Robert Langenfeld Compositions

Also available with piano and symphonic band accompaniments!

This version is identical to the symphonic band version but without saxes and euphonium. It can be played with a standard orchestra wind and percussion section (no strings).

Program Notes

I switched to euphonium during my freshman year of high school. I had just gotten braces and it destroyed my trumpet embouchure. So I made the switch to euphonium. I fell in love with the instrument immediately. I had to rewire my brain to read bass clef (luckily this didn’t take long). I’ve been playing it ever since. My first attempt at writing for it was in 2013 when I wrote a double concerto for horn and euphonium (with symphonic band). The piece was great but my performance… not so much.

Fast forward to 2023 and I talk with Dr. Will Sutton at MMEA. I had heard his playing abilities and was eager to collaborate with him on a piece for euphonium. He happily agreed and we started talking. The euphonium is such a versatile instrument. We wanted a piece that any euphonium player could succeed in while providing opportunities for virtuosic moments for seasoned players to sink their teeth into. Thus the idea for a miniature suite style piece came to mind.

1. Dancer – This movement was inspired by my younger sister (Maddie) who has been an avid dancer her whole life. Combining a mix of different styles of dance music and techniques that show off the acrobatic abilities of the euphonium player.
2. Maggie – I wrote this while grieving when my grandmother, Margaret “Maggie” Connell, passed away in November of 2023. She was the reason I got into music and became a composer. This movement is dedicated to her in loving memory.
3. Robots – In 2022 I premiered my first symphony “The Great Machine”. I had some left over material that didn’t make the cut, and I decided to include it in this piece instead. I love octatonic scales!
4. Quilted Slumber – This was originally one of the lullabies I wrote for my niece when she was born. This dreamlike waltz is meant to invoke the feeling of being rocked to sleep in your parent’s arms. This one’s for you Daphne!
5. To The Stars – I’ve been obsessed with space my whole life. I’ve written a ton of music about it. So it was only fitting that the grand finale of the piece be about it. This one is just a pure adrenaline rush to the end with an exciting finish!

Ensembles:   Concert BandFull OrchestraSmall Ensemble

Genres:   ConcertoEuphoniumOrchestra