Description
Key Poulan’s marching band show Atlantis. We are all familiar with the legend of Atlantis. The mythical (or was it?) island of ancient lore that supposedly disappeared under the waves of an unforgiving sea. The show Atlantis captures the drama of daily life of this place we can only imagine in our minds and brings it to the field full of exciting spectacle, imploding energy and ultimate doom.
Mvt. 1: “The Thriving Metropolis” leads us down the bustling streets of the busy city, introducing the activity and clamor of Atlantis with an elaborate fanfare that proclaims the glory of the city that all revere. The sophistication of the music reminds us that even though Atlantis was from ancient times, the civilization was exceptionally advanced.
Mvt. 2: “An Eerie Calm” is a ballad that works on a number of levels. Even though it covers the island in a peaceful embrace, it foreshadows that something is not quite right. Is it the impending doom of destruction? Could anyone in Atlantis even grasp that possibility? Time will tell, and time will not be kind.
Mvt. 3: “The Demise of Atlantis” captures the terror of mass death and destruction as the city falls into the sea. The inhabitants cannot imagine why this is happening. You can hear in the music the horrified screams of the people as they attempt to flee the destruction all around them. This is the movement that risks elevating the blood pressure of those listening. It is also the end of the show if you wish to end brash and bold, leaving the aftermath of the destruction to the imaginations of the audience.
Mvt. 4: “Beneath the Sea” is an optional ending that depicts Atlantis as it sinks deep into the sea, never to be heard from or seen again and never to be discovered by centuries’ worth of intrepid fortune hunters and scientists. It is a subdued tag to the climactic apocalyptic vision of Movement 3. As the band gets swallowed up by the musical portrayal of the sea, a great visual effect would be to have everyone on the field disappear behind large panels of blue or have them covered by undulating pieces of fabric. At the end, all that is left is memories and the eternal question of “why?”
Credits:
By: Key Poulan, Percussion by Mike McIntosh
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| Title | Length | Grade | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Thriving Metropolis | 2:52 | 4+ | |
| An Eerie Calm | 1:34 | 4+ | |
| The Demise of Atlantis | 2:58 | 4+ | |
| Beneath the Sea | 1:32 | 4+ |
| Also Available in the Following Formats | Grade |
|---|---|
| Reduced Instrumentation for Small Bands | 4+ |
| Simplified Version for Developing Bands | 2+ / 3- |
Additional Options
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| ClickTrax | Call for Price |
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