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Suitable for Patriotic concerts. Narrated. Duration approximately 12 minutes. See orchestration. See printable documents. See performances. See reviews. Band version. See audio samples.Now available - audio samples. Click here.About Liberty for All
Liberty for All uses quotes from the Declaration of Independence, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and John F. Kennedy in a very stirring musical setting that arouses the patriotic spirit in any American who listens to it. The Carmel Symphony is responsible for requesting the grant that made it possible to write this piece. The dedication is in memory of musician and arts administrator, Fran Shoup. Orchestration
StringsViolin I Band Instrumentation
DocumentsOrchestrationView the above link with Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Adobe Score/Part SamplesPerformancesLiberty for All was premiered in the summer of 2000 by both the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra for its July 1-4 concerts and by the Carmel Symphony on July 4. The work was specifically written as a Millennium piece to complement a patriotic program.
Maestro Bowden says of Liberty for All: "The piece is fabulous and, in my opinion, will be performed all over the country in the future Independence Day, Veteran's Day and Memorial Day concerts. It is a superb, deeply moving musical expression of the privilege and cost of liberty: literally worth dying for." Michael Krajewski, Principal Pops Conductor with Houston, New Mexico, Long Beach, and Jacksonville says of the work: "Liberty for All is a welcome addition to the symphonic repertoire of American orchestras. It is well crafted, brilliantly orchestrated, and powerfully effective." Other PerformancesLiberty for All has also been performed by the following orchestras:
ReviewsRick Rogers, The Oklahoman, March 30, 2004 "Beckel, a member of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, is clearly one of the most talented composer/arrangers working today. Borrowing texts from presidential speeches, Beckel created a modern-day equivalent to Copland's "A Lincoln Portrait." Yet, while "Liberty for All: is modeled after Copland, it doesn't attempt to imitate, thereby succeeding wholeheartedly on the strength of Beckel's musical insights. And while he may have drawn inspiration from words by Washington, Lincoln and Kennedy, his classy orchestral setting made them resonate all the more impressively." Ted McIrvine, Hendersonville Times-News, March 8, 2004 "The work demonstrates nuanced compositional skill and excellent use of brass and woodwinds as well as percussion. This was the standout piece on the program." Band VersionThe band version of "Liberty for All" was commissioned by "The United States Coast Guard Band". They performed the piece on a West Coast tour in the spring of 2002. The director, Lewis J. Buckley, stated that he has rarely played a piece that makes their encore piece, "Stars and Stripes Forever", seem anti-climactic. A CD entitled "Liberty for All" was released by the Coast Guard Band, with Lewis J. Buckley directing. The following player has two audio samples from this CD and is used with permission. Just click the arrow or one of the tracks.
This text will be replaced by the flash music player.
The Coast Guard Band performed the work with John Amos narrating during the week of July 29, 2002 in Washington, D.C. Their recording is with Merlin Olson. The Aspen Music Festival Band performed the band version in 2005 with Lawrence Isaacson conducting. The South Shore Concert Band performed the band version on November 11, 2012. The Roman Festival Brass played Liberty for All on May 28, 2012. |
Liberty
for All is an orchestral piece with narration which was made possible
through the American Composers Forum as part of the Continental Harmony
program. Continental Harmony links communities with composers
to celebrate the new millenium through the creation of original musical
works. The program is a partnership of American Composers Forum and
the National Endowment for the Arts, with additional funds provided by the
John S. & James L. Knight Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, William
& Flora Hewlett Foundation and Land O'Lakes Foundation. Continental
Harmony is an Associate Partner of the White House Millennium Council.
For
the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra premieres, the piece was conducted by
Stuart Malina, who is the Music Director for the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra. He has also
conducted at Chatauqua, Charleston, Greensboro, Louisville, North Carolina, Hartford,
and Kansas City. Malina has conducted operas and musical theater and
is also an accomplished pianist. The narrator for these performances
was Michel Bell, a singer, soloist, and actor; especially celebrated for
his role of "Porgy" in Gershwin's opera, Porgy and Bess, and his performances in
the Broadway revival of the musical, Show Boat. He is the
music arranger for the hit musical, Movin' Out, highlighting Billy
Joel's music.
For the Carmel Symphony Orchestra
performances, Liberty
for All was conducted by their Music Director, David Bowden. He
is also Music Director of the Terre Haute Symphony and the Columbus
Indiana Philharmonic and has
guest conducted in Savannah, Winston-Salem, Peoria, Marquette and
Mississippi. He is widely known for his innovative programming and
emphasis on the music education of our youth. The narrator for this
performance was John Gillis, a WIBC radio personality in Indianapolis.