The G&S Express
(All Aboard the “Modern Major General”)
- For band: The familiar Gilbert and Sullivan tune gets taken for a ride
- Length: 3:00
- Difficulty rating (I-VI): II
- View a PDF score excerpt
- Purchase, request full review copy or more information, etc.
- Score: $5; set of parts: $20 (for reproduction rights; additional charge for hard copies)
As children, my sons had a CD with a humorous version of the famous Gilbert and Sullivan patter song “Modern Major General.” That version features a slow repetition of the verse, and it struck me that the repeated accompaniment chords at that tempo sounded like a train starting up. That’s how this piece for young band came about—I use motives from the original song throughout to capture the effect of a train journey.
