Silver Guard

Silver Vanguard is a piece in rondo form that brings to mind strength. The first section (mm 1-8) should be strongly accented, and all notes should be separated, depicting a medieval military group moving into protect a town. The second theme (mm 9-16) requires a quiet but firm strength and signifies the militia standing quietly at the ready. All quarter notes with tenuto marks should have weight to them. Listen carefully for the initial militant theme as it returns in the piano part; it should be played strongly and heard clearly. The third theme, depicting the village resting peacefully, unaware of the battle, is in the new key of D major. Pay attention to the F#s and the C# at the end of this lyrical section. The first theme returns again at measure 39 in yet another new key, e minor. The piece builds from here to the end as the village is saved. The bassoon part states the same idea four times in measures 45-48, and each statement should be stronger than previous one.