057 - Joshua

About the song

Arranged by Bill Moffit

The song is originally an American spiritual (full title "Joshua (Fit the Battle of Jericho"), based on the story of Joshua, the successor of Moses in the Old Testament, who led the Israelites into the Promised Land.

Instrumentation requirements

Big trumpet section required!

Roadmap

Played as written, but be sure to keep the tempo up.

Dances

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Trombones performing the "Guillotine" manuver

• Trombones - Guillotine! (similar to this)
• Alto Saxes and Mellophones - Start the song out by holding your horn straight out in front of you, out of your mouth, and shake it up and down with each quarter note from beat one of measure 1. At measure 9, swing your horn left on beat one and right on beat three in a smooth motion. One or two measures before measure 13, bring the horn to your mouth and get ready to play (still swinging, of course). At measure 13, keep swinging the horn and play the melody. THIS WILL REQUIRE PRACTICE. The normal fingerings for the notes are very hard to play while swinging your horn, so I suggest practicing playing the melody without the octave key to give you more support at the top of your horn. At measure 21, take the horn out of your mouth and bring it out in front of you and to your left, shaking it up and down for each quarter note and bringing it to your right continuously for two measures, timing it so that you end on your right. Do this nine times, bringing you to measure 39. At this time, swing your horn the same way you were at measure 13, and get ready to play. Swing and play starting at measure 41. It should be much easier this time around. At measure 47, stop swinging and play regularly. In measures 50, 52, and 54, there should each be three notes. For the second note in each of these measures, while playing lean back and tilt your horn in the air. On the last held note of measure 61, begin to squat down while you're decrescendoing. In measures 64-66, stand up a little in each measure as you are crescendoing, until you are fully standing in measure 66. In measure 68, as you are yelling "Yeah!" throw your fist in the air.
• Flutes & Clarinets - Pretty much the same as the saxes, only from measures 13-21 don't sway back and forth. In the days of yore the section did sway as described above, but due to laziness/lack of coordination it is no longer done.

America's Pep Band (album)
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12. Brown Derby Jump	13. Joshua	14. El Cumbanchero

Live in Québec 2008
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2. Gospel John	3. Joshua	4. Hockey Night in Canada