Download - The Great Locomotive Chase
The Great
Locomotive Chase
(2000)Robert W. Smith
Created by John Sierakowski (2007)
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Grade 2
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The Great Locomotive Chase
• Commissioned and dedicated to the 1999-2000 Tapp Middle School (GA) Symphonic Band
• Composer Robert W. Smith– Africa: Ceremony, Song and Ritual– The Tempest– Encanto
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History behind the composition
• Follows the story of Union spy James Andrews in his efforts to cut off resources to the confederate army during the Civil War.
• The Confederate Railroad system.
• “Boldest Civil War adventure.”
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Andrews’ Mission
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Sounds Easy?
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The Story Unfolds
• Andrews’ group travels from Chattanooga, Tennessee to Marrietta, Georgia.
• Total of twenty men that participated in the mission.
• Big Shanty, Georgia (now Kennesaw)
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The General
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The Chase Begins
• William Allen Fuller – The Pursuer
• As “The General” burns through Georgia towns, Fuller and Murphy chase on foot and handcar.
• Derailed Handcar leads Fuller to take control of a locomotive in Etowah.
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The Chase continues
• “Yonah” pursues “The General”
• Minutes pass in between Andrews’ departure and Fuller’s arrival.
• Fuller and Anthony run into more pulled up tracks.
• Fuller commandeers the “Texas.”
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“Texas” pursues “The General”
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The Chase Ends
• “The General” was running out of water and wood.
• Abandoning the train.
• The hunt for Andrews’ Raiders
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The Results
• The hunt continues
• Execution of some of the raiders.
• Others never brought to trail
• Survivors received medals
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Compositional techniques used…
• “Haaaaa!”
• Chimes
• Diminished Chord
• Dynamics
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More techniques
• Accelerando and vocals
• Glissando
• “Loosing Steam”
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Related Information
• American Terrorists or Military importance?
• Memorial to Andrews’ Raiders
• Andrews in the movies
• The General final resting home
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Resources Cited• Joswick, D. & L. (2002). The Great Locomotive Chase: The Definitive Story of the Andrews
Raid – April 12, 1862. Retrieved March 27, 2007, from The Great Locomotive Chase Website: www.andrewsraid.com/
• No Author (2007). The First Medals of Honor. Retrieved March 27, 2007, from Home of Heroes Website: http://www.homeofheroes.com/moh/history/history_first.html
• No Author (2007). The Great Locomotive Chase. Retrieved March 25, 2007, from The Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History Website:
www.southernmuseum.org/• No Author (2007). The Great Locomotive Chase. Retrieved March 25, 2007, from Carl
Vinson Institute of Government: Georgia Info Website: www.cviog.uga.edu/Projects/gainfo/
• Pittenger, W. (1887). The History of Andrews Railroad Raid into Georgia in 1862. New York : War Pub. Co.
• Smith, R.W. (2000). The Great Locomotive Chase [Score]. California: Belwin-Mills.