Today we’re featuring Red Rock Mountain, a very popular and powerful grade 4 piece for concert band. Composer Rossano Galante, who studied with Jerry Goldsmith at USC’s prestigious Film Scoring Program, is highly regarded for both his film and concert compositions. Part of Red Rock Mountain’s widespread appeal may lie in its cinematic nature.
Composers Notes from Rossano Galante
This composition is an episodic work that paints a musical portrait of Red Rock Mountain, a beautiful mountain landscape in Pennsylvania. Brass fanfares and soaring wind lines begin the piece. It transitions into an emotional section which depicts the mountains at dusk. As the sun rises and sheds light on its peaks, the music becomes lyrical and rhythmically incisive. The piece culminates in a heroic brass finale depicting the grandeur of these stunning East Coast mountains.