A4, Score (20, wide) & parts (8x2=16, plus stick, 1, total=17)
Horns
8
Additional Equipment
Others
1
Other Instruments
Sticks (optional)
Difficulty
1
Duration
3
Structure / Movements
One movement.
Moving (Rock feel)
Clefs
Treble, bass
Meters
C
Key signatures
2b
Range
Horn 1: f1 - c3
Horn 2: f1 - c3
Horn 3: d1 - f2
Horn 4: bb - d2
Horn 5: ab - bb1
Horn 6: c - bb1
Horn 7: Bb - ab1
Horn 8: Bb - eb1
Creator's Comments
Performance Notes
Josef (Joe) Erich Zawinul (1932-2007) was an Austrian jazz keyboardist and composer, and one of the creators of jazz fusion, a combination of jazz, rock and world music. Birdland is one of these fusion compositions, that went on to become a jazz standard (and subsequently re-worked by many groups and re-arranged for many kinds of ensembles).
Meyer's version is for eight horns and sticks (with not exactly the most exciting part to play), and quite similar to other versions for brass groups. Without the customary improvisations of a jazz ensemble, the piece clocks in just over three minutes - three minutes of fun to be had by an intermediate ensemble, or any group for that matter.