Fracas

Randall Standridge

Randall Standridge

General Info

Year: 2023
Duration: c. 3:45
Difficulty: III-1/2 (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Randall Standridge Music
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $85.00; (digital) - $85.00   |   Score Only (print) - $20.00

Instrumentation

• Full Score
• Flute
• Oboe
• Bassoon
• B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
• B-flat Bass Clarinet
• E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
• B-flat Tenor Saxophone
• E-flat Baritone Saxophone
• B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
• Horn in F I-II
• Trombone I-II-III
• Euphonium
• Tuba
• Electric Bass
• Synthesizer
• Timpani
• Percussion I-II-III-IV-V, including:

*Bass Drum

*China Cymbals

*Cowbell

*Crash Cymbals

*Drum Set (optional)

*Hi-Hat

*Marimba

*Ride Cymbal

*Snare Drum

*Suspended Cymbal

*Tambourine

*Tam-tam

*Tom-toms (2)

*Vibraphone

*Wind Chimes

*Xylophone

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Fracas (noun): a noisy, disorderly disturbance or fight; riotous brawl; uproar. This perfectly describes this pulsating work by composer Randall Standridge that serves as a spiritual follow-up to his piece Ruckus. Inspired by the horn bands and jazz musicians of the '60s and '70s, this work includes memorable horn riffs, challenging percussion, and unbridled rhythmic energy. Pops meets symphonic to great effect in this work.

- Program Note from publisher

My musical tastes are diverse, to say the least. This is because I am not a musical snob. I really do think that all music is valid, and I like to bathe my mind in all of the wonderful varieties of sound that the wonderful world of music has to offer.

In this spirit, I have always had a great deal of affection for the horn bands and jazz musicians of the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s. Earth Wind and Fire, Bill Chase, Chick Corea, Buddy Rich, Blood Sweat and Tears, Stan Kenton….these were heroes to me.

Fracas is my love letter to this time period and these groups and individuals. It is a fusion of symphonic convention and rock/jazz sensibilities. It is also a spiritual follow-up to my work Ruckus..

So sit back, tap your toes, and get ready for a collision of worlds where horn riffs, psychedelic colors, and driving energy meet. Also, do NOT play this safe or politely. If your only concern is creating a beautiful pyramidic sound, this piece is NOT. FOR. YOU. It’s called “Fracas” for goodness sake.

- Program Note by composer

Media

• Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

• Arkansas Winds Community Concert Band (Fayetteville) (Michael Ferguson, conductor) – 5 June 2025 (ACB 2025 Annual Convention (Fort Smith, Ark.))
• Ohlone Symphonic Band (Fremont, Calif.) (Tony Clements, conductor) - 23 March 2025
• United Township High School (East Moline, Ill.) Symphonic Band (Mike Wawrzynski, conductor) - 2 December 2024
• Dordt University (Sioux Center, Iowa) Campus-Community Band (Onsby Rose, conductor) - 25 October 2024
• North Penn High School (Lansdale, Penn.) Wind Ensemble (Joseph J. Santanello, conductor) - 22 March 2024
• Glendale (Ariz.) Community College Symphonic Winds (Bill Humbert, conductor) – 10 October 2023

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

• Aggressivo (Flex instrumentation) (2013/2020)
• Alarm (Flex instrumentation) (2019/2020)
• Beginners Rock! (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
• Circuit Breaker (Flex instrumentation) (2021)
• Dark Ride (Flex instrumentation) (2018/2020)
• Darklands March (Flex instrumentation) (2014/2020)
• Deus Ex Machina (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
• The Dragon Lord (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
• Earthdawn (Flex instrumentation) (2019/2020)
• Fanfare for the 16th Empire (Flex instrumentation) (2021)
• A Festival of Carols (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
• Groovy-8 (Flex instrumentation) (2021)
• Havana Nights (Flex instrumentation) (2018/2020)
• Hillside March (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
• Kinetic Dances (Flex instrumentation) (2015/2021)
• The Lake of Sorrows (Flex instrumentation) (2021)
• Mechanical Monsters (Flex instrumentation) (2021)
• Metrodance (Reduced instrumentation) (2012/2021)
• Pacifica (Reduced instrumentation) (2019/2021)
• Precious Lord, Take My Hand (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (2020)
• Shadow Cove March (Flex instrumentation) (2021)
• Siege (Reduced instrumentation) (2020/2021)
• Snake Charmer (Flex instrumentation) (2009/2020)
• The Star-Spangled Banner (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1814/2021)
• Spero (Flex instrumentation) (2021)
• Starfire Fanfare (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
• Vanishing Point (Flex instrumentation) (2020)

All Wind Works

• Adrenaline Engines (2010)
• Affirmation (2021)
• Afterburn (2009)
• Afterburn: Relaunch (2023)
• Aggressivo (2013)
• Aggressivo (Flex instrumentation) (2013/2020)
• Alarm (2019)
• Alarm (Flex instrumentation) (2019/2020)
• American Declaration (2022)
• Angelic Celebrations (2014)
• Animation (2023)
• Argentum (2015)
• Armory (2015)
• Art(isms)
  • Pointallism
  • Surrealism
  • Abstract Expressionism
• Aspects
  • Awaken
  • In Memoriam
  • Galop Comíque (2025)
• Battlesong (2012)
• Bazaar (2017)
• Bees. See: The Garden Suite
• Beginners Rock! (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
• The Black Cat (2021)
• Black Moon March (2024)
• Blackbeard (2023)
• Blizzard's Fury (2024)
• Blue Sky Horizon (2022)
• The Boom Boom Galop (2017)
• Brave Spirit (2015)
• Brighton Camp March (2012)
• Buffalo Island March
• C-141 Starlifter (2015/2022)
• A Carmen Christmas (as arranger) (2015)
• Celebration (2016)
• Celebration Tribalesque (2011)
• Celebrations for Christmas (as arranger) (2020)
• Cha'la (2018)
• Choose Joy (2022)
• A Christmas Bell Carol (as arranger) (2018)
• A Christmas Carol (2022)
• A Christmas Fanfare (2011)
• A Christmas Flourish (2017)
• A Christmas Gathering (2022)
• A Christmas Tale (2016)
• Christmas Village (2021)
• Christmas at the Circus (as arranger) (2014)
• Circuit Breaker (Flex instrumentation) (2021)
• The Clapping Song (2022)
• Columbia (2022)
• Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing (2014)
• Companion of My Voice (2015)
• Creer (2021)
• Dancing Lights (2020)
• Danse Bohémien (2010)
• Danse Carnivale (2013)
• Dark Ride (2018)
• Dark Ride (Flex instrumentation) (2018/2020)
• Darklands Symphony
  • Darklands March (2014)
  • Darklands March (Flex instrumentation) (2014/2020)
  • Darklands Legends (2017)
  • DarkHeart (2016)
• Daybreak March
• Deus Ex Machina (2019)
• Deus Ex Machina (Flex instrumentation) (2019/2020)
• Dominion (2021)
• The Dragon Lord (2020)
• The Dragon Lord (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
• Earthdawn (Flex instrumentation) (2019/2020)
• El Zorro Rojo (2019)
• Everlight (2025)
• Extremis (2015)
• Fanfare Americana (2023)
• Fanfare for the 16th Empire (Flex instrumentation) (2021)
• Fantasia on a Theme of Camille Saint Saens (2022)
• A Festival of Carols (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
• Fiat Lux (2021)
• Fields of Clover (2000/2005)
• Firebirds (2025)
• Flowers. See: The Garden Suite
• Folk Suite for Beginning Band
• Four (2017)
• Four Cumberland Sketches (2023)
• The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (2020)
• Fracas (2023)
• Fragile (2022)
• Frogs. See: The Garden Suite
• Gadget (2012)
• Galactic Fanfare (2018)
• Gallowglass (2021)
• Galop Comíque. See: Aspects
• Galop Festivo (2023)
• The Garden Suite (2018-2020)
  • Frogs (2018)
  • March of the Arachnids (2019)
  • Flowers (2020)
  • Bees (2020)
• Gently Blows the Summer Wind (2008)
• Gestures (2019)
• A Ghost Story. See: Symphony No. 1
• Gloriam (2025)
• Grace (2007)
• The Great Rubber Chicken Galop (2024)
• Groovitude (2025)
• Groovy-8 (2021)
• Groovy-8 (Flex instrumentation) (2021)
• Half-Past One
• Half-Past Two (2016)
• Havana Nights (2020)
• Havana Nights (Flex instrumentation) (2018/2020)
• Heartland March (2024)
• Her Majesty's Brigade (2011)
• High Voltage (2017)
• Hillside March (Flex instrumentation) (2021)
• A Holiday Galop (as arranger) (2013)
• Holiday Wish (2025)
• Homeward Shores (2023)
• Imaginarium (2015)
• Impact (2018)
• In Endless Song (2014)
• In Late November (2009)
• In Paths of Truth and Grace (2015)
• In Quiet Hours (2019)
• In Simple Faith (as arranger) (2018)
• In These Last Days of Autumn (2016)
• In the Court of the King (2013)
• Infinite Possibilities (2024)
• Iron and Ice (2017)
• IronHeart (2014)
• The Joyful Rose of Winter (as arranger) (2018)
• A Joyous Christmas (2015)
• Kinetic Dances (2015)
• Kinetic Dances (Flex instrumentation) (2015/2021)
• The Lake of Sorrows. See: Tales from the Darklands
• Legacy Overture (2019)
• Life's Railway (2018)
• Little Suite for Band (2014)
• Lullabye (Waltz for Band) (2009)
• Lux Spiritus (2018)
• Maestro (2023)
• A Maid of Bedlam (as arranger) (2020)
• March of the Arachnids. See: The Garden Suite
• March of the Hobgoblins (2024)
• March of the Winter Elves (2016)
• March Phantasma (2022)
• March Wunderbar (2022)
• Marzo Zingaro (2017)
• Me (reAffirmation) (2023)
• Mechanical Monsters (2021)
• Mechanical Monsters (Flex instrumentation) (2021)
• Metalheads (2016)
• Metrodance (2012)
• Metrodance (Reduced instrumentation) (2012/2021)
• Morpheus (2016)
• ...music speaks (2021)
• Nebula (2021)
• New Era Fanfare (2013)
• The Nine (2018)
• (not) Alone (2022)
• Ode to Joy
• Of Monsters and Men (2019)
• On a Catalonian Carol (as arranger) (2016)
• On a Remix of Beethoven. See: Four
• On an Olde English Carol (as arranger) (2021)
• Pacifica (2019)
• Pacifica (Reduced instrumentation) (2019/2021)
• Pandora (2007)
• The Photo Album (2020)
• Portent (2008)
• A Prayer Before Nightfall
• Precious Lord, Take My Hand (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (2020)
• Providence (2021)
• Pulse (2014)
• Rage (2011)
• The Rains of Scarborough Fair (as arranger) (2017)
• Relentless (2016)
• Return to the Imaginarium (2026)
• Rev (2024)
• Ride of the Red Knights (2025)
• Ridge Spirit Fanfare
• River Valley Overture (2021)
• A Rollicking Hannukah (2018)
• The Rowan Tree (as arranger) (2010)
• Ruckus (2014)
• Santa the Barbarian (2021)
• Santa the Barbarian and the Pirates of the North Pole (2022)
• Santa the Barbarian: Snowpocalypse (2023)
• Scream (2024)
• Shadow Cove March (Flex instrumentation) (2021)
• Shadow Fire (2021)
• Siege (2020)
• Siege (Reduced instrumentation) (2020/2021)
• Skygazer Fanfare (2015)
• Snake Charmer (2009)
• Snake Charmer (Flex instrumentation) (2009/2020)
• Snow Angels (2014/2017)
• Snowscape (2024)
• Stampede March (2025)
• The Soft-Shoe Rag (2012)
• Son of Santa the Barbarian (2024)
• Spero (2021)
• Spero (Flex instrumentation) (2021)
• Spring (2021)
• The Star-Spangled Banner (Flex instrumentation) (as arranger) (1814/2021)
• Starfire Fanfare (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
• Stay (2024)
• Steel (2011)
• Still, Still, Still (as arranger) (2011)
• Stonewall: 1969 (2019)
• Sultana: 1865 (2020)
• Summer Song (2016)
• Symphony No. 1 (2022)
• Taiko (2020)
• Tales from the Darklands
  • The Lake of Sorrows (2021)
  • The Lake of Sorrows (Flex instrumentation) (2021)
• Taiko (2020)
• Tanchōzuru (2016)
• That Old Hound Dog Rag (2009)
• Thrash (2019)
• Tiger: The Shadow Hunter (2018)
• Timepiece (2015)
• To Horizons Unseen (2019)
• Tomorrow's Celebration (2013)
• Too Much Percussion! (2023)
• Towercrest March
• unBroken (2021)
• Undecim (2015)
• Under the Cherry Blossoms (2018)
• Union Street March
• Utopia (2021)
• Vanishing Point (2019)
• Vanishing Point (Flex instrumentation) (2020)
• Venom (2017)
• Victory Parade March
• Warriors of the 16th Empire (2022)
• We Wish You a Scary Christmas! (2020)
• The Western Journey (2020)
• When Summer's in the Meadow (as arranger) (2019)
• When the Spring Rain Begins to Fall (2013)
• Where Words End... (2019)
• Whiplash (2014)
• Winds of Change (2016)
• A Winter Morning (2025)
• A Winter's Journey (2025)
• The Witching Hour (2014)
• With Every Winter's Breath (2012)
• Wolverine Summer (2018)
• Wrath of the Mechanical Monsters (2024)
• A Yuletide Festival (2012)
• Zooveniers (2011)

Resources

• Perusal score
• Randall Standridge website. Accessed 20 January 2024