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helpisontheway for orchestra
a symphony in five movements, composed by Barney B. Johnson. Finished on Christmas Day 2022, we are currently looking to either find an orchestra that wants to program the symphony or
to build enough public demand that we can fund the symphony outside of the traditional donor model. For the latest clips, check out our Youtube Channel
Shorts Just Released
About
Eb Major Section from I. A Safe Home of the symphony.
New recording: fresher winds, stronger crescendo-decrescendo, more pungent accents.
Enjoy!
Barney (May 6th)
For the conductor's score
(birds eye view, no animation), scroll below
Shorts in Production
About
I will be testing out different shorts and formats through YouTube Shorts, and this section is for hearing the entire clip. Currently in production: Plaintive Oboe Solo from III. The Great Elephants.
Enjoy!
Barney (April 15th)
IV. The Terror
About
I am designing an animated short
of the 4th movement of the symphony, and will be
placing the full excerpt directly on the website.
New features: instrument names fixed on the left hand side, moving instrument names, size of notes growing and contracting to reflect the music, showing 2-3 perspectives at once (melody, accomp, additional)
Current selection:
0:00 Ending of the Alive! section
0:08 Tender Section (audience favorite)
00:36 Solemn D minor
00:54 Dark Chords in Parallel Motion
1:03 2nd Trombone Solo
1:10 2nd Tuba Solo
1:18 The Plunge of Hell
2:02 Disney Section
Enjoy!
-Barney
Last updated: March 27th, 2026
Latest Shorts
"Royal Section"
from I. A Safe Home
Animated Version
"Royal Section"
from I. A Safe Home
Conductor's Score
Latest Information
I just completed a new full short for the Royal Section of the symphony.
Some of the new features: fixed instrument names on the left hand side, expanding & contracting in size to match crescendo-dimunendo markings, and of course, the new 2026 standard which is showing multiple perspectives at once (melody + accomp) of the symphony. For a simpler look and feel, check out the Conductor's Score.
Enjoy!
Guide to Sections
00:05: Royal Brass Chorale
00:39 Starburst Section
01:15 Majestic Cadence
01:50 6 Sweet Soli First Violins
01:59 Ending
Barney (updated March 31st, 2026)
RECENT SHORTS
"New England, pt1"
from III. The Great Elephants
Animated Version
"New England, pt 1"
from III. The Great Elephants
Conductor's Version
"Romantic Opening"
from III. The Great Elephants
Animated Version
"Romantic Opening"
from III. The Great Elephants
Conductor's Version
added March 14th, 2026
LATEST SHORTS
About
I will be updating the website with more full shorts
of the symphony, for those who would like to go beyond
the limits of Youtube. The YouTube Channel
will still contain all of the original clips and teasers of new sections.
Animated Version: for general public or anyone who wants to watch the score in action
Conductor's Version: for conductors and performers who want a bird's eye view of the symphony
-Barney
Last updated: March 7th, 2026
"New England, pt1"
from III. The Great Elephants
Animated Version
"New England, pt 1"
from III. The Great Elephants
Conductor's Version
"Romantic Opening"
from III. The Great Elephants
Animated Version
"Romantic Opening"
from III. The Great Elephants
Conductor's Version
added March 14th, 2026
CONDUCTOR'S SCORE
Eb Major Section
(from I. A Safe Home)
I have made a very simple short of just the score
in its original form, so that conductors and professional musicians can review the music without the fancy edits getting in the way. This is for anyone who wants a birds-eye perspective of the symphony. I do not anticipate advertising this on Youtube Shorts or TikTok, since this is suited uniquely for those who want to get a better picture.
Hope you enjoy,
Barney (updated April 19th, 2026)
I. A SAFE HOME
Roller Coaster Ending
(from the ending of the first movement)
Movie version
An audience favorite
-Barney (updated Jan 25th, 2026)
IV. THE TERROR
Chariots on Fire, Sect 1
(from the second part of the movement)
​
A sense of buoyancy and aliveness, it feels like
we are charging to the gates of heaven.
Originally released a year ago, the 2026 version has the following updates:
Sound: background accompaniment is more rustic & uneven, mimicking a live orchestra. Main melody is sharper, crisper, and second melody (with French horns) has a rounder sound. The Low Brass arrival has a fresher feel as well.
Look & Feel: The melody is now separated from the accompaniment, so that you can see two perspectives
(and sometimes more!) at once.
Enjoy!
Barney (updated Jan 18th, 2026)
III. The Great Elephants
Primal Section
(from the first half of the movement)
​
This music depicts a sense of dis-ease, like winding through a hazy maze, or trying to find your way in a foreign land.
​
Part 1: 0:00
Part 2: 00:41
Part 3: 1:13
I. A Safe Home
The first 3 minutes are now available:
-The Great Storm (0:000
-Royal Section (00:29)
-Eb Major, beginning (2:36)
IV. The Terror
We are now publishing larger sections of the symphony
directly on the website. Currently we have Section 1
of the Terror (4th movement), which includes "Panic Attack" and "After the Panic Attack."
Conductor's Scores
"Panic Attack" & "After the Panic Attack"
from III. The Terror
added March 21st, 2026
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