Critical Mass, by Todd Stalter - Score & Sound

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Critical Mass
By Todd Stalter
Item: 00-33860
Series: Alfred Concert Band
Format: Conductor Score & Parts
Grade: 3
Critical mass is a scientific term that refers to the smallest amount of fissile material needed to sustain a nuclear chain reaction. This work begins with an explosion of sound, and then launches forward through small, ever-growing melodic fragments that expand outward and upward. (2:35) This title is available in SmartMusic.
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[@hex1lexi88]

"Pick a note!" I'm dying

[@calebyon8840]

Yeah I remember playing this in 7th grade and I just blew into my baritone as loud as I can. It sounded like a train wreck

[@connerallen3185]

“Pick any note except b flat and f”

[@nicksmith1472]

I have to conduct this I'm only a sophomore...

[@connerallen3185]

@@nicksmith1472 k mobst3r

[@Doritokid_]

A piece I played the tempo was just “you have five minutes”

[@mykulpierce]

I was actually trying to look up some information on physics but this was definitely a pleasant surprise I really like this arrangement

[@jlewskii8070]

w

[@bestiereagan5246]

this is my band piece

[@sarahb56]

Lol most ppl are here bc their playing it

[@keringtonaugustine6189]

@@bestiereagan5246 mine too

[@yehaw5723]

I was only here cause I played it for all county lol

[@ok.diego_402]

The beginning always gives me a panic attack 😂

[@notdrbright8927]

I was not expecting it at all, I turned up my audio and then: *BAM*

[@metanoeon]

I was listening to it without looking at the video at first and thought “that was a horrific chord, what’s going on here” and then I saw that the players had the liberty of choosing whichever note pleased them the best 😂

[@zen-nv5sp]

im just saying to anyone who is going to play this is middle school: this song is a monster and it will murder you of your sanity but hey, some parts have it easier and some people have more experience

[@jlewskii8070]

Madeleine Bedwell but im 5 and can play this

[@Paysonn]

@@jlewskii8070 bitch

[@neozhangp]

Profanity

[@trashmaeveplayer7851]

I play French horn part 1 in this and its the high part for the French horn for me it's not that hard I'm a 7th grader but everyone else has problems XD I study my music for atleast and hour after I get off school

[@jlewskii8070]

Pennywise The Cannibal oh fr?

[@MindTCG_GabeTSupreme]

I miss this song. I played it in 8th grade and was second trumpet. I am now a freshman and for anyone still playing this, enjoy it

[@Melody-do2ny]

I also played this in 8th grade I was 1st clarinet.

[@ferret9263]

I'm a sophomore as of writing this and the band is doing this for band contest season, and we had a section of the song for our final, which I did today because at my school the classes are shortened to make room for the 7th period final, and then the next two days are odds or one and evens on the other

[@moonsun9602]

Sucks I’m playing this as a freshman on clarinet but my bands awful since most of them are too lazy to practice

[@breezebee9145]

I'm literally performing it tonight and Tuesday along with majestic and air for band

[@GhostIy_Games]

@@moonsun9602 that literally happened to me, I was so disappointed. I wish schools had a mandatory audition for anyone trying to join band class.

[@emmaflinn625]

I’m a senior and I played this song in my sophomore year as a floutist. This brought back so many memories. I remembered this song because I watched a concert band in my brothers college play this again. What a great song

[@woonhakk]

omg I had to play this in 7th grade lol

[@jarvinvaldivieso3990]

I played this my 7th grade year

[@lucasmiranda4482]

@@jarvinvaldivieso3990 same

[@Slayo5628]

I played this in eighth grade I was on snare

[@isabellea7913]

Why is this guy so good at composing

[@theraginginfernape9496]

Because Todd is a god at fast scores

[@alyssarayner5058]

Because he tries it out on the high school band he directs first. And he’s a genius. -Love, a former student who was one of the first to play this under his direction in the late 00’s

[@jetsettech8804]

@@theraginginfernape9496 there are way better composers than Todd. He mostly just gives the low brass and woodwinds the same thing over and over at a fast tempo. It's really not creative at all. No diversity in this song. It was made for lower level, which I can understand, but it doesn't make him a god.

[@theraginginfernape9496]

@@jetsettech8804He has a style, a niche even. I like his stuff because of the energy. I listen to other music if I want to do full-on orchestral analysis, but Todd usually says "y'know what, let's make an entire score based in the phrygian scale (I butchered that spelling)." It's fun and simple, yet still I find little things that make me appreciate his work more. Not everyone needs to be Bach

[@jetsettech8804]

@@theraginginfernape9496 his composing is very simplistic with very little thought put into most parts. But hey, you like who you like.

[@yoshaa7329]

Which notes did they pick 😭 sounds mad good

[@charlottekendall4724]

Just got this piece for band in high school (I'm a Tenor Sax). I have only played it once and am absolutely LOVING it.

[@noahgormanmusic1843]

We played this my freshman year of high school and our director pushed us to play the final section a bit OVER tempo

[@chrislindsey4953]

Glad to know our band director wasn’t the only one

[@spagator34]

I’m playing this in junior high?

[@rolandvermiglio1865]

Same

[@landonkellner4563]

I’m a freshman and I’m playing this song too

[@carolfonville681]

I just got the music last week and we just started going over it

[@quant_on]

I’ve been waiting for a score for this for so long

[@garywashere_]

Quentin Foster you can find it on their website

[@investedwheat40]

gary sis the preview on the website goes for only a few pages :/. I'm so happy they released the score, I love looking at all the parts while listening

[@garywashere_]

InvestedWheat40 the scores on their website goes full page. Make sure you’re checking www.alfred.com

[@investedwheat40]

gary sis wait I forgot they had a website (I use jwpepper) that's amazing, thank you so much

[@garywashere_]

InvestedWheat40 you’re very much welcome

[@legendaryzombieplague8231]

Our school had 3 French horns and I had to play first part ALONE

[@legendaryzombieplague8231]

@Sinead Hurst the only backup i had was 2 7th grade saxophones

[@The_Mr_Why]

Same but I was trombone

[@not-much]

Same, but trumpet

[@moshpitboyfriend]

yo me too

[@moshpitboyfriend]

me too bro

[@lwhitted6635]

I had to play this in band 3-4ish years ago. Oof, it was challenging but fun

[@arringtonmoore1588]

Same

[@toxicmusic4149]

The beginning reminds me of The Tempest by Robert W Smith

[@ufinityy]

Its tempest on steroids

[@a_literal_crow]

It really does tho

[@theresachacon1122]

@@ufinityy that's Into the Storm

[@theresachacon1122]

It reminds me a little bit of Counterbalance

[@lollystacey]

reminds me of the avalanche part of eternal peaks

[@bakedpotato771]

This one is rough, but so much fun once you practice and get it right

[@twistynoodle9406]

I'm in 8th grade and am playing this with my band for a competition, it's such a fun piece and I love it a lot!

[@LegitMilk523]

Lol same

[@kaiserflxme]

i would cry if this was the song my band director chose. guess im just a hater fr

[@couplegrams]

tupelo middle school?

[@_glowstickeater]

same 😨

[@adrianourso9583]

This has no business being so good

[@guiltygearnerd]

The French horn at 1:31 will always be my favorite bit :3

[@deanstuart8667]

and alto sax

[@z-dog6831]

It's a good part

[@clairenime]

practicing this song now in highschool as a trombone player. give me strength...

[@senkusupremacy3828]

From one trombone to another it's been 3 months how are you doing so far?

[@nyancs7098]

It’s not stupidly hard just remember to breathe well

[@ferret9263]

fellow trombone player, I hope you loved this song because I'm currently learning it in band and it's such a badass song!

[@awakenedxxz]

get better

[@ferret9263]

@@awakenedxxz hey its a difficult song, don't be toxic. I'd like to see YOU try to play a trombone, and then everyone to tell you "lol get better" when you're struggling

[@coolskeletondude5902]

i LOVE the high woodwinds line at 98 its just so perfect and nice oh my god (its still hard but i can play it im being relied on for that)

[@robertridley9279]

This sounds like a perfect opening song for a marching band show.

[@nonexistent1196]

we're actually doing this as part of our marching band show this year!

[@robertridley9279]

@@nonexistent1196 write the name and city of your school so that I can look it up this fall to see if anyone uploaded the show.

[@neptune5130]

@@robertridley9279 uh... lmao

[@JacksonHollo]

@@neptune5130 this right here is called being a level 3 sex offender

[@georgewilson06]

Look up Hebron HS 2021 marching show.

[@Montu-pc5gp]

Just performed this tonight, and it went well. Xylo part:)

[@lovermuzak]

Surprised this didn’t have a piccolo part, especially since it is a 3

[@theresachacon1122]

Not all grade 3 pieces have a piccolo part

[@lovermuzak]

Theresa Chacon I have realized after looking at more grade 3 scores. I just wish he would have had one for this piece.

[@Kate-bw1mg]

I am a freshman in highschool and I just played this song a few weeks ago at a concert and being a clarinet with just one other in the band was really fun getting to do the little clarinet moment

[@norac1280]

omg i’m in the 7th grade and their making is play this. as a clarinet the 32nd notes are killing me😭😭

[@Kate-bw1mg]

@@norac1280 awe I feel you

[@TheAmericanPsychoHimself]

we're playing this in eighth grade its so EPIC

[@Kit.exeCrystalEN_Vtuber]

This piece is a lot of fun to play

[@Sarchellize]

im playing this piece for ISSMA. its like energy and i love it

[@_glowstickeater]

same

[@lillianlou]

i played this this year in middle school for all region..😢

[@Octoseptra]

yooo me too, istg you were in my band. what instrument?

[@resmeon]

Same i play trombone

[@Octoseptra]

@@resmeon yoo what was your name? i sat infront of the trombones

[@lillianlou]

Orthoxia i play flute

[@Octoseptra]

@@lillianlou idk if we were in the same band lol

[@kyliewatson2808]

I love this song! It sounds so cool! I’m in 7th grade, and my band director is having us play it for our spring concert!!!

[@ItsShader]

do you live in PA by any chance

[@nyaww5446]

lol im playing this in my high school band- its a really good piece i like it a lot, probably the best told stalter piece out there

[@The_AceEmpress]

I get the best bit of nostalgia from my sophomore year of highschool

[@patrickfraleyjr2819]

@Lauren Cruse I’m actually a sophomore Clarinet playing that is going to preform this piece at our fall concert.

[@canal.afinaudio]

This is awesome !!!

[@P1X3L-738]

I played this along side my older brother during my freshman year. I played the timpani part. For the pick a note, he took the mouthpiece of his alto sax and inhales to make this godawful screech. It was beautiful.

[@jazzysbookcorner9047]

We played this in our seventh grade year of middle school for festival. It was insane

[@blue2296]

My band teacher is having us do this this year and I (like many in my class) am terrified for my life. It sounds amazing tho

[@dutchmilk4158]

Same. We played a piece call "Majestia" and it did terrible, that was our first concert of the year, lol!

[@kofunsuckz]

doing this as a 7th grader for our spring concert, came here for reference bc im practicing it rn. good luck

[@dr.noddlesandfruitpunch6514]

Kadden you requested it 😭😭😭

[@alicialara7649]

Played this song a few days ago for my All region ATSSB Concert and when i tell you it shook me to my core- it literally did. Great song when played correctly!

[@Im_alive...somehow]

I'm playing this in band in a concert in two days. Wish me luck 🙏🙏

[@ganemelove171]

Same but like in a week from now 😭😭

[@lillygrovesun8890]

We played this peice this year! It's SO good!

[@ZachDelaney-mq6gj]

Im an 8th grader who plays the timpani for this part, this song is dope asl and im hyped to play this for the concert

[@horrorsofvariety]

this reminds me of a piece i played called ignition... this arrangement is super cool

[@GameWolfOfficel]

ALA Gilbert North just played this on Tuesday I was on euphonium and I was dying so was my friend who plays trumpet as 1st trumpet

[@Drizzypop-TLL]

Being in the middle of the band as an oboe at the pick a note part is scary but fucking awesome

[@dietsoba]

Played it in junior year as a bassoonist and it was of my favourite band pieces out of everything we did. The unfortunate part was that, while the bassoon part is fairly light, we had so few bass players (no tuba at all) that I really had to gun it. Pick a note was great though because I could use the bassoon’s full fog horn potential

[@Trumpet_Horn]

I played it this year (only on third year of playing in band) as a Horn. We only had three including me. So we were dependent upon eachother

[@TYDeadshot13]

I'm playing this song. It is hard but awesome for sure!

[@kjariyanorasaet]

playing this song this year for the school band 👍

[@gamerguy4724]

gonna play this in concert band!!!! i hope it goes well!

[@arushiahmed6555]

listening to this makes me cry

[@sovietbeaver7579]

I played this yesterday at a band concert

[@JoeMart123]

This piece sounds so much like “Into the Storm.”

[@mattiaswalker3043]

I remember studing this in middle school, and then a few months later having to do the timpani solo in honor band just by coincidence.

[@sanaabradley1172]

The last four measures sound like a warm up! 😂

[@charlielopez7507]

I am playing this rn for our 8th grade concert

[@itz_carrie7468]

The second alto sax part is very fun

[@Michael-xp8cj]

It really is except if you are playing it on a alto clarinet like I am, even tho I play bass clarinet and have the bass music

[@addieateurmom]

i fell asleep in band and when the first note played i was definenlty up 😭

[@coolskeletondude5902]

aw hell nah im outta here - you eardrums at that moment

[@fehmani3233]

Straight 🔥

[@JBJunior2]

1:52 correct me if I’m wrong, but I think that’s Morse code for SOS

[@Brumselsprout]

It's been a year BUT! That is not Morse code for SOS. As far as history knows it, SOS has been three dots, three dashes, and another three dots. So ... --- ... What you pointed out sounds like a bunch of dots and it really doesn't mean anything.

[@SliverTurkey]

Actually I believe that's Morse code for the word critical

[@tylerkaras2000]

I was supposed to play this for my Band concert or a screen of the final one of the year but then it was canceled because of the coronavirus when we are not in school we were supposed to play it

[@koncret4705]

This is a banger I wish my teacher kept it

[@koncret4705]

a year later and I still stand by this^^^

[@chicken_rice0123]

my middle school is playing this song and i like it a lot

[@christophoilet]

lies you don't like it CAP

[@dinolover_1184]

I get to play that badass timpani part for my upcoming spring concert

[@salmon_lamb0]

I was just watching a piece I also have to play in band. Kinda spooky how KZbin recommended me this as I was listening to that other piece

[@aceguilford5917]

This song is so good but it’s hell to play

[@i_love_saxophone]

we sight read this today! we had so much fun. love this piece (im in 7th grade lmfao)

[@The-official-grindel]

Ok but is tenor sax really just better

[@i_love_saxophone]

@@The-official-grindel yes.

[@Batteriesincludded]

Wait you are in 7th grade and playing this piece? Nice

[@i_love_saxophone]

@@Batteriesincludded much is expected from us considering we’re #1 in ky…. its stressful 😭

[@Someone-pw8dp]

I find it a little interesting coming straight out of beginning band to play this

[@theme_greatest383]

This song altered my brain chemistry. I changed my username.

[@HappyDoge7801]

Playing this in 8th Honors band… we’re doing it for Music For All Indianapolis

[@_lumluenh_]

Why does this actually sounds good at 2x

[@nolanterwilliger877]

We played this my 8th grade year. We weren't nearly at this skill level how tf lmao.

[@TenorBall]

Bro the first melody sounds like tempest melody by Robert W Smith

[@habitaz]

The tempest on steroids💀 0:06

[@definitelynotjordanatall]

Trumpets?

[@heyitsme2110]

My school band is practicing this

[@juliamarchant3737]

Same

[@Algebruh6]

Also my conductor made percussion practice 69 a lot and everytime she said it a kid from the other side of the band would smirk at me

[@luannwilliams2290]

Why are clarinets so quiet I’m a clarinet and know

[@no9683]

As a clarinet, I would like to add by saying that if we play too loud it often goes horribly out of tune, squeaks to high heck, or just doesn’t. ..well, to my experience..

[@Michael-xp8cj]

I play many clarinets and it’s all to do with your embouchure I play regular, bass, alto, and contra, and contra alto

[@Michael-xp8cj]

It’s just all about how you play and the as I said the embouchure, and how hard your reed is I can play loud and sound completely fine, Bc I tune to being loud not quiet, so also tune to being loud and you’ll be a little flat or sharp depending on notes. It’s all trial and error to figure what works for you to play loud and not squeak and sound good

[@ifclutch5209]

I am currently a freshman in highschool And I’m playing 1st trombone :) wish me good luck

[@katiehesse6578]

This song is too short, I wish it was like 8 minutes long.

[@Algebruh6]

Is song would be so magic for me but I have a bass guitarist that basically doesn’t know how to tune, read notes and play new songs. 1:54 this part is where she just plays random notes and the bar rest after it, you will ALWAYS HEAR HER PLAY

[@stupidstudios526]

is there a song that sounds like 0:15

[@yehaw5723]

I played this for jr all county

[@abayless512]

I have timpani solo tonight , (freshman btw)

[@dreamysodagaming]

There’s a freshman in our band who is the timpani solo, I’m just the woodblock 😿

[@couplegrams]

i had timpani solo as well, i did it as a 7th grader in 8th now

[@matthewhuffman4098]

⚡️🕺🏼⚡️

[@bluesteno64]

I thought it was by Robert W Smith because of the melody at the start lol

[@coopergibson5729]

Why are the Bari Sax parts always so high 😭😭

[@thegamerfox_5614]

ON GOD!! Bruh we are meant to play LOW notes since the name LOW woodwinds.

[@marsywarsy_]

THE LOW BRASS PART AT 0:14 >>>>>>>>>> whatever the hell the flutes play

[@brentxiong9881]

I had snare but the most fun is timpani

[@EnrikemXVI]

1:52

[@anarchygrapes]

i’m playing 2nd clarinet and i’m scared i’m gonna be rly bad at this. hey atleast this isn’t quintus 🕳🚶‍♀️

[@galenbrubaker5603]

Completely forgot that I played this one in high school

[@rikkiwilliams720]

2:36

[@user-ox7bf8ik6z]

0:09

[@chutaku5338]

0:45

[@gomi1377]

A

[@wynandblom7482]

Doing timpani for my highschool

[@couplegrams]

i did timpani as a 7th grader in a 8th grade band lmao

[@JZM006]

0:45 this is literally tetris lol

[@BAJA_BLAST_HOE]

playing this song as a first clarinet made me lose my sanity

[@kyliewatson2808]

I am an oboe!!!

[@couplegrams]

anyone plays timpani?

[@ShyGuy6266_]

I’m playing this in middle school😭😭😭

[@yamumsleftslipper]

My highschool after not playing for months mastered this song in a week and I dont see this being that difficult

[@pogmanpat]

Third trumpet is literally one note for the whole song lol 😂

[@Someone-pw8dp]

Oh boy, sure do love me playing G for almost the entire song!

[@Rammus0K]

Wait this isnt Nuclear Assault