ABSTRACT
Cowell's apprenticeship as a composer for wind band was relatively short-lived. Cowell had either handily learned the art of arranging wind instruments, or the two mentors had become weary of editing and re-scoring his works for band. "Air for Band" is certainly among the most memorable of Cowell's wind band pieces and, perhaps, among his finest achievements as a composer. In October of 1939 Cowell wrote a letter in response to one from Grainger that contain detailed comments about the final disposition of Celtic Set. It had been decided to exclude any additions, notably a new piece titled "Shoonthree", a single-movement work of seventy-five measures. Perhaps the most carefully textured of the wind works by Cowell, "Shoonthree" explores in seven sections wind colors and scoring in a rather deliberate fashion. In fact, "Shoonthree" is scored thinly with minimal percussion and features chamber music textures delivered by solo voices for most of its duration.
