Run Free

Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002) tells the story of Spirit, a wild mustang living in the American West, who resists being broken by soldiers fighting in the American Indian Wars and fights for freedom for himself and his herd. The movie was notable for featuring animated animals who don't speak; as such, the story was told in part though music. The soundtrack contains original songs by Bryan Adams and instrumental tracks by Hans Zimmer.​

Theme from Shrek 

Shrek (2001) is one of the most highly regarded animated films of the early 20th century, praised for both its subversions of fairytale tropes and its at the time innovative use of pop culture references. The movie was also unique in its use of pop music and oldies in its soundtrack, alongside a score composed by Harry Gregson-Williams and John Powell. “Fairytale” is used in the opening scenes of the original film, and serves as Princess Fiona’s leitmotif in subsequent films.  

At the Movies

“Impressions at the Movies,” subtitled “Scenarios of Cinematographers,” is one of a handful of suites Sousa composed throughout his lifetime. According to the original program notes, he aimed to “elucidate to the cinematographer what is usually done by the written word.” The movements each evoke a cinematic scene: in “The Serenaders,” a group of rowdy college students serenade co-eds; in “The Crafty Villain and the Timid Maid,” a damsel in distress pleads for safely from a wily villain; and “Balance All and Swing Partners” depicts a ragtime-inspired hoedown on a village green. We are pleased to premier the brass band transcription of this work created by our own Kelby Stine.

Wicked

Wicked premiered on Broadway in October 2003, winning multiple Tony and Drama Desk awards. The musical, which was adapted from Gregory Maguire’s 1995 book of the same name, tells the story of Elphaba and Glinda before and during the events of The Wizard of Oz. This arrangement of Stephen Schwartz’s original score, contains selections from “What is this Feeling?” “Dancing Through Life,” “Popular,” and “Defying Gravity,” which were all featured in 2024’s movie adaptation. 

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Backdraft

Backdraft (1991) tells the story of two estranged firefighter brothers who reconcile while working together to investigate a series of deadly fires in Chicago. The movie was scored by Hans Zimmer and was one of his first experiences working with a large orchestra to create the expansive, emotional setpieces which would come to define his style. Although only about 30 minutes of his score made it into the final cut of the movie, the entire work has since been released to great acclaim.

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Send in the Clowns

“Send in the Clowns” was written by Stephen Sondheim for the musical A Little Night Music. The song appears in the second act of the musical and is sung by a character who has been rejected by a former lover and is reflecting back on her life with anger and regrets. The title refers to the theatrical practice of using humor to distract from something going wrong on stage. Since its stage debut in 1973, the song has been covered countless times, notably by Frank Sinatra and Judy Collins, and has become Sondheim’s most popular work.

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The Floral Dance

British singer and composer Katie Moss wrote “The Floral Dance” in 1911 after visiting Helston, Cornwall during the town’s annual Furry Dance and discovering the townsfolk dancing throughout the night. The lyrics, which were reportedly written on her train ride home, describe Moss’s experience, and the tune incorporates a Cornish air used in the dance. Although the song has remained popular in England since it was first recorded in 1912, it is perhaps best known to American audiences from Brassed Off (1996), where it features in the opening scenes of the movie. 

Overture from Candide

Candide is a comic operetta based on Voltaire’s novella of the same name with music composed by Leonard Bernstein. The show, which premiered in 1956, has received mixed reviews and undergone numerous changes throughout its life; however, the music was an instant hit. The overture, in particular, has become a staple of orchestral repertoire and is the most often performed piece of concert music by Bernstein.