ONE OF THE 1ST PIECES WRITTEN SPECIFICALLY FOR BAND BY CAMILLE DE NARDIS, 1878. BASED ON A RELIGIOUS CONCEPT OF A JOURNEY OF PURIFICATION WITH HARDSHIPS, HOPE AND JOY FOR THOSE AWAITING THE UNIVERSAL JUDGEMENT. PERFORMED BY THE USAF GOLDEN GATE BAND.
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Story behind the song
"Universal Judgment," a symphonic poem by Camillo De Nardis, long time director of the Conservatory in Naples. This composition won first prize in a national band contest at Naples in 1878, and in a competition at Turin, Italy, in 1880. Arrangement was specially prepared from the original score for the Goldman Band by Antonio Cafarella. The work itself "is extended in form and made up of a number of well-contrasted' melodious movements. The first of these is an Allegro con fuoco, in a well-developed fugal form; this is followed by a Moderato assai, descriptive of the heavnly hosts; and in turn by a recurrence of the first movement in altered form eading into an inspired Maestoso and Choral. A spirited Allegro brings the composition to a close."
The Universal Judgment is based on a religious concept of a journey of purification consisting of hardships with glimpses of hope and joy for those who are awaiting the universal judgment before receiving final blessedness. The music follows this progression with alternating sections of hardships (heavy brass parts), hope (high woodwinds frequently representing angels), and joy (also woodwinds and including lyrical brass parts), and with a triumphant conclusion representing final blessedness.
Camille De Nardis (1857 - 1951) was director of the Conservatory in Naples, Italy. This composition (the only one known in present existence) won first prize in a national band context in Naples in 1878 and also in a competition in Turin, Italy, in 1880. In 1934 Antonio Cafarella prepared an arrangement of the original score for concert band.