Masque - Francis McBeth.mov

Francis McBeth's 1968 composition is still a staple for high school and college bands today.

[@bobkidd1054]

Watch any ensemble play this piece, and you will see a bunch of feet tapping and musicians counting out loud. This song teaches you the importance of counting and paying attention. You can get lost in the maelstrom really quickly with this piece.

[@lonokescienceguy]

From experience playing this piece in concert multiple times, I AGREE! It's a blast to play, but only if you're paying attention. The tapping and counting adds to the excitement of the piece.

[@alanahnevaeh]

You can say that again! I’ve never seen THAT many people in my ensemble tapping their feet

[@paulgehrett98]

I recognize this recording. I'm 99.9% sure this was recorded on 12/20/1974 at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago at the Conrad Hilton. The band is from Indian Trail Jr High School in Addison, IL. I was in that band. W. Francis McBeth was the guest conductor.

[@herobrine8763og]

@@paulgehrett98 Must have been awesome to have the song's creator conduct you!

[@hippychikforever]

This was my 10th grade concert band's final piece and my favorite.

[@d_gamer_gaby8419]

same!!

[@FunJason84]

I played this in 10th grade wind ensemble. Good memories!

[@michaelmleczko7039]

I was percussion section leader in High School and this was my favorite song we did !! I haven't heard this in 30 years !!

[@JuanAlvarado-jo5lw]

Same here

[@g.choppa4448]

We tried this in high school, I was in percussion section. Our band director finally gave up on us. We never performed this in concert. Love this piece along festivo are two of my favorites.

[@Navithapoet]

I remember playing this piece my junior year in high school !!!! This is why I love classical. Music to this very day Wow

[@pitbull64]

I remember playing this as a sophomore in high school. We got a superior rating at district and state festival

[@michaelsoholt7402]

It was the same for me. Box Elder high school. I was a senior.

[@g.choppa4448]

This is a masterpiece ! One of the most awesome percussion pieces ever. I was on tympani and xylophone back in hs 1980 😁

[@aqua2poweros699]

Yo I’m playing this song for my spring concert in my school and I’m also playing Timpani!

[@g.choppa4448]

@@aqua2poweros699 😁Enjoy , and embrace the moment ! Play with pride !

[@aqua2poweros699]

I for sure will.

[@jamesbrownjr.5074]

This was my first serious piece of music I've played and I loved every moment of it.

[@g.choppa4448]

This music is telling a serious story ! Its soul stirring !

[@dpweller]

First piece by McBeth I ever heard, have been using his compositions with my bands ever since.

[@tonyjohnny9410]

Same here. Fell in love with his compositions after hearing this work. Had the honor to play under him twice as a HS student (summer music camp & CA All-State Band). Love the man and his music!

[@robertstamper7739]

Absolutely amazing piece of music by a fantastic composer...privileged to play it under direction of Mr. Jim Wright at Christian County High School in Hopkinsville, Ky. 1977/78..

[@nwchrista]

We did Masque in 78. Played 3rd Trombone, under Robert Reich at Deer Creek Jr High, IL. 7-9-9 at state. I think our trumpets were a bit young to handle those rolls...otherwise, Reich had us in top competition. He directed it to a perfect 7-7-7 at state finals in 68 and proudly displayed that award in his office.

[@hazelman]

I remember tackling the 1st Horn in F part. Thanks to this song, I fell in love with Mr. McBeth's compositions!!!

[@centrililguy300]

Back in 1970 or 1971, my junior or senior year in high school, this was a contest piece for our jr. high school band (7 - 9)! The director believed in challenging his kids and would not accept failure. Those kids succeeded with flying colors. I was rather jealous because I would like to have been playing it myself. I finally did when I got to college!

[@alexandervera6654]

Played this in High school in 1978 and won unanimous sweepstakes in Symphonic Band. Our director, John Davis molded us into some bad ass upper and lower brass horns and Percussion sections and added Chant and Jubilee and To Be Fed By Ravens as our Contest music selections!! I here it again and I'm STILL WOWED on how we pulled that shit off!!!

[@nwchrista]

I to, played this on 3rd trombone in 1978 when in 7th grade. We were awesome. I had the tape if it for many years and about wore it out from play. I recorded another tape from that tape before it was totally shot. Somewhere, I still have it in an old lunchbox. But I no longer have any cassette players to play it with. Nevertheless, this version of it is superb.

[@Ameri102]

I love McBeth and Masque! This will always be one of my favorite pieces!

[@MnasonMarlatt]

currently in grade 10 doing this piece on the trumpet. fun song.

[@Judyann73]

Wow! Brings back great memories of playing this in PHS band back in early 70's under direction of Billy Watson. Loved playing this piece!!!

[@helgathordsen757]

I played this in the 8th grade. I'm a whole lot older now and still remember this piece with much love.

[@g.choppa4448]

Damn you all were good if you mastered this piece in 8th grade. We tried when I was hs freshman. Band director cussed threw music stands , yelled. We never got to point where we could perform this in concert. But I still love this piece, one of my favorite.

[@rickmoderie4213]

The images this song brings to your mind when you hear it are awesome...

[@meghanmedendorp3257]

I played this my senior year in HS, so not that long ago. I was the only piccolo in this piece. This song definitely proved the importance of keeping count

[@1homo3hobos]

i played the bassoon parts on this in my 8th grade band. pretty fun piece

[@TimEssDub]

I was the sole french horn in my HS band. This piece was also one of my favorites.

[@kenbear64]

One of my all-time favorite pieces for band. My HS Symphony Band played this my senior year in 1983. I played the chimes part for District festival and timpani for State festival. Finding this selection and hearing it brings back many great memories 30 years later.

[@jarianisable1839]

I remember playing this my freshman year. And my director used to jump @ 5:30. Listening to this gives me chills.

[@ebibubblesart5843]

sweating as the snare drum/tambourine player for my band on this piece

[@CakeAwesomeness]

I love this piece so much I loved playing it 😊

[@Elidoransgar]

Wow! I played this in both elementary and high school; tuba and tenor sax. Shout out to Fred Selby and Catherine Zechin, two awesome teachers. I always thought someone could make a metal version of this and make it kick ass. But it's nice to find any version of it online.

[@WillConley]

Came here looking for the Weird Sisters masque from Shakespeare's Macbeth...still glad I stumbled upon this, old band geek that I am. Can't believe I'd never heard of this.

[@tiltededits637]

Best song i have ever played on alto sax

[@lamploverio5081]

Most painful song I've ever played on trumpet😂

[@markmcdonald7041]

McBeth, like his mentor, the great James Clifton Williams, wrote music that inspired musicians to extend their limits beyond expectations!

[@val-christophertekaucic9180]

i played tuba and my girlfriend french horn, both of us principle players, and we played this one my senior high school year...one of my all time favorite band pieces

[@dawnamey7920]

same here

[@TheOnlyDRAGONSZONE]

The Southmoore High School Concert Ban is learning this! I'm so glad that I found it do that I know what it sounds like!

[@user-bh5mw1sh6u]

私達が演奏していた頃の最高の名演奏は嘉穂高校吹奏楽部演奏この演奏より素晴らしい演奏聞いたことがないそれくらいパーフｪクトな演奏だった私達も何度も演奏したことがあるが当時曲の中にあるWクレシｪンドの解釈理解度NO１上手すぎ凄すぎプロのバンドを脅かすほどの名演奏凄すぎマスクの演奏は嘉穂高校吹奏楽部の演奏に勝る演奏なしとわたくしは個人的に思いますねぇ🎵

[@bhkidd]

After seeing several performances of Masque, a couple of things were consistent: 1. A bunch of feet tapping time. 2. Many players mouth counting. You cant play this piece if you cant keep time or count syncopation.

[@radioprof]

This piece was commissioned by State College of Arkansas (now The University of Central Arkansas) for the dedication of the Silas D. Snow Fine Arts Center. It became very popular, and my high school band director had us play it (my high school was in the same town as UCA, Conway, Arkansas). We loved playing it.

[@anthonymennella600]

I have seen a comment that says that the slow section is too slow. Uhmm... Professional recording Vs. High school band. I think I will go with the professional recording tempo.

[@Redleadhead]

this song is badass, my band was gonna play it this year but my conductor had like 15 songs to choose from and this wasnt one of the 7 he chose so Im really hoping we play it in my senior year. The trumpet line (which is me) and the snare is awesome

[@Pigbot3]

YEAH TRUMPET

[@miketee9095]

The beginning sounds like Nelhybel's Trittico.

[@VMceachern]

Played it in 1980,second seat first part,trumpet

[@MrCobravenom12]

See now i got this with you CaitlynKamikaze. I play all sorts of instruments and this year i am playing Bass Clarinet. My band director cut off all the other clarinets and i play that with the piccolo in my band.

[@elijahmichel9227]

Dylan Snelgrove I play Bass Clarinet for this piece

[@BirdTurd314]

this song is much better during a live performance

[@AmericanMetalhead100]

The percussion is fucking wild.

[@wolfman6553]

The trumpet part can get painful in their piece. So mutch higher pitch notes so quickly. Definitely fun to play through

[@wolfman6553]

Then the up and downs after the high notes, I know your pain. 2nd trumpet. We played it in 10th grade

[@ismael-t3g]

@@wolfman6553 I'm playing Trumpet 2 for this song haha. I can agree that there is high and low notes. I love this piece it's one of the best that I ever played.

[@bobberry159]

The tempo you play this at dependes on which printing you have. 160bpm was the original tempo it was written in in 1968. Mcbeth reissued it at 120bpm in 1970 becasue it sounded better. The bells sounded like a telephone @ 160bpm so he slowed it down. I know because I played the slower version and learned the why from the album "Mcbeth conducts Mcbeth" recorded @ Texas Tech in the 1970's.

[@lonokescienceguy]

I agree, the 120bpm version sounds much better. I'm glad that he slowed it down a bit because all the time changes are much easier to transition at 120bpm

[@Mark-sj3xb]

Sounds like a Nelhybel piece

[@GameTimer]

6:55 where my timpanis at

[@Patbad73]

My band really needs to work on gettin this song up to speed.

[@archaeusp]

Which came first? This guy or Vaclav Nelhybel?

[@Rakashin7]

that slow section isn't THAT slow. i'm playing this song in my high school and we're playing that slow section about a half times faster.

[@d_gamer_gaby8419]

corona viru

[@zildjianrideclassic]

that snare has no idea what he's doing

[@djhendricks1498]

Ayan well he made it into the CD so I'd imagine he has a good enough idea