October--Eric Whitacre

[resinadeanna]

i wonder about the one person who disliked this. haha. doesn't make sense to me.

[AEC2121]

Oboe...eeeeee! :D

[thebillybobjoe360]

this truly is a amzing song... wow, just amazing

[Sleddog116]

We did this my senior year; I still can't hear this piece without getting misty-eyed. It's such a breathtaking and beautiful song - the sense of yearning heard throughout is difficult to put into words.

[LockeandDemosthenes]

@Sleddog116

I agree completely. I played this piece in college, and it has always reminded me of the music from _The Shawshank Redemption_, which gets at that same feeling. Stephen King also evokes it in _Salem's Lot_, when he is describing how fall and winter come to Maine. Beautiful writing. It's what C.S. Lewis calls by the German word "Sehensucht" (in _The Problem of Pain_)--that yearning for God-knows-what.

[Sleddog116]

@LockeandDemosthenes

Being from New Hampshire myself (I'm no longer in NH, sadly), I can identify with what you said about King. And, of course, if anyone could somehow put such a feeling on a page, it would be C.S. Lewis.

[K00lstorybrah]

Amazing.



[gmanbyah328]

@Tycowa15303

Spoke too soon. :/

[ThePatkellywilliams]

we just played this one as well. it is amazing :)

[CODEVeronika0418]

I think every high school band on the planet has played this song. Lol.

[gmanbyah328]

@CODEVeronika0418

If not, every high school band should! This piece is beautiful.

[scoobygirlrn03]

my band's playing this for our concert next Tuesday...i love it! it's so beautiful, one of the most amazing arrangements for bands ever written! :)

[Thefunkintown]

My band director had some issues with this song at another school tht he taught the students loved it they decided it should go last he said OK they went to competition and before the last song he mention to the crowd that it was his last year at the school the students started to cry and played horribly afterward a student grabbed him by the neck at shook him while saying that he ruined the whole band on their favorite song....its a very sad thing for a competition

[bandninja11]

my band is playing Lux Aurumque by this same composer for UIL on Wednesday. I don't know which one i like more.

[meagunok3]

were playing this song for our concert festival...is was so easy for us we use sections from it as a warm-up

[stewmberto]

@meagunok3

There is a difference between being able to play a piece and making music from it.

[WildChicLuva31]

My high school band played this song for our fall concert, and the piece is seriously beautiful. ASU did an amazing job with the piece as well!

[rayl9]

i love this song haha. Our band played it. The timpani part to this was so difficult...tuning and tone-quality wise.

[pie5333]

that euphonium solo was not good...

[pkrzycki]

When I am about to die, in the last minutes of my life, I want to listen to this...

Played this for the first time in a symphony orchestra in college... and I've loved it ever since...

[FallenMonk3ys]

Well done! The only thing I would change would be for all the instruments to start the substained notes at the end at the same time because if not, it will sound like there is an echo, like on this recording. But besides that, Beautiful piece and well performed! Bravo!

[QuarkFlux]

Well done! Bravo!

[unepommeverte17]

we played this for a band challenge in SF and my band director was worried it was gonna be too damp for instruments like the oboe and bassoon and such so he replaced the oboe solo with a soprano sax (and we have this AMAZING sax player. even the other saxes call him a god or something) and it was BEAUTIFUL i think i liked it better than with the normal oboe....

[heavenlydevilsgrin]

played this in the st. patrick's cathedral in ireland. prettiest song ever.

[missmeganswenson12]

My band director showed us this piece in class one day and I fell head over heals in love with it. It's even on my iPod. This recording you have sounds really nice.

[euphoniumE5]

EUPHONIUM solo <3

[LIGHTRONIX]

It's a sin to upload music at 240p.

[mannytrumpet]

I really love this song it really makes me think about everything...love,happy times,sad times :*)

[lethalxxlori]

that is such a beautiful vibrato in the flute section.

[TheDominicanism]

my band director also wants me to play it for the next concert. We're going to play the whole song, so it's going to be about 10 minutes long. I hope i don't fall asleep. This music is soo relaxing.

[tejada95]

so true

[Jenely2]

lol :p im going to a concert, and the people playing are going to play that same song!

[SpoonxEmo]

I get chills everytime I listen to this. So gorgeous and expressive!

[robryani]

At first I thought my computer wasn't working, but it starts playing shortly after 0:13... a superior recording of one of my favorite wind ensemble pieces. Makes me think of my mom...

[Travelchannelluver]

my school did a marching show to this!

[JumpingJewels14]

I LOVVVVVEEEEEEE this song!!!! its so beautiful! and you can hear the fr. horns!!!!!

[mightyxxkt]

i get to play this my sophomore year in high school, and i absolutely lovee this song:)

[noiseformusic]

I played this song in concert band my freshman year of high school. Our director started crying while he was directing us.

To always remember it, I got a tattoo of the opening melody. This song has saved me in ways I can't even begin to explain.

[Floppygirl]

i love this song :)

[catsxrulexafrica]

our band played this last year. such a good song. such good memories. I just sat here and teared up a bit listening to this song remembering all the memories, good and bad, that went a long with putting this piece together for competition. such a gorgeous song. I'd do anything to be able to go back in time and play it through one more time.

[shinigami109]

get to play this in symphonic band! so beautiful :)

[lobster12345678910]

I played the Euph solo for this piece and I almost cried after playing this piece every time.

Such a masterpiece.

Thank you Eric Whitacre.

[lildragongirl19]

I was first introduced to this song freshman year of high school in an honor band. Now, 5 years later as a junior in college, I get to play it again. I couldn't be happier - this song is simply magical. <3

[morimocchan]

my band director wants us to play this song this year and i'm the only oboist so i get the solo. but i don't know if i can play that well. ._. any oboists have any advice? ><

really love this piece by the way :D it's beautiful.

[onewiththepiano]

@morimocchan Just make sure you start each note with enough air. A lot of young oboists especially try to blossom into the notes when they are trying to play soft and musical. Good luck!

[hodgepodge611]

@morimocchan make sure to use dynamics during the solo, and use vibrato!

[jeremywigington]

@morimocchan

Practice practice practice. In order of your solo to sound like the oboist here, make sure your reed is in good shape, and work on your tone while playing.

But over all, remember to make music. Play it with feeling. Don't just read the notes on the page.

[Musicmajor88]

@morimocchan not an oboist, im a bassoonist but my advice to give to you is practice and relax. my music theory teacher told us its ok to make a mistake..your not gonna die. but just relax and practice, if you have practiced enough and you really care about music, then you will do awesome!!

[technobeat1]

@morimocchan yeah just a lot of breath support like onwiththepiano said. Without breath, the note can't be sustained. Also, cresting the dynamics is great. Like, starting the notes softly, getting a little louder, and then tapering off.

[Arletabandalto13]

@morimocchan  Momoiro its tohru XD

[Swordblogs]

@morimocchan Also make sure you take your time through all the notes. There's no rush YOU control the tempo as you are the only moving part. Hope this helps.

[cdog1089]

@morimocchan Don't geyour hopup I'me only st in my band tbut thlo being playe the flute.. however, Try to make the grace note a little longer than a normal grace note and use side Eb key, anbe reful of the jump to the A.

[leo10ben]

@morimocchan I agree with @onewiththepiano. Also, use the left Eb key when going to the Db!

[thevidmounstro]

this is probably the best recording of this piece ive heard. our wind symphony is playing it this year. im the oboist. i love the piece and all the beautiful solos.

[TheQuiginator]

The Euphonium solo is just beautiful. Were playing this in my highschool Wind Ensemble, and I wish that we could make it as pretty as this.

[darkchocalate0212]

Beautiful piece...We played this in highschool and college wind ensemble. I agree with 8th graders not being mature enought to play this...Eric Witacre is a genius.

[Pyretix]

Beautiful.

When I was in high school I was in band and loved it. I had wanted to be in band in college but I ended up not realizing a lot of my ambitions... strange but this song made me very sad about never having taken music any further.

[ToulBoi]

@Pyretix I know what you mean - I haven't actually chosen my path but music is a hobby not a career in my eyes and as I spend less time with it and look back at pieces like these that I've played I just feel this odd regret.

[redskinsfan201]

Ahhh...The sound of the vuvuzelas blends perfectly with this lovely song. Thank you Youtube for sharing that with us.

[Thesunshine935]

Wow! I think we'er playing this piece when school starts back again in september. I love Eric Whitacre he is just amazing!

[mattdamon37]

I played this in my high school symphonic band and loved it. even though we didn't play it to its full potential.

[randyperson]

This is absolutely a beautiful piece of art. It almost had me in tears, and I didn't even have anything to cry about. It truly demonstrates the power of music in the human soul. Thank you, Eric Whitacre, for this magnificent work.

[djrea4815]

my high school ban played this last year and we won gold at micca and played at symphony hall. this year we played incantation and dance and also got gold. =)

[1yelsew]

@djrea4815 my school also played october and incantation as part of the Connecticut Music Festival, along with other pieces, but i find it strange how both our directors chose these two songs for one performance!

[tubamaestro55]

I don't like the cut time after the Euphonium solo that is written. My director took it regular tempo when we played it and it sounded a MILLION times better. That's the first impact section of the song, and it has to be brought out to create emphasis and musicality. The cut time that is written speeds through it too quickly.

Does anyone have any idea where I can get a copy of this piece on mp3?

[RLSCOTT74]

R Scott - Outstanding as always!

[offftayee]

this piece is absolutely amazing. i just started playing it in a wind orchestra today, and i had to listen to it again. the sounds are just so beautiful and the piece itself is so moving. absolutely amazing.

[BariDWT]

I played the euphonium solo in my high school concert band about 5 years ago, still love this song. We had some people in the audience in tears!

[madman987654]

the coughing at 1:35 almost ruined it for me....

[DscT501]

My High School wind ensemble is going to play this at a competition at Virginia Beach next week. It's a great piece, little disappointed with the tubas though. Couldn't really hear them a lot aspecially the 2 measures before I when the pla C them play B natural on the forth beat and crescando on I with an low E natural. They needed to play out more. Never can get enough tuba in this world.

[matters9319]

@DscT501 for real? is it on saturday? I HAVE to hear this piece played there, I'll be in Virginia Beach with my highschool jazz band then. I haven't heard this live since an all-state festival two years ago i was in.

[XplicitAzn]

baritone solo <3 sucks we had to replace it with a tenor cause no one in my band plays the bari sax :(

[matters9319]

Played this at an all-state festival, it was so difficult to put together but once we started blending and got everything down, it was an experience I swear I could never forget :). Goosebumps and chills down my spine like I've never had before, I was right in front of the symbol too, those rolls were intense, such an amazing song.

[LonelyHeartz2]

I looove all of Eric Whitacre's pieces, but October has to be my absolute favorite <3

[iwannabeaweasley]

SO pretty :)

I'm on second flute part, and it's annoying to play, but the end product is worth it.

[madman987654]

@iwannabeaweasley lol yeah especially when the music for first and second are written on the same page.... i play flute too, but i had the first part, and we ended up not doing this song because of stupid people in my band but it was my favorite song that we had.... lovely harmony in the flutes though.

[trailblazer225]

We're playing this. Go bass clarinets! Such a beautiful piece.

[Zeppelinfreak234]

6:17- 6:21, bass trombone runs shit

[trailblazer225]

Hahaha yeah whole low brass section and low reeds play that in my band. Maybe here too. It's not too hard but uber fun.

[ethorner1]

i have never played anything like this, so for me (i'm not very good to begin with) it's a challenge. i'm 3rd chair so i don't get to play the baritone solo, but it sounds like my style.

[mdenisetrotter]

omg i played this my freshman or sophmore yr of high school*flute section:D*>love this piece> very relaxing>bring chills esp at that part yall kno which one

[Tiffawesomeness]

This song is one of the most beautiful pieces of music I heard.

Our wind ensemble(high school) played it last year for a concert and I got chills every time.

[G8tr1522]

This song is a bitch to play. I had the tenor sax part (which was easy) and I usally got pretty lost in the song until I got the cues.

[DayDreamPictures007]

this is a wonderful recording. but it's taken a bit too fast, especially after the baritone solo

[ljliar]

Who else thinks this piece is a PERFECT, beautiful depiction of the life/death/eternal peace cycle? So comforting.

[katieandkatieshow]

We're playing this!!!! woohoo! im the oboe solist (: in my band i mean

[playtrombone1]

hey brownroy000 i totally agree with you, i got chills everytime throughout the whole song especially there! i was also playing in that group last weekend. trombone section!!

[brownroy000]

at the end of this piece where there's the huge creasendo and then a huge emotional cord had blown me away when I played this for the WMEA All-State. it made me cry cause it reminds me of my grandma and that part shows me that my grandma is okay in Heaven with God:)

[playtrombone1]

hey i was in that group too!!! i loved playing that song with everyone!! i got chills everytime

[Smurfy1211]

I absolutely adore this piece.

[fortheloveofLDS]

I am in love with this piece.

[hidey66]

This song is very pretty...we're playing it for organization contest...we sound a tad bit under "ok" but i still love it...this band played it very well...they're so balanced it's ridiculous lol great job...we'll b lucky if we play it half this good lol love the clashes in trumpet section!!!!!

[TorridPassion]

This brings back so many good memories. I absolutely LOVED playing this song in high school...we won 7 competitions and 42 awards with it that year! Stunning song, Whitacre is a living legend.

[stevena69]

Marched this song this year for my band, its a very beautiful and difficult peice.

[Ojamandala]

OMG.... not a single tuning problem! i've heard other October vids and ppl, the parts where the sound gets disoriented, they keep that in tune n make it sound like its supposed to be there, which it is, n when other bands play it, its like... eww was that a mistake on everyone's part or what? its a bit fast at the euph solo but it was so sexy!

[ChristainHungry]

tuning is still good at the trumpet line at 5:52 and so on so i agree with you 100%.

[shaylen911]

@Ojamandala disagree.. there's a bit of tuning in the middle woodwinds around 1:15 i think not that terrible, just thought i'd point it out.

oh god at 5:37 too. oboe kills it.

[javertyuri2]

Solo Oboist is outstanding, on solo reprise could have held last note longer.

Could definitly slow down some, pull more emotion out of it. Baritone solo little quick. Lst three chords, baritone or bassoon came in early and bassoon to strong, that last chord needs more balance from the bottom. I agree 3:45 was too fast. Trumpets could blend a little more.

More dyanamic shift could be used, increase range of intensity/volume, as well tempo range.

Overall: 9.0/10

[boznewb]

You say "on solo [oboe] reprise could have held last note longer" -- wrong! It is held for 5 beats, exactly as this oboist did in this recording. It is followed by two beats of rest for the entire ensemble. Whitacre wrote in a beautiful and contemplative silence which the oboist respected by coming off the last quarter note in time. Nice performance by the AZ University Wind Ensemble!

[spencer0617]

Slow classical pieces don't belong on the field if your band is a show band. However, if your goal is to be a competitive marching band then you need a slow movement. The only differences between a marching band and a concert band should be marching and sheer volume. There's nothing like hearing the sound of a huge marching band bounce off the walls of a dome at the impact in the middle movement.

[Mortechai]

@spencer0617

My sophomore year of HS we marched an Aaron Copeland show(Appalachian Springs suite) to great effect bringing in straight superiors. It stands as one of my most memorable moments in music :D. We even high-stepped in half time during the recapitulation of the main theme in the finale XD. So IMO,you can do great things with slow, operatic pieces on the marching field.

[Brookerench2167]

Love the song. Some of the flute parts are a little weird, and I hate the key (D flat major), but still a really pretty song.

[metalforever345]

is it just me or does the euphonium solo sound too harsh?

[baritonesaxx]

nah. its the strongest part of the song. you won't hear it better than that

[beastmode143]

it's a little faster than i wouldve played it also

[tubadude07]

It's ASU, they play like robots down in the south......KIDDING!!!

Our Wind Ensemble performed this piece, and the feeling I felt while playing was unbelievable and it brought half the ensemble to tears. Definitely a beautiful piece of music and ASU did a great job playing it.

[capnfoo]

sounds rushed at 3:45, we played that part much slower and I think it sounded much better.

[Saxobro1224]

Damnit. We played this in marching band. This piece does not belong on the field.

[Cammie4]

That sounds just like my marching band director. Slow classical pieces are for concert band, NOT marching.

[baritonesaxx]

obviously you've never been to a BOA regional. This is the type of music that differentiates the groups like Avon from the rest.

[knreal]

For a composer who strictly just does vocal pieces..and has only done 3 wind ensemble pieces..this is the most beautiful piece i have ever heard. I almost cry everytime i play it..the trumpet parts are great.

[MagixP]

This piece is just breaktaking

[sw33tf00t]

i'm playing this song in band...the flute part is hard[im in 8th grade] heheh still extremely beautiful though =D

[mrsax13]

im sorry but eighth graders should not be playing this piece. i thought i was awesome when i played american elegy in the eighth grade but no eighth grader is mature enough...:/

[sw33tf00t]

we're doing pretty good as a band, but i highly doubt i'd be able to reach perfection. This is my 4th year playing, and full band in my class sounds pretty good...

...but i don't really see your point

[babablacksheep232]

i agree with you....i think when you get older you can understand a piece much better.

[1yelsew]

@mrsax13 to play a song like october or american elegy you need to find a something inside. When i played american elegy our director made us watch a video about columbine high school so that we could see the purpose of the piece. I think that it showed the audience and, us, how music is much more than notes on page and October is just as powerful, even if it's not dedicated to something, we must think of something that will give meaning to this piece

[buzzsaw15]

yeah that's right the base line actually has an interesting part ( near 3:18 )

[facemash]

@buzzsaw15 Bass line. And yes the tuba part is excellent.

[buzzsaw15]

@facemash i think it might actually been a baritone

[facemash]

@buzzsaw15 I was just referring to the whole piece. The tuba part is excellent throughout as is the euphonium part.

[buzzsaw15]

@facemash oh i see

[matters9319]

@mrsax13 I disagree, you would be surprised at how many eighth graders have a tremendous amount of musical maturity....the average band of eighth graders, however, is not likely to have enough players that possess that maturity to give the band the necessary sound to display such an emotional piece.

[ToulBoi]

@mrsax13 Your correct. Not only does this require incredible musical talent with the need for perfect (or as close to perfect) intonation, but this requires just a musical appreciation and maturity that comes with age and experience.

[lexelllll]

@mrsax13 It's cool if a director shows this peice to his students. Actually being able to perform it is a different story, but letting them experience this song in the music room will break them in for the future.

[dbrockbassoon]

@mrsax13 And this is why there are so few great musicians at younger ages, because people keep telling them that they aren't able to be.

[Muramatsu988]

@dbrockbassoon i think he's actually right, eight graders can't possibly have te capabilities of performing this piece without murdering it... brutally

[lyprov]

@dbrockbassoon You're right. We should throw Czardas at all of our young musicians. Give them enough confidence; they'll be able to play it!

[monkeybee3]

i absolutely love this song! im playing it in band!

[BillytheT19]

only one euphonium? thats a shame, the euphonium part is split through almost the whole piece and its fantastic. just wait until you get to play with 2 or more.

Stick with it! Euphonium is a great instrument, I play in college and i love it!

[QuazyQuitar]

you can just feel your body moving to this, its so beautiful. sparks a lot of emotion.

[QuazyQuitar]

why did you come on youtube to find it if your gonna bash it? what do you listen to?

[QuazyQuitar]

what do you consiter good music?

[jck1794]

wow you've got some real problems there. go listen to your rap crap (hey look that rhymed, im a rapper now yay!) don't be insulting real music if you don't even know what real music is.

[PeaceLovePercussion]

Ah we used this as our ballad for our marching show my freshman year. It's such a great song!

[Jusaleb]

my band is doing the same thing this year

[itsyourboygreg]

this was the opener for our marching band show last. It worked amazingly.

[pizza6567]

my band conducer showed me this i luv it!! its so calming

[Paintballer210]

...I hate the trumpet players in this arrangement....

They're fighting to be heard instead of blending with the ensemble...

f*cking trumpets...

[jdp609]

Trumpets aren't always supposed to blend with the ensemble, sometimes (oftentimes) the first trumpet is meant to soar over the top. A true principal trumpet can cut through the entire band or orchestra.

[Jager121]

not in october but that is true

[courtjester140]

I'm actually quite impressed at the trumpet section in this piece. Keep in mind that in certain sections (especially around the six minute mark) are intended to be brass heavy.

[alonshofar]

Beatiful rendition of Whitacre's work

[Xternium]

This is such an awesome song, of course i had to play the oboe solo. And at the time i couldn't play Db for the life of me. I can play it much better now ^.^

[pelon6208]

i love this song we are playing it in the serrano high school wind ensamble and it sounds so amazing i just love it

[xvbp12x]

we're playing this in our symphony orchestra. the all string arrangement and it makes me want to cry becaues theres absolutely NO wind parts. and i play oboe. :( beautiful piece, though

[Justin1990Holgersen]

i love this song so much i have played it 2 times once on the clarinet and know i am playing it on the tenor sex...

[OCONNORmellobeast]

@Justin1990Holgersen I'm going to assume you meant tenor sax, but tenor sex would make sense too, since this song is AMAZING

[robertsheepy]

We're playing this in our Wind Ensemble for high school. Since I'm the only baritone in our school, I get the solo, even though only seniors and juniors usually get solos (I'm a freshman)

but I've already learned it, so I won't bomb it, hahaha.

[kevin14816]

lol, fluke. ^^

[robertsheepy]

haha, just don't take it too fast like the guy in this recording did.

It was awesome, but he sped up the beginning way too much, it's a part and instrument that's meant to be slow and dark.

[jck1794]

this recording is actually a little bit slower than others i've heard

[pinkfloydsman2010]

I came.

[wolfguy5020]

Excellent performance of a true masterwork! Puts all the other videos of this on YT to shame...gorgeous thank you so much!

[fluckyea]

we played this my senior year in high school, it was a chilling moment when we were done, you could see the tears in the eyes of the audience and the conductor..i love this song

[elphie1415]

wow!!! This is so beautiful! im in tears over this perfomance. well done:)

[niffweed17]

best performance of this that i can find on youtube

[bandmonkey]

Wonderful performance!