An elegy is a poem of serious reflection, typically a lament for the dead. My favorite example of an elegy doesn’t even have words. I would consider most wind band music to be poems without words. An American Elegy is a wind band repertoire piece that was written by Frank Ticheli to honor those who lost their lives and were severely injured at Columbine High School in 1999. If you didn’t know, this was a mass shooting at Columbine High School in April, and it resulted in fifteen deaths (including the shooters), and injured twenty-four (twenty-one by gunshot).

Ticheli said, “It is offered as a tribute to their great strength and courage. . . . I hope the work can also serve as one reminder of how fragile and precious life is and how intimately connected we all are as human beings.” We were even reminded that Columbine’s alma mater is incorporated towards the end and the notes and rhythms match up with the words, “We Are Columbine”. Above all, the piece is an expression of hope. The entire piece has to be my favorite legato band work, and I think everyone needs to listen to it. Having played it, I can vouch that the emotions felt through simply playing it is incredible and overwhelming and an experience like no other.

Michael Thomas via Compfight