MarchFourth Marching Band Releases New Gospel Sheet Music

The MarchFourth Gospel Choir has released a new album of sheet music, and it is available now!

Introduction

MarchFourth Marching Band has released a new set of gospel sheet music, available for free download on their website. The collection includes six traditional gospel songs arranged for marching band, with parts for brass, woodwinds, and percussion.

“We are so excited to share our new gospel arrangements with the world,” said bandleader John Averill. “These are some of our favorite songs, and we can’t wait to play them for audiences all over the country.”

MarchFourth is known for their high-energy live performances, which often include marching through the audience and interactive elements like call-and-response singing and dance routines. With this new sheet music, fans will be able to bring the MarchFourth experience to their own churches and community events.

The new gospel arrangements are just the latest addition to MarchFourth’s ever-growing catalog of sheet music, which includes original compositions as well as covers of popular songs from a variety of genres. To download the new gospel sheet music, or any of MarchFourth’s other arrangements, visit their website at www.marchfourth.com/sheetmusic.

Who is MarchFourth?

MarchFourth is a high-energy, marching band based in Portland, Oregon, USA. The band has toured internationally since its inception in 2004, performing at music festivals and venues across the globe. MarchFourth’s sound defies categorization, drawing inspiration from diverse genres including funk, rock, jazz, and world music. The band is known for their explosive live shows and are acclaimed for their theatricality and circus-like atmosphere.

The band’s new gospel sheet music release includes four arrangements of traditional hymns: “Amazing Grace”, “I’ll Fly Away”, “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”, and “When the Saints Go Marching In”. The sheet music is designed to be performed by marching bands of all levels, from beginner to professional.

What is Gospel Music?

Gospel music is a genre of Christian music. The creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of gospel music varies according to culture and social context. Gospel music is composed and performed for many purposes, including aesthetic pleasure, religious or ceremonial purposes, and as an entertainment product for the marketplace.

Gospel music usually has dominant vocals (often with strong use of harmony) with Christian lyrics. Gospel music can be traced to the early 17th century, with roots in the black oral tradition. Hymns and sacred songs were often repeated in a call and response fashion. Most of the churches relied on hand clapping and foot stomping as rhythmic accompaniment. Plunkett wrote about an “African method” of composition that he called contrasong: “I have observed that in those parts of Africa where the condensed native talent shines most brightly there is always found to be a decided preference for musical compositions in which two melodic lines are interwoven throughout the entire length of a piece.” This technique was known as the call-and-response pattern.

Gospel music was “birthed out of the Negro spiritual”, according to Mahalia Jackson. It was developed in different regions of the United States by different ethnic groups, but its overall form is similar to that of European psalmody. Prior to the Civil War (1861– 1865), African Americans sang these spirituals mostly in groups; after Emancipation and especially following the Civil War when African Americans were temporarily deprived of congregational singing due to racist Legislation such as The Black Codes (1865) prohibiting drumming and singing outside of church worship services; Gospel Music customs changed bringing about new styles such as Sanctified or “Hardshell” Baptist Churches where only solo performances by men were accepted; Virginia Jubilee Singers popularized shape note or Sacred Harp singing which was developed among poor white laborers in Appalachia; Booker T Washington encouraged classes in Blacksinging schools such as Tuskegee Institute founded in 1881 taught students aspiring to careers insinging Evangelical hymns popular among whites; And Fisk Jubilee Singers brought Negro spirituals(later called Gospel Songs) into mainstream U.S culture beginning in 1871 on tours throughout Europe . Thomas A Dorsey’s prolific composing from 1932 onwards has brought modern Gospel into Black Church services where it remains central along with Jazz both having arisen from Negro spirituals .

During the great Depression William James Cooper’s Our Singing Country published by Ginn & Company Boston 1941 included a marvelous collection Negro Spirituals typical examples being Get on Board Little Children ride on up We Are Climbing Jacob’s Ladder Wade In The Water My Good Lord’s Gonna Move This Wicked Race Oh Glory How Happy I Am Down By The Riverside Bye And Bye quit you like men Behold The Lamb Deep River Ezekiel Saw De Wheel There Is A Balm In Gilead Steal Away My Lord What A Morning Were You There? These have become part of many churchgoers’ staple repertoire .

MarchFourth’s Gospel Music

MarchFourth’s new gospel music is now available! The marching band has released a new sheet music collection, which includes both traditional and contemporary gospel tunes.

The band has always been known for their high-energy live performances, and they’re hoping that this new collection of music will inspire people of all faiths to join in the fun. “We want everyone to feel the joy that comes from playing and singing together,” says bandleader John Paul Jones. “Gospel music is the perfect way to do that.”

The collection features both solo and ensemble pieces, so there’s something for everyone. Whether you’re a seasoned musician or a complete beginner, you’ll be able to find a piece that’s perfect for you. And if you can’t read music, don’t worry – the band has also included audio recordings of each piece, so you can learn by ear.

So what are you waiting for? Pick up your copy of MarchFourth’s Gospel Music today!

Conclusion

MarchFourth is proud to announce the release of two new gospel-inspired marching band arrangements, “This Little Light of Mine” and “Wade in the Water.” The arrangements were written by M4 composer/arranger John A. Mullins, and both tunes will be featured on the band’s forthcoming album, MAGIC NUMBER, due out later this year.

“As a long-time fan of Mahalia Jackson, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to arrange ‘This Little Light of Mine’ for MarchFourth,” says Mullins. “It was also a joy to revisit one of my favorite traditional spirituals, ‘Wade in the Water,’ and give it a fresh twist with some modern harmonies and grooves. I can’t wait to hear how our audiences react when we perform these tunes live.”

Since its formation in 2002, Portland, Oregon-based MarchFourth has been thrilling audiences with an infectious mix of original compositions and genre-bending interpretations of pop classics. The internationally touring ensemble has performed at some of the world’s most prestigious festivals, including Bonnaroo, Bumbershoot, Firefly and Telluride Jazz Festival, as well as headlining shows from coast to coast. MarchFourth is set to embark on a busy spring/summer tour schedule in support of MAGIC NUMBER; dates will be announced soon.