Ask Not
Subtitle: A Musical Tribute to the Life of JFK
General Info
Year: 2013
Duration: c. 7:40
Difficulty: III (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: C.L. Barnhouse
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $90.00 | Score Only (print) - $10.00
Instrumentation
- Full Score
- C Piccolo/Flute
- Oboe
- Bassoon
- B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II
- B-flat Bass Clarinet
- E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
- B-flat Tenor Saxophone
- E-flat Baritone Saxophone
- B-flat Trumpet I-II
- Horn in F
- Trombone I-II
- Euphonium
- Tuba
- Timpani
- Percussion I-II-III, including:
- *Bass Drum
- *Bells
- *Brake Drum
- *Chimes
- *Crash Cymbals
- *Gong
- *Marimba
- *Snare Drum
- *Suspended Cymbal
- *Vibraphone
- *Xylophone
Narrator
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
A glimpse of American history is unveiled with this stunning work that musically reflects the life and times of our 35th President, John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Through the use of a narrator, a wealth of information is provided that the audience will find most fascinating and highly informative.
- Program Note excerpted from publisher
Immediately after reciting the oath of office, President Kennedy turned to address the crowd gathered at the Capitol. His 1366-word inaugural address, the first delivered to a televised audience in color, is considered one of the best presidential inaugural speeches in American history. It included this stirring line:
"And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you -- ask what you can do for your country."
- Program Note from Wikipedia
Media
- Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown
- Audio CD: The Washington Winds (Edward S. Petersen, conductor) – 2013
State Ratings
None discovered thus far.
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- The Vintage Band (Des Moines, Iowa) (John Welsh, conductor) - 15 November 2025
- Luther Preparatory School (Watertown, Wisc.) Band (Carl Hochmuth, conductor) – 24 November 2013
Works for Winds by This Composer
Adaptable Music
- Romanesque (Flex instrumentation) (1982/2020)
All Wind Works
- Above and Beyond (2011)
- Air of Nobility (2009)
- Aces of the Air (as arranger) (1942/2011)
- All Glory Told (1995)
- Allied Honor (as arranger) (1955/1989)
- Amazing Grace
- America the Beautiful (as arranger) (1882/2006)
- An American Portrait (1998)
- And the Angels Called (2005)
- And the Herald Angels Sang (2001)
- As Seasons Change
- As the Eagle Flies (2005)
- Ashford Variations (1992)
- Ashton Overture (1982)
- Ask Not (2013)
- Aventura (1984)
- Baywood Overture (1991)
- Be Still My Soul (as arranger) (1900/2016)
- Beautiful Savior (2003)
- Beyond the Darkness (2013)
- Big Four (as arranger) (1955/2002)
- Blue Ridge Saga (1990)
- The Blues (2008)
- Brookpark Overture (1983)
- Bunker Hill (as arranger) (1943/2018)
- Bunker Hill Overture (1994)
- But for the Love of Ireland (2014)
- Call to Victory (as arranger) (1942/2001)
- Can't Help Falling in Love (as arranger) (1961/1989/2012)
- Carolina Legend (1991)
- Celebration and Dance
- Celebration and Tribute (2015)
- Celebration for Winds and Percussion (1999)
- A Celebration Overture (1995)
- Centuria (1986)
- Chesford Portrait (1982)
- Children of the Shrine
- A Child's Lullaby (as arranger) (1868/1996)
- Chorale Suite (1993)
- A Christmas Auld Lang Syne (as arranger) (2004)
- A Christmas Classic (1997)
- Christmas Classics
- Christmas Favorites
- A Christmas Wish (1994)
- Clark County Celebration (2007)
- A Classic Overture (1993)
- Coast Guards (as arranger) (1942/1991)
- The Cottage on the Lake (2020)
- Covington Square (1985)
- Crosswinds March (2007)
- Crown Him with Many Crowns (1999)
- Crunch Time! (2007)
- Dawn of a New Day (1992)
- Dedication March and Celebration
- Deep River (as arranger) (1998)
- Denbridge Way (1979)
- Didn’t We Almost Have It All
- The Distant Castle (2008)
- Divinum Mysterium (as arranger) (2009)
- Drums Ole (1999)
- Eagle Crest (1994)
- Early American Portrait
- Early One Morning
- Echoes of Ireland (1999)
- Eiger (2007)
- Emblem of Unity (as arranger) (1941/1988)
- English Celebration, An
- Entrance of the Tall Ships (2001)
- Exaltation (1978)
- Excalibur (1992)
- Exordium (1996)
- The Falling Rain (2006)
- A Family Christmas
- Fanfare and Jubilee (2002)
- Fantasy on an American Classic
- Fiesta de los Bravos
- A Fireside Christmas
- Flight of Valor (2003)
- Follow the River (2004)
- Forever Flying (2019)
- Forever Shining (2010)
- Freedom City (as arranger) (2017)
- Freedom’s Light (1997)
- Freedom’s March
- A Friend Remembered (2008)
- Gallant Marines (as arranger) (1942/2000)
- A Gift of Christmas Song (1998)
- The Gift of Hope (2015)
- Grand Canyon Overture
- Have Yourself a Merry Little
- Heroes and Glory (2007)
- High Falls Overture (2000)
- Holiday Greetings
- How Firm Thy Friendship (1997)
- Hymn for a Child (2001)
- I'll Be Home for Christmas (as arranger) (1943/1990)
- In All Its Glory (1989)
- In Quest of Uluru
- In the Presence of Heroes (2009)
- In the Wake of Spring
- In the Winter of 1730
- In Times of Triumph
- Into the Joy of Spring (2001)
- Invicta (1981)
- Irving Berlin's Songs for America (as arranger) (1986)
- A Jingle Bells Fantasy (as arranger) (1857/2010)
- A Joyful Christmas
- Jubilance (1997)
- Kick-Start! (2016)
- Land of Liberty
- The Last Rose of Summer (as arranger) (1813/2006)
- Lead On, O King Eternal (as arranger) (2000)
- Legacy (1996)
- The Legend of Danny Boy
- Lest We Forget (2001)
- Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! (as arranger) (1945/1994)
- Let the Christmas Season Begin! (2008)
- Let The Journey Begin! (2011)
- Let the Spirit Soar
- Liberty March (1990)
- The Light Eternal (1992)
- The Light of Dawn
- Los Dos Amigos
- Majestia (1983)
- Make a Joyful Noise
- Mambo Cubano (2009)
- March: Celebration and Glory
- March of the Belgian Parachutists (as arranger) (1945/2007)
- Monterey (as arranger) (1943/2020)
- Mystic River Fantasy
- Nightflight (2008)
- Nighthawk (2014)
- Northpointe Fantasy (1986)
- Novena (1980)
- O Come, All Ye Faithful (2000)
- Of Pride and Celebration (1987)
- Of Time and Change (2014)
- Oh, My Heart Belongs to Ireland (2018)
- Ol' Glory March
- On a Cold Winter's Night
- On a Winter's Eve
- Our Moment in Time (2022)
- Our Director March (as editor) (1892/2003)
- Our Moment in Time (2022)
- Park Street Celebration
- Pageant for Winds (1990)
- Panther in the Sky
- Park Street Celebration (1985)
- Prelude and Energico
- Prestissimo (as arranger) (1931/2010)
- Proud Spirit
- Reflections (1984)
- Rejoice! (2017)
- Ring in the Joy (1997)
- Romanesque (1982)
- Romanesque (Flex instrumentation) (1982/2020)
- Rough Riders (as arranger) (1943/1996)
- Royal Emblem
- Salute to Liberty (2019)
- Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town
- Santa Visits the Caribbean (2005)
- Santa's Early Holiday Arrival
- Santa’s Heartfelt Christmas (2017)
- Santa’s Holiday Favorites (as arranger) (2009)
- Santa's on His Way (2020)
- Santiago (as arranger) (1943/2022)
- A Scottish Portrait (2011)
- Seagate Overture (1988)
- Silent Night (as arranger) (1818/2008)
- Silver Bells (as arranger) (1950/)
- Silvercrest (1986)
- Soaring Above the Clouds (2012)
- A Song of Hope (2002)
- A Song for Peace (2013)
- The Sounds of Christmas Joy (as arranger) (2002)
- Sounds of the Season
- The Special Sounds of Christmas (as arranger) (1980)
- Star of Wonder
- The Star-Spangled Banner (as arranger) (1814/2005)
- Stormy Seas
- Tidings of Comfort and Joy (2005)
- To a New Beginning (2002)
- Trails of Glory (1993)
- Triumphant Spirit (1989)
- Two Amigos (1991)
- A Vision of Majesty (1998)
- Voice of Christmas
- The Wake of Spring
- The Water Is Wide
- Westchester March (1992)
- When Kings Go Forth
- When Honor Prevails
- Where the River Flows (1994)
- Williamsburg Overture
- Winchester Chronicles (1995)
- Windemere (1990)
- Windsong (2010)
- Winter Holiday (1991)
- With Malice Toward None (2009)
- Within These Hallowed Halls (as arranger) (2004)
- Wyndham Variations (1987)
Resources
- Inauguration of John F. Kennedy. Inauguration Speech. Wikipedia. Accessed 16 November 2025
- Perusal score