2008 Missouri All State Band- O Magnum Mysterium

[hrothgar1220]

I played this in wind ensemble on trombone as a quick piece to learn took us 3 weeks tops to put it all together for the concert it's not that bad try playing evokatah that is crazy when put all together

[hrothgar1220]

I play trombone and personally it's a rather easy piece to play if you want to complain about something try playing evokatah look it up you'll see

[TheKarateChick94]

i am playing 2nd flute in this piece right now in the wind ensemble at my high school. such a beautiful piece, i love it. and it is challenging

[KH2fanatic2010]

lol missouri

[xBMTHotaku]

@basscwe11 This song isn't easy. Music is more than notes on a page!!

[Bubbajones712]

This is such a great piece. I agree that people take songs like this for granted. It is such a great choral piece as well. Trying to get a band to sound like a choir and to put their hearts into the music is what this piece is about!

[zachstuart]

i played trumpet on this piece, the thing about this piece that makes it difficult isn't the grade of the music. This piece requires much more of you than just technical ability, you have to truly feel and experience the music for the absolute beauty of this piece to come out. i mean by the climax of this me and the guy sitting next to me could barely play we were almost to the point of tears. The point of this song is to evoke a deep emotional worshipful experience

[dilbertkid123]

i play second clarinet in this piece, and it's so hard to balance and tune this. but when you do, it sounds so gorgeous and powerful. this kinda music is awesome to me cause you have to feel it. for instance, you can feel the tension on notes such as the one at 2:54 and 3:16, and that's what makes music beautiful.

[mbmaccin555555]

All all-state bands are good guys.

[TheMooreBandNerdxXx]

I love this song. We are doing a marching band show that is based off of this song. It's so powerful and even though it's whole notes through the song, you have to know how to balance the chords perfectly and in tune for it to sound right. I really like this.

[OTooleBoy213]

Even though I play 2nd trombone on this, It's still an AMAZING PIECE OF MUSIC

[pianist9000]

2010 Texas All-State 4A Symphonic Band played this to perfection! The french horns were so powerful and so much emotion was put into it just as it should be at any level! It doesn't matter how difficult the repertoire is. In All-State, you go big or go home! :]

[sgjr03]

Beautiful trumpet solo!

[xxxBradTxxx]

I play oboe at Ferris High School in Spokane, Washington

By the end of this song it feels like my face is going to fall off!!!

[Bandman630]

Awesome trumpet solo!

I think this band was just reading the notes and not trying to make their own at times but I thought it was still a good performance! :)

[basscwe11]

personaly i think whatever thise was played was an easy all-state year; I played this song for a concert in windensemble and it was easy so that says alot about that year compared to my group

[JROB1989]

@basscwe11 Just because it's an all-state group, doesn't mean they have to play the toughest pieces. Who are you to judge that?

[GrapestheHero8181]

@basscwe11 slow music is the hardest :P tuning! and balance! and endurance! this piece is challenging in its own right.

[DarthShards]

@basscwe11 Hey, this is a very difficult piece to perform. if you thought it was a piece of cake then you obviously have never played good music. i performed this and i enjoyed it and put my life into the song as i played. nothing is easy, even if its simple it can still be very difficult. just saying that this piece is very hard to perform as an ensemble and to sound good.

[lidlurch]

@basscwe11 easy? i wouldn't call this easy music. if there aren't a lot of notes and difficult rhythms or crazy time signatures, there's probably a lot of challenge behind keeping notes in tune, correct intonation, playing and moving together, and making the thing actually sound good. your definition of "difficult music" is only for people who don't know how to appreciate music and only play to flaunt their technical skill. music is music, so go enjoy playing it.

[xXDJcLAxx]

@basscwe11 DUDE its basically all nuance so yes, it is quite a challenging piece

[dilbertkid123]

@basscwe11 this song is anything but easy. it's an incredibly difficult piece to play, and i'm shocked that a musician who's actually played this song says it's easy.

[wahstrumpet]

@basscwe11 its hard because of intonation and the tempo. it really is a hard peice.

[alohakitty15]

@basscwe11 I`ve played this song too and there`s a ton more to it than simple notes. This song is very difficult when played beautifuly like this and it`s hard to believe someone who`s actually read this song can say they are better for playing "harder music". you should just enjoy the great job this band did at playing it instead of being arrogant and saying your better for playing whatever it is you believe to be more difficult. Also learn to spell.

[JIxba]

just, don't hate, apreciate ;)

[bravoghosty]

"texas is the best" "no florida!" - what a bunch of jerks! just appreciate the music!

[jordan7278]

We played this as our march in high school marching band, lol.

[beanh5]

Who cares who is the best? This piece is played beautifully. Just respect the music and enjoy a very moving piece being performed.

[eggnogrox96]

Florida is #2 behind Texas.

[skamatt23]

Timothy MAhr is an amazing composer/educator and this ensemble pulled off a gorgeous piece. Makes me miss my days in HS/college playing in various ensembles.

[skamatt23]

No disrespect to the group but a lot of entrances and releases weren't perfect. INtonation was good, articulations as well but hardly the best. Very well done performance but calling a group "the best'" is impossible. Excellent ensemble but a lot of transeparency.

I realize this is HS age, not college.

[blaquebuddafly]

goosebumps

[allyhany]

Wow, I've can't believe it took took me this long to find this video, but I was the solo trumpet. Brings back good memories!

[ARodBiz]

@IranicanKid727 my high school bands gonna play this too, along with Mother Earth, and another piece!

[cellofellow1223]

Horns need to play the hell out of that figure at 4:00

[xXJawruWolfXx]

I just got this for my concert band :D It's so pure and the chords are amazing <333 It's easy (sorta) but it's so pure and pretty, I got the Euphonium part and the part is so lush <3 Btw, Missouri all state band, Beautiful job <33 Loved ever second of it :D

[camachjb]

we are ranking all-state bands now? any student who makes it to the all-state level should be very proud, regardless of what state they are in. in the end, its all about the music and this is a fantastic performance. trying to compare it to another interpretation is contradictory to the very foundation of music performance.

[ViolaClarinetti158]

massachusetts allstate band is in the top 5

[Trombonist550]

Can anyone here that playes trombone and has played this piece tell me what it's like (and it has to be 1st part)?

[cj614]

@Trombonist550

easy as pie. just make sure you're watching constantly. the breaks you hear in the song are not written as rests. and be cautious of the time changes. play it once or twice with the band and you're bound to get it easily. plus it doesnt go over Eb as i remember it

[BIGZKoolAid]

Ummm..you guys are good and all, but I'm highly dissappointed with the trumpets in this song. For all-state level this should be a lot more cleaner! But other than that it's a good recording without the breathmark reentrances in this song...

[MusicManTX]

Some of the attacks aren't together... but no doubt an amazing job :) congrats

[dtlounge7]

this is one of the better recordings of this piece! good job!

[waybar1972]

Absolutely Awesome!

[DarkMoon1011]

i hope my band can make this song soujnd good like u guys did :) ur awsome XD

[nikap64]

WOW whats the chances. i look this up becuz we are playing it at my school and i come up with this and I see my brother who graduated last year in this video. He made state. this is cool

[WaltersQuincy]

That was good... The areas where the band is supposed to come in together were not together: They were somewhat divided... The trumpets could have done better as well... Overall, it was pretty good... I especially liked what the conductor did with the extened released.

[Eloijaga]

with all those horn players they should hae been louder at the climax

[PorcupinePingPong]

I just love the measures when there's the grind between different notes, and how it resolves itself in the next measure. Our 8th grade band is playing this. :D

[HardcoreLoominator]

I believe the word your looking for is dissonence. And yes, that's what makes these old Prayer hymns great to play. This was origionally written for choir, just in case you didn't know, and the dissonence and resolution is textbook classic to the old hymns dating all the way back to the gregorian chants up to contemporary music. It creates appeal for the listener.

[codeman953]

This piece becomes so much more moving when you learn the background of it. It was written to show the birth of Jesus through the animals eyes. Great song, not that impressed with trumpets though.. Since I am a trumpet player I am more critical, they just seemed to harsh and bright for this song. I do understand it being in the upper register though.

[Matt123ttam]

texas is the best all state band in the country

[XxBOBOtheCLOWNxX]

@Matt123ttam

Hell yes it is! It's hard as a bitch to get into, though. I got 3rd tuba in Area, didn't make it this year :( But I'm only a freshman, and hopefully I can make it next year.

[JROB1989]

Yeah I've heard that Texas, California, and Missouri the top 3

[tealtoejam]

@JROB1989 i disagree i guess you havnt heard florida! This recording has alot of mistikes. FL is def top 3

[JROB1989]

I haven't heard any all state bands besides missouri

[mrparke007]

@JROB1989 Then how can you say that MO is in the top 3 of the country???

[wPHao]

@tealtoejam FL is good man, but GA is good as well.

[joec8992]

@JROB1989

yep, texas owns overall

there are always some cases where there is some prodigy child from somewhere other than texas lol

but band wise, texas is hard to beat

[steevo7111]

@JROB1989 They usually consider Texas, Illinois, and Missouri to be the best.

[superman84241]

@Matt123ttam any all state band is amazing, texas just has the biggest budget for their band programs because they arent fucks and care about the arts

[mrparke007]

@Matt123ttam Yeah... usually. I just wish they didn't put like 9,000 people in their top ensemble. They could play some truly exquisite pieces if they had a smaller group.

[Flippinpinoy09]

@Matt123ttam Texas is the best and probably the hardest to get into.

[smashueatu]

@Matt123ttam I've heard about texas, florida, and cali, but not missouri.. either way this is good.

[prestosoup94]

@Matt123ttam No offense to Texas but you have to hear other ensembles besides just Texas. My high school wind ensemble is playing this for a concert this tuesday and we sound beautiful. Georgia has great ensembles.Texas may have great all state ensembles but not the best in the country in my opinion.

[Matt123ttam]

@prestosoup94 I realize that. I've heard plenty of bands and orchestras from all over the country. I don't mean to sound arrogant over my state, but Texas music programs come out on top most frequently and that's why I made that original comment I had which I posted a long time ago. I am a much more mature musician now and I don't really care too much about that sort of thing anymore. I just want to hear good music no matter who plays it. I go to Cinco Ranch High School.

[TheRandomEra]

@Matt123ttam

This All state band, is not even as good as my region band was at this song. Texas FTW.

[Matt123ttam]

@TheRandomEra Lol i played this at region band too

[Trombonist550]

@TheRandomEra where that may be, I've seen the same with texas and missouri. Where missouri has such better region bands than the all state band in texas. Over all their both the hardest states to get in to. I live in missouri.

Missouri FTW

[pepprock22]

@Matt123ttam naaw, Montana has the best all-state band AND choir. no one ever hears them.

[cj1lorenz]

gourgous song... i love the badn arragment but the choir arangment is the best thing ive ever heard... cant wait for us to get the music for my symphonic band.

[ela280]

Wow this is so beautiful.....My school's symphonic band is playing this .....i get to play the euphonium solo!

[gulliversslave]

wow... played amazingly, obviously since it's an All-State band. But why was this played IN an all-state band? there is so much more in band repetoire. I mean really? we played this in a regional band.

[TimGBone2]

It's a piece that really requires intense concentration and ability to interpret it. I bet lots of all state bands have played it. And we're actually playing it this year in the national honor band. There may not be that many notes, but there is so much to it.

[prettypicture]

i agree with what TimGBone2 said.

the notes aren't hard. the musical interpretation is what makes this piece come alive. and every conductor wants something different out of this piece so I think it definitely is worth playing for an All-State Band though a regional band may play it well.

[yoyoguy281]

it's not about difficulty, it's about the different interpretations by different groups of people that make it so good

[todaystomsawyer]

@gulliversslave

It may not be difficult to play, but it's difficult to play it to its full potential.

On a side note, there are a lot of clams in the trumpet section. >_> Not to say I haven't clammed at all-state before, but it was on higher notes than this. :P But they're playing pretty quietly, so it's difficult to not clam.

[Bando2650]

@gulliversslave

You are a damned ritard!!!!!! This is a staple of band literature. You are obviously not a mature enough musician to understand the significance of this piece. This piece was arranged for band by none other than H. Robert Reynolds, whom you've probably never heard of or met because you most likely suck at your instrument. If this piece is good enough for the Bands of America NATIONAL Honor Band, then it is good enough for your shitty regional band.....

You are stupid.

[gulliversslave]

@Bando2650 Lol, you're a cool cat. I suppose we live in a world absent of opinion in which "Bando2650" is the only person that matters?

[Bando2650]

@gulliversslave Well, no one has called me a "cool cat" since 1973, but that's not a matter of opinion. Anyone who knows anything in the world of wind band will tell you that this piece is a staple of the literature. That means it's one of the good ones. Go ask your band director if you don't want to take my word for it. And don't I get any credit for calling this guy a ritard? That's a music joke.

[gulliversslave]

@Bando2650 Perhaps we should break away from the popular music. This could be the best piece on the planet, maybe that's a reason that it SHOULDN'T be played, we've all heard it, we've all played it. It has come, it has gone. Let's get some other staples out! Let's play something new, open the brain, create a new musical age. If we could think out of the box and find new stuff, perhaps we could appeal to new students! And no, such a cheesy prefabricated music joke is not credible.

[Bando2650]

@gulliversslave So what you just said is that if the Mona Lisa is one of the greatest works of art on the planet (because it is) that it shouldn't be viewed because it is great. Are you just spewing things from your keyboard just to see it on the screen? Besides that wasn't your original point, your original point was that it shouldn't be played because it is so "easy". Point reference to your shitty regional band. In which case you remain wrong. How bout this joke, go "fa" yourself.

[gulliversslave]

@Bando2650 Well, I've seen the Mona Lisa, and personally, although it's rather beautiful, the only reason I would ever go searching for it is if I went to Le Louvre and saw the real work. So perhaps I would only be intrested if I saw it's original performance, or in a more realistic point, conducted by the composer. By the way, I never actually said it was easy. It's certainly not terribly difficult thought. Next time the USC Wind Ensemble plays it, I'll be there!

[Bbobe900000]

@gulliversslave Actually, we just played it here at USC Thornton a few weeks ago. Were you there?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA, just messing with you. I just thought it was kind of funny that you said that just a couple months before we just performed it. It was a concert of all USC composers, so we played music by Lauridsen, Ticheli, Crockett, Hartke, and Lesemann. It was a very good concert (though some of the music was a bit... strange. Even in the opinion of Jim Self hahaha).

[thesunsethorizons]

@gulliversslave Well, it's the kind of piece that is simple enough, yet requires such musicality that even the most professional of musicians can bring something to it, and make it all the more beautiful. Like, I'm doing this piece in my university wind ensemble, and it's hard. We spend a lot of rehearsal time on it. Sometimes, the piece with the least notes and the slowest tempos are the most difficult out there. :)

[gulliversslave]

@thesunsethorizons I agree, I guess i'm just not feelin this one. I mean I found that the most difficult mvt in Mozart's Oboe Concerto in C was the most difficult to make interesting. I suppose I don't discredit the piece as much as it sounds, i just don't particularly like it.

[thesunsethorizons]

@gulliversslave Fair enough. It's music, and we are all entitled to believe and feel what we want to about it. Personally, this music really moves me, but that may not be the case for everyone. And to tell the truth, I much prefer the slow mvt of Mozart's Clarinet Concerto in A to the Oboe Concerto in C. That's the beauty of music, that it can appeal in different ways to different people.

[drjasonmoore]

@gulliversslave

I've played this in University Wind Symphony... when played just right it will give you the shivers everytime...

[Shadowbunnyjedi]

@gulliversslave what does repertoire have to do with anything? why not let great musicians put true beauty into a deep and wondrous song?

[xllama1x]

@gulliversslave because this is such a sophisticated piece. it has so much more depth than just "playing it correct". People dont take music seriously enough these days. we have been forced to learn that its all about just playing correct notes, when in turn you must not only play correct notes but also be able to feel the music and play with some emotion. that is why its played in a more sophisticated all state band as opposed to a highschool or region band.

[Choryuu33]

wow this is awesome :D the orignial choral version is better but in this you can hear the individual parts.

[ajamesu]

The trumpet section sounds so sweet. I love how they built up to the climax subtly yet noticeably. Such rich blend! Bellissimo!

[hornalicious]

Wow, they even have a lot of the different clarinets (contra alto, and is that a contra bass?)

[Calo2019]

wow... we are playing this for concert band and this is such an amazing piece.

[BrawlSmashers]

I'm a freshmen now and I made districts 4th chair trombone and you guys don't know how badly I want to make all state. It's seriously like a dream for me. And I want to play a song like this just to see the trombone part because trombone is such a beautiful instrument. I know my chances are slim, but it's a dream I want to come true as a freshmen to make allstate. By the way that's my cousin in 1st chair clarinet. But anyway, I hope to see some of you......

[13clarmusic]

BrawlSmashers...just keep playing and u will reach that goal. i had the same feeling as u wen i was a freshman and finally my senior year i made the new york all state band and it was amazing just dont let anything stand in your way thats all. and well the coincidence is i played for Dr. Mahr in the new york all state band but just done let anything stop you and u will reach that all state band.

[BrawlSmashers]

thanks a lot for the advice.

[suien07]

brawlsmashers.....you should just keep on playing and practice like you never did before and just have to hope that you make it and even if you dont make it doesnt mean that you are a great player......sadly my junior year and this year (im senior btw) i missed the all state cut by 2 chairs my junior year and idk how i missed it by 3 chairs my senior year.....so even though you dont make it dont be discourage cuz a lot of good players dont make it to all state. but dont give up neither!!

[INnerdyhood]

I've sightread this song before in band, and I play trombone. I got 1st trombone part on it, and I can tell you that really, it doesnt go higher than a G 3 lines over the staff. The hard part is the tuning and the phrasing, its insanely difficult to blend as well as these guys do. But dont worry man, you'll get in if you keep that attitude and work towards it.

[jnickj6]

Wow! I am sitting here with tears in my eyes, from the subtle beauty that this band created. They took an already beautiful piece of music and transformed it to magic. Thank you! Thank you! Thank You! I applaud you! Wow!

[Philbatrom]

what an amaizing peice

[classof08dude]

OMG... The trumpet solo was AMAZING! Reminded me of myself playing this 3 years ago in high school :'( When we finished the last note it took about 10-15 seconds for ppl to start clapping... it is such a moving peice!!! I <3 OMM!

[quetzal772]

So beautiful!!! I played this in high school also! Loved it so much!!!

[JTSHHS]

I had the extreme opportunity to go with Hickman Choirs this summer to Austria and we were able to preform this song in multiple cathedrals and abbeys. This song originally gave me chills, but its magnified 100% when you're able to preform it in the birthplace of Mozart. Such an amazing song!

[b1e2a]

we played this song for my high school. it was a fail. but my director said that he was in an ensamble that played a tear jerking song like this and it was so good that it took around twenty or thirty seconds from the end of the song for the audience to start clapping. that is nothing short of amazing if you ask me. seriously, this song never fails to bring tears to my eyes. and i don't cry ever. and i can also say that its nothing short of magic how music effects us.

[brha5]

Very nice. This is one of my favorite pieces for concert band. It reminds me of Salvation is Created.

[MusicalMello09]

I played this with the Va District 3 Symphonic Band. 6th chair clarinet. It was amazing. and i loved the french horns. By the way. Ya'll are amazing!! i wish i had made all state this year...

[mijamz]

I just thing the conductor to a little to much liberty with the tempo. lol. Because after the huge climax...it's not really supposed to slow down that much...it just causes a draggy feeling. But definitely at the end the slower tempo works.

[MergGates1]

Many people, like my conductor (hint hint), like to eraly show themselves through this piece. Its the directors job to do that and really move the audience through his methods of conducting. For example my conductor does not take the breath marks but keeps the piece moving smoothly. Just because he thinks it sounds better that way. Its just the way they are.

[SwanseaTigerBand]

It all about the directors interpretation of the song..

[stepbrother15]

the song is beautiful. who arranged the work. i know lauridsen wrote it but who arranged it. btw good job!

[brilander92]

H. Robert Reynolds arranged it, what a master!

[omarfigueroa1]

you guys are awesome, im never gonna get tired of listening to yall, keep up the good work

[JROB1989]

Thank You! it's such a great piece

[QuestionsKidd]

YES! you guys didn't do the breath/pauses!

thank you for playing it so wonderfully.

[MergGates1]

My conductor doesn't wither. I like that way better. :b

[pyriph]

Excellent! I've performed this piece in choir, but there's just something special about the instrumental version as well. Thanks for sharing.

[kruegerson16]

I played trombone in this ensemble. As of now I am a double music major at SIUE. Even after performing Malanka Symphony 8, this piece still speaks to me more. What a wonderful time! Thank you for posting.

[JROB1989]

Thanks for posting. I played Alto in the group, it was a great time. What chair were you for trombone? my roommate was 4th chair trombone in the group

[ChiefDouce]

heyYy man

awesome job, the band im in is playing this song

i love it

.....no fun for percussion guys like me tho aha

intensely peaceful song tho

[neveah0l0]

Was katherine first chair clarinet in 2008?

[JROB1989]

ya i think so

[mijamz]

look how young these kids are...man...and that sound...even with a flaw here and there is amazing...and NOT easy to do choral or instrumental...so I give a big thumbs up to these guys. Great job!

[JROB1989]

Thanks man! it was a fun group to play in, thanks for watching and commenting

[bbjornst07]

I love this song but in places some instruments didn't sound right. Wrong notes or lack of being in tune or something. Good job overall though. Especially trumpet player that was so cool.

[boneman90]

dude, shut the hell up.

[michelle33016]

this song is amazing..it conjures up emotion easily

[chrrytree]

Last year at county honor band, timothy mahr was our guest conductor and he had us play this song too. Interesting to see him again and good job :D

[JROB1989]

thanks, Dr. Mahr is awesome

[BigSticken]

We played this in my junior year, and it's become one of my favorite pieces. You guys sound really awesome.

[JROB1989]

Thanks Sticken, yeah it's a good song. See ya tomorrow or sometime

[boneman90]

man, those trombones sound good.

[clarinetfanatic]

This was my least favorite year of the three years I was in it but it was still wonderful group.

[clarinetfanatic]

I like this piece but when performing this at the MMEA convention It felt like there was no emotion. It felt boring. Plus, no one moves when they play not even a little. I think that moving when you play helps bring out the emotions in a piece and that's why I liked the previous years when I was in all state band b/c people had more emotion when they played and plus you didn't feel like an idiot when moving b/c you weren't the only one. continue...^

[joepiontek12]

I know right! All the great players ever move excessively when they play. I mean, look at a video of Horowitz. He was one of the prominent pianists of the twentieth century and he was all over the place

[grandpianoalex89]

Love this!. =).