5FECAB63-E914-475A-8A45-AE8A74CC58B7

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ID5FECAB63-E914-475A-8A45-AE8A74CC58B7
TitlecodeA729402
Title NameCaribbean Suite: Havana Moon for Clarinet Choir and Percussion
Marketing CopyPart of the CARIBBEAN SUITE, "Havana Moon" was written in 1955 by Alfred Reed (1921-2005) during the rising popularity of the clarinet choir as an ensemble among music educators around the United States. The first original work for clarinet choir and percussion, Reed remarked that its initial success was, in large part, due to the developments made in the low-register clarinet family members at the time. "Havana Moon" remains a standard in the clarinet choir repertoire. If a contrabass clarinet is unavailable, a substitute part for string bass or bassoon is also included.
InstrumentationClarinet Choir: 3 Cl, ACl, BCl, CBCl (sub StrBs or Bsn), and Perc(2)
Commission(not set)
Dedication(not set)
Program NotesAmerican composer Alfred Reed, was born in New York and began his musical studies at
age ten. He served as associate conductor of the 529th Army Air Corps Band in Colorado during
World War II. After the war’s end, in 1946 Reed moved back to New York and attended the
Juilliard School of Music where he studied with composer Vittorio Giannini at the Juilliard
School before becoming a staff composer and arranger for NBC and then ABC. In 1953 he
became the conductor of the Baylor University Symphony Orchestra, where he simultaneously
continued his education, earning his bachelor’s degree in 1955 and his master’s degree in 1956.
It was during this time that the clarinet choir was rising in popularity as an ensemble among
music educators around the United States.
The first original work for clarinet choir and percussion, “Havana Moon” was printed in
1955 and is now a standard in the clarinet choir repertoire. When it was initially published, Reed
remarked that its success was in large part to the developments made in the low-register clarinet
family members at the time. The composer revealed in his score the following regarding the
bourgeoning repertoire for clarinet choir:
With the development of the B-flat Contra-Bass Clarinet, as well as the improvement of
the E-flat Alto and B-flat Bass Clarinets by the G. LeBlanc Instrument Corporation, the
Fully Balanced Clarinet Choir, at last, becomes a practical reality We now have the pure,
basic tone for the Band as a complete section in itself, capable of being detached from the
Orchestra as a whole, and playing its own literature. The publication of the Caribbean
Suite for clarinet choir marks the first step in the development of a literature for the Band
that small stand in the same relationship to it as the String Orchestra literature to the
symphonic Orchestra. - The President's Own (Marine Clarinet Choir), 8/12/2020.
Title Brand1
Year Composed1955
Copyright Number(not set)
Copyright Year(not set)
Duration3
Ensemble Size13
Date Created2022-02-18 20:13:59.000000
Date Updated2025-09-30 20:13:59
Inhouse Note(not set)
Bsc CodeMUS037140
Text Author(not set)
Premier Performance Memo(not set)
Recording Credits(not set)
Review(not set)
Awards(not set)
Title Category13
Title Movements(not set)
Title Grade(not set)
Set Series IDB7A5EC56-986A-40CA-491B-08DB00B0FAFD
Title Instrument Category TextClarinet
Title Sub Category Text(not set)
Title Sub Category19
Title Instrument Header90
Title Grade Text(not set)
Clean Urlcaribbean-suite-havana-moon-for-clarinet-choir-and-percussion-a729402