ever had the pleasure to play

[mirage1711]

@TheJakeL152 u right- totally rocks! i like, i show to others1

[imabigboy21]

The counting for this piece is MAD CRAZZZZY!!!! But it is FUN!!! GO SAXAPHONES!!!!!!

[bandgeek677]

This piece is crazy! I am a percussionist and I have the glock and marimba part!! It's so much fun, but it's actually kinda hard!

[ILoveBlackMetal100]

is this from a movie?

[browncoat697]

@ILoveBlackMetal100 Nope. It's simply a composition by Eric Whitacre intended for symphonic/concert bands. Primarily colleges and high schools. This was actually intended for the University of Miami band to play, IIRC. They commissioned it.

[scantpiper]

I'm played this some years ago with trumpet...it's very difficult but feasible. Actually reminds me anything of Mike Oldifield...however this piece spring very modern and spectacular.

[MJluver4lifeRIP]

played this song last year...clarinets.....hardest part ive ever played..and ive been playing for 5 years..still had a lot of fun though

[bigbluedevil132]

Does anyone know what the bari sax part for this is like?

[NumberNine98]

@bigbluedevil132 I'm playing the contrabass clarinet part this year in school, and I sit next to our bari sax. It's not particularly difficult. It's mostly downbeats. Bari sax does get the ascending eighth note line at letter N(4:12). And it has the triplets at letter V(7:17). Aside from that, mostly the downbeat part you hear throughout the piece.

[grizleymidget]

I play bassoon. This piece isn't particularly hard to play, but it's not very easy either.

[AndyMan4000]

My director described this piece like this:

"You'll want to dance to it, but if you dance to it you might hurt yourself."

[barimusicman]

does anyone know if the bassoon part is any good?

[BetoDiazT]

@barimusicman the bassoon part is great. I didnt play it but i sat next to the bassoon player and she was struggling to get it down but once she did it was great :)

[dominodot321]

@barimusicman Do you play bassoon? It's always fun to meet another person who plays your instrument! :)

[barimusicman]

@dominodot321 it definitely is! especially since not too many people play bassoon.

[dominodot321]

@barimusicman That's great! I'd love to have a conversation with you sometime!

[LoudLaugh101]

@barimusicman i play bassoon too! i love it so much. i just started a year ago (almost exactly) and i've already gotten one of my friends to play it with me(:

[barimusicman]

@dominodot321 yes, I do play bassoon.

[PiccoloBoy15]

Trombones go ape in this song. I love it!

[edwloveyou]

Clarinets are just fucking awesome.

[Fredricksonburg]

@edwloveyou tru dat double tru. i play trombone but man clarinets can set the mood

[PmeaDistrict1]

CLARINETS FTW

[Rikuthemaster]

6 people can't play this song.

[xIIEPiiCFAiiLx]

my highschool wind ensemble is playing this. french horns rest for like 1000 measures. ugh -_____-

[abigaild2013]

@xIIEPiiCFAiiLx I feel ya....1st horn player here...love those rips though

[xIIEPiiCFAiiLx]

@abigaild2013 its the only exciting part in the piece. lawlz

[grecianxpiratex07]

My school played a version of this song for our first movement in marching band this year :) it was awesome!

[Fluteperson01]

this was our marching show.... it was amazing...

[browncoat697]

@Fluteperson01 Wow, that's ballsy. We're doing this as a symphonic piece in January and not marching. Our marching show (Medusa) was very fast and technically challenging on an individual level, but in terms of time signature and ensemble difficulty, it's much easier. Unfortunately, all I got was percussion 2. The most interesting percussion part is 3, and it's not all that difficult, just some fairly quick and annoying marimba work.

[Fluteperson01]

@browncoat697 thats always fun, I played accessories because i had to have surgery but i would have marched piccolo

[ChunkyFunkyMonkey12]

@browncoat697 I'm guessing you're from Plano East, huh, because I was like the only person who actaully recognized it when I heard you guys played "Air"

[grecianxpiratex07]

@ChunkyFunkyMonkey12 nope, browncoat isn't from PESH (I know because Plano East's show is "Currents" not "Medusa") just helpin' ya :)

[browncoat697]

@ChunkyFunkyMonkey12 Definitely not. I'm from a high school in Washington state called North Thurston High School, and we have yet to perform this in concert.

[Panjaquomi]

@TheToa67 Well, it's been a top comment for quite a while now :D

[GuitarHeroRocks99]

Lol I played this song

[golfnut007]

@TheToa67 As a trombonist who played this piece, we're going apeshit for most of it lol

[tadsvlog]

Our marching show was based off of this last year. We won second place at states. soooooo awesome.

[Flippylover21]

my high school used this for our show called Dantes journey, its movement three :3 (im part of the color guard, and the high school is Mansfield for those who dont know)

[madra1997]

@Flippylover21 I saw your show! It was really good!!

[Flippylover21]

@madra1997 thanks :) it took forever to keep balance on the teeter-totters at the end xD

[tfrancis14]

My highschool gets to play this:)



[333Caps]

@tfrancis14 lucky!

[333Caps]

@tfrancis14 lucky!

[ilhorses101]

i'm a clarinetist and i would absolutely LOVE playing this <3

[mellz0rthekilljoy]

That was the best ten minutes of my life. I want to play this piece someday.

[jonjo12321]

7:16 LOUDER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[LordoftheNight66]

@jonjo12321 lol

[TheSleepyPeeps]

My marching band is performing Labyrinth: A fairytale. Equus, Pan's Labyrinth, and Someday my Prince will Come. DelValGoldenRegiment!

[chocchipcookiegirl]

@TheSleepyPeeps You're lucky, I love the Pan's Labyrith music! :)

[8redsoxfan]

My band just started playing this and it is not easy contrary to how the sheet music looks.

[jessicalikesthings]

@8redsoxfan Eric Whitacre said that he wrote this piece mainly for the sole purpose of it being extremely difficult to play, so don't feel too badly.

[LordoftheNight66]

@8redsoxfan its the way its written too, it looks soooooooooooo easy, but it is played in cut time which is a major pain in the ass XD

[TakekuraKaze]

@LordoftheNight66 its basically, DDDDDDDDDDDDDD.... etc. (clarinets XD) until splash of what the hell is this on the next page, aha.

[Beviedev]

I play the French Horn. I love this song, and I wish I could play it, but my band is not good enough to play something like this. Doesn't mean I can't enjoy listening to it! The clarinets are amazing in this song. And omg the low brass makes my ears shatter with its amazingness. (We are lucky to have one tuba player) And the trombones? Win! =D

[madra1997]

I love how modern marching has transformed the melody in this piece into a dark rendition! Sounds awesome when played by a really skilled trumpet/Horn

[ToastWTFrench]

We just began to learn this today. My arm is killing me from my trombone. Playing this makes me feel like a wet noodle.

[BellethielDaugon]

Newbie cairinette player here! I plan on learning this song, and showing my teacher some Eric Whitacre. :3 This composer is brilliant.

[xseriousSAM0099]

and i thought ticheli was good...

[Aruns94]

The first two and a half minutes are absolutely captivating

[NeonOcelot717]

5 people must be jealous that they aren't playing this song right now.

[iroc1171]

@NeonOcelot717 trudat

[BlueShadow194]

This is in our marching band show! I didn't recognize it at first.

FAIL. But a very cool song.

[iluvsheru1]

@BlueShadow194 are you from prospect high school in illinois?

[BlueShadow194]

@iluvsheru1 yes....

[iluvsheru1]

@BlueShadow194 cool! i saw your show at wheeling last saturday and it was amazing. what do you play?

[BlueShadow194]

@iluvsheru1

I play the clarinet! And thank you!

[iluvsheru1]

@BlueShadow194 lucky! clarinet is awesome in this piece..i play flute myself. and good job, grand champion at U of I!! Haha we were glad that prospect was in 5A, because we actually had a chance and got 2nd place in 6A! but you guys are really great. is your marching band fun?

[BlueShadow194]

@iluvsheru1

Thank you! Oh, congratulations for second place! Almost first place~

Marching band is pretty fun for us except for the times where we're works a lot harder than we're used to. Other than that, we have some fun marching.

[MrCG35]

@BlueShadow194 I saw your show at NIU, was amazing (plus I was thrilled to hear 4 Scottish Dances :P)

[Saxmaster2012]

@BlueShadow194 You are from Prospect? I saw you perform at you marching competition you recently held. Amazing. One of the best shows I've seen by a high school. 

[BlueShadow194]

@Saxmaster2012

Thanks! Hope you enjoyed the competition as well if you saw some of the other bands preform.

[jrang96]

I wanna play bells on this. I am so loud enough for that part. Percussion ftw.

[AznLoLStar]

1:49 WASSUP YA'LL LOW BRASS FTW-from a trumpet player o.o

so EPIC

[therealballoondude2]

I started listening to this, and then realized that an arrangement of this is the first movement of my marching band show. I thought the word "Equus" seemed familiar.

[FunkkyPanda]

<3

[SaxPlayers13]

we are playing this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ThisBeEmily]

Adding this song to the list of things to play before I die :D

[VenomEmperor]

@ThisBeEmily

AH I thought I was the only one who made a list of things I need to play within my lifetime.

[napolian555]

played this last year in wind ensemble, we prepared this piece for 4 months and even by the end of concert season it was challenging but it was so beautiful and just amazing. totally worth the time put into it :)

[lvskbd23]

This is part of our marching show this year! Legit.

[lotharification]

Technical not that tricky, rhythmically is way harder; but practicable :)

[tomriddleyo]

@lotharification I REALLY want to play this piece, but I'm not sure if I could get the clarinet solo as I play pretty well but I have a hard time being consistent and I don't want to let the band down!

[chocchipcookiegirl]

@tomriddleyo yeah, you really cant stuff up the solo in this or everyone notices! But I'm sure you'll get it- just practice! :)

[tomriddleyo]

Has anyone played the clarinet solo for this?

[lotharification]

@tomriddleyo I`ve played it a several times...What`s the matter for your question?

[tomriddleyo]

@lotharification How tricky is it??

[skoppy356]

PMK what up!!!

[ProfessorKeeling]

I played that bell part, and it was incredible.

[Tubatroopa]

Pretty sure Avon played a marching show with this...Now and Zen

[MrAKL83194]

My highschool advanced band is playing this this year! Can't wait!!

[xXDobix007Xx]

4:12

the trumpet there sounded really beautiful. its sound was just... wow.

[TheSleepyPeeps]

@jessica900001840 possibly equus from boradway?

[Timewarden17]

This piece is just.... Awesome... Eric Whitacre is a genius.

[SilverWalker56]

equus wouldnt be considered difficult in rhythms, but theres something that when you play it with the enitre band, its so much more elaborate and difficult. i really enjored playing that piece.

during the contest we played it at, we hit 200+ and that was a new tempo for us. but it was pulled off really well. It's a special piece.

[RemiBrawler]

@SilverWalker56 It's one of those pieces that's a pain in the butt to pull together, but when you do, it's incredible.

[Jessica900001840]

this isnt the equus i played. :(

[DrunkenKangeroo]

I had the privilege of playing one of the two bass clarinet parts to this :)

[jena012893]

Hows the timpani part for this? Has anyone played it? Im looking at playing it. I love this piece. : D

[iloveredsox7020]

this is bloody brilliant

[55darkwolfe55]

it's official, i'm going to have to make this on mario paint ^-^

[yoshiinhd]

@55darkwolfe55 good luck with that but if you do can i see it ps this goes 200 bpm

[55darkwolfe55]

@yoshiinhd

i quickly found out that i couldnt save enough files to make the full thing but if you like i can upload my favorite section that i made =)

[yoshiinhd]

@55darkwolfe55 ok do that i want to see it!

[55darkwolfe55]

@yoshiinhd

alright here it is =)

/watch?v=4AbIDlfRNWk&feature=y­outube_gdata

[ShortneySpiders]

EPIC!

[rachellol43]

Brilliant!

[Seirra54]

I think my school used this piece about four or five years ago in a marching show. But recently its just been too overdone... I pity any Texas band that does this next year. The BOA judges will be like, "not again...".

Still one of the most original and enjoyable pieces I've ever had the chance to play.

[cucukazoo]

@Seirra54 That is so true.

[SlickFrosty]

@Seirra54 Dude IKR! I swear I went to one marching contest and 4 bands played it... I got to Summit High School Btw

[RBAF7MXVA13]

This piece is so complex but very fun to play

[buggalandry]

my band is marching this for our show :) ayyyee

[ACESHIGH1020304]

@buggalandry delval...?

[woodwindgaga]

Try to type this on the Youtube search box this and please comment :

SBP WOC Prelimineries 2011 - Sekolah Dato Abdul Razak - Golden Festival Overture

[VioLynn0803]

this song is amazing... <3

[Beviedev]

I love the low part at 1:49, even though its just the same note, it is perfect in contrast to the other things. I love the beat of it.

[NoTomHere]

Anyone else for the trombone part at 5:09?

[flubaxx]

This is going to be the first movement of our marching show! I'm soo excited this song is awesome!

[FelineFriendly]

@flubaxx Are you in the PMK?

[flubaxx]

@FelineFriendly Nah PESH. In Texas.

[FelineFriendly]

@flubaxx I'll have to look that one up. I'm from the PMK in Illinois, and we're doing the exact same thing. The show's gonna be called 'Leonardo's Dream' and it's gonna be so much fun! What's the title of your show?

[flubaxx]

@FelineFriendly It's titled Currents. The first movement being Air, then Water, and last Electric. Yours sounds super cool though! I take it it's from Inception? That sounds like it's going to be really interesting. Our shows are always super DCI style since we share a lot of the Cavaliers' staff. Heck Drew Shanefeild is writing our third movement. I love seeing cool bands outside of Texas! I'll check out you guys too. :)

[FelineFriendly]

@flubaxx Oooooooooooooo... Sounds awesome! The Cavaliers are AMAZING, and Drew Shanefield?! I KNOW him!