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I want to compile a list of pieces that start off with a melody that is imitating something far off in the distance, then as whatever it is comes closer, the music gets louder and stronger, then eventually whatever that is causing the music leaves, the music gets more and more softer and in the distance. Here is what I have thought of so far.

Alexander Borodin- In the Steppes of Central Asia

Ottorino Respighi- Pines of Rome: II. I pini presso una catacomba
This imitates the monks walking through the ancient catacombs chanting in latin which starts with the clarinets, bass clarinet, and cellos. As the monks come closer, the music becomes more intense and triumphant. It eventually subsides, and gets less fervent.

Leroy Anderson- The Phantom Regiment
A extremely attractive, little piece that follows this formula by a composer who is becoming less popular each passing day.

allegroamabile wrote: by a composer who is becoming less popular each passing day.

Unfortunately. Anderson is one of my favorites.


Another 'light' piece that somewhat fits is American Patrol by Frank W. Meacham, though at the end it add a very loud Yankee Doodle in there so it's not quite perfect.

I think Souvenir de Porto Rico by Louis Morou Gottschalk (another favorite composer, and I love this piece) would fit this, as well.

Melodia wrote:Another 'light' piece that somewhat fits is American Patrol by Frank W. Meacham, though at the end it add a very loud Yankee Doodle in there so it's not quite perfect.

That depends on the version you listen to (some arrangements put the Yankee Doodle in at the end). The original piano sheet music calls for it to fade to silence at the end. It is linked below for reference from the Indiana University sheet music collection:
http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/metsnav ... 0/METADATA

The 'patrol' march was a somewhat short lived fad of simulating a marching band on parade in a concert hall/bandstand environment. In American Patrol, it starts off with distant drums, then the 'marching' tune appears and gets louder. The band stops in front of the viewing stand and plays "Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean". A blast of trumpets and drums signal they're off again and the 'marching' tune reappears. It again fades away into distant drumbeats.

It can be heard here on a Wurlitzer 165 carousel organ:
http://www.nps.gov/archive/glec/caro/carmusic.htm
Real Player is needed to listen to it.

3rd movement of Symphonie Fantastique fits the bill nicely. So does The Isle of the Dead

Strauss's Egyptian March, and also (if non-symphonic pieces are allowed), one of the slow movements of Lutoslawski's Dance Preludes.

Well, it seems the band and piano versions of "American Patrol" have some differences. The band version adds "Dixie" after "Columbia" and "Yankee Doodle" where the piano version fades away. I had heard the Yankee version before but I didn't know if it was authentic, but a YT search shows it dating back to at least Sousa's recording. There are just too many arrangements of it out there to keep track of, and I didn't even mention the Glen Miller swing version!

wurlitzer153 wrote:Well, it seems the band and piano versions of "American Patrol" have some differences. The band version adds "Dixie" after "Columbia" and "Yankee Doodle" where the piano version fades away. I had heard the Yankee version before but I didn't know if it was authentic, but a YT search shows it dating back to at least Sousa's recording. There are just too many arrangements of it out there to keep track of, and I didn't even mention the Glen Miller swing version!

I figured the Fennel-recorder version was the original band arrangement at least, since IIRC it didn't have an arrangers name when we played it in band in high school.

Appalachian Spring by Aaron Copland

The orchestral suite is divided in eight sections, which Copland describes as:

Very slowly. Introduction of the characters, one by one, in a suffused light.
Fast. Sudden burst of unison strings in A major arpeggios starts the action. A sentiment both elated and religious gives the keynote to this scene.
Moderate. Duo for the Bride and her Intended – scene of tenderness and passion.
Quite fast. The Revivalist and his flock. Folksy feeling – suggestions of square dances and country fiddlers.
Still faster. Solo dance of the Bride – presentiment of motherhood. Extremes of joy and fear and wonder.
Very slowly (as at first). Transition scene to music reminiscent of the introduction.
Calm and flowing. Scenes of daily activity for the Bride and her Farmer husband. There are five variations on a Shaker theme. The theme, sung by a solo clarinet, was taken from a collection of Shaker melodies compiled by Edward D. Andrews, and published under the title "The Gift to Be Simple." The melody most borrowed and used almost literally is called "Simple Gifts."
Moderate. Coda. The Bride takes her place among her neighbors. At the end the couple are left "quiet and strong in their new house." Muted strings intone a hushed prayerlike chorale passage. The close is reminiscent of the opening music.

Do Sibelius' En Saga,Tapiola and Swan of Tuonela fit the bill? The beginning of the 3rd part of Berlioz' Damnation de Faust, starts half way through the pattern (with loud music) but does subside as the band passes into the distance.

Also, there are several movements by Ives that match this general contour, which seems to have been a favorite of his. For example, try the first and third movements of Three Places in New England. Also check out the Concord Sonata (the Alcotts, in particular), the 4th Symphony and every movement of Holidays Symphony but especially The Fourth of July.

--Sixtus

First one that comes to mind is the first movement of Bartok's Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta. The fugue reaches a climax when the theme is played in the seminal key of E-flat (the farthest note from the tonic A). After this development the music dies down and ends the way it began.

Not sure if this counts, but the interconnected fourth and fifth movements of Schnittke's Piano Quintet begin softly with piano chords and then builds to an extremely loud and brash climax. After this, the ensemble dies down and the piano begins an ostinato theme. After building to a waltz(!), the strings finally reach a major chord. When you hear that chord, it feels like it's the first major chord you've ever heard in your life. Simply stunning.

Almost any of Delius's orchestral works - Brigg Fair, etc. (Except the Dance Rhapsody No.1 - it ends loud.) I'm not sure Song of the High Hills totally counts, either, since it opens mezzopiano (reaching a climax at forte after about a page).

Perfect example for a shorter piece, and many of you should know it - Rachmaninoff's C-Sharp Minor prelude Op. 3 No. 2

Another great example of this phenomenon is the first movement of Sibelius's Karelia Suite.

Children's March for Band by Grainger is like a big crescendo and decrescendo. Now that think of it, "In the Steppes of Central Asia" is similar (someone may have mentioned it before). What both have in common is they are depicting the coming and passing of people.

Bydlo from Musorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, though it would depend on what edition you are using (The Lamm edition starts with a ff the others which I have at hand at the moment (Rimsky-Korsakov, Horowitz) starts with pp)