Symposium of Contemporary American Music, 1952

SYMPOSIUM of?

CONTEMPORARY

AMERICAN MUSIC

SYM P O S IUM of

CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN MUSIC March 20-21, 1952 Sponsored by

The School of Music, Illinois Wesleyan University in conjunction with

Sigma Alpha Iota Sorority, Delta Omicron Sorority, Phi Mu Alpha Fraternity. *

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For a culture to be creative musically, there must be a close rela­ tionship between composer, performer, and listener. This Symposium was organized as a means of bridging the gap between today's composers and their audience. The hearing of representative con­ temporary works and the interchange of ideas are directed to the purpose of encouraging active participation in the creative currents of our time.

Three prominent American composers are guests of the Symposium: Earl George, Minneapolis, Minn.; Dr. Grant Fletcher, Melrose Park, 111.; and Burrill Phillips, Urbana, III. Works of these men, plus those by faculty and student composers of Illinois Wesleyan. form the basis of the Symposium. *

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THURSDAY, MARCH 20 10:00 a.m.-Program of Student Compositions. Opportunity will be given for students to receive criticism from the guest com­ posers.

2:00 p.m.-Partita for Piano Quartet Peggy Stone, Violin Allen Gove, 'Cello

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Burrill Phillips

George Andrix, Viola .

George Lucktenberg, Piano

(Students at the University of Illinois) Analysis by the composer. Discussion.

4:00 p.m.-Program of Contemporary American Music 1. "Oed aratives"

BurriII Phillips Pueblos.

Love.

Bells.

SAl chorus, Norma Smith, director; DO chorus, Sue McCabe, director. Roberta Troxel, pianist; Robert Ander­ son, organist.

Lloyd Pfautsch, conductor. __________________________________________________

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2. String Quartet No. 4 Grant Fletcher Allegro.

Sonore e Espressivo.

Allegro moderato.

Mario Mancinelli, 1 st violin; Isabelle Terrill, 2d violin; Frank Bohnhorst, viola; Yvonne Tait, violoncello. __________________________________________

3. "Songs of Innocence" Earl George The Shepherd.

Piping Down the Valleys Wild.

Laughing Song.

The Lamb.

Infant Joy. Illinois Wesleyan Collegiate Choir.

Lloyd Pfautsch, director. ___________________ ___________________________

4. "John Brown's Prayer"

Frank R. Bohnhorst (from "John Brown's Body" by Stephen V. Benet) Lloyd Pfautsch, baritone; Mario Mancinelli, violin; Yvonne Tait, cello; Frank Bohnhorst, piano. ______________________________

5. Scenes from "The Carrion Crow"

Grant Fletcher (adapted from a radio play by John Jacob Niles) Francis Barnard, director. James Kuchan, pianist. ________________________

CAST The Crow

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Ebenezer Botts (A tailor)

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Gathe Geezle (Farm-loan bank collector) Pansy Botts (Eb's wife) Doofie (The daughter)

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Robert Manahan

Dan Spreckelmeyer

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Enoch Alsop (Town loafer) Grandpaw (Pansy's paw) Luke (The son)

Diane Armstrong

Janet Von Soosten

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Julian Baggerly

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Annabelle, the sow

Darby Smith

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Bill Walker Jim Barnett

Anne Rothschild

Synopsis of Preceding Action ./

Ebenezer Botts, a pore tailor, is engaged in selling a coat to a mountain politician, Snitch Crochett. His bickering wife, Pansy, and the loafer, Enoch Alsop, constantly irritate him with their deridin' of his tailorin', but most irritating of all is the "CAW! CAW!" of the old crow on the fence. Pansy's father, Grandpaw (a veteran of the War Between the States), and the local farm­ loan collector, Gathe Geezle, add to the bedevilment, and finally Eb's son, Luke, spills the beans when he thoughtlessly sings that the new coat was once his old overcoat. Snitch stalks off and Eb resolves to really do away with all his bothermint.

The curtain rises as the Crow caws raucously, and Eb sings his "Song of Bedivilment."

6:00 p.m.-Dinner: Memorial Center Cafeteria 7:00 p.m.-Panel Discussion: "The Creative Artist in Contemporary Society."

Moderator: Mr. Rupert Kilgore, Director of the School of Art. Panel: Mr. Earl George, Dr. Grant Fletcher, Mr. Burrill Phillips, Mr. Dwight Drexler, Mr. Frank R. Bohnhorst.

The audience is invited to participate in the discussion with comments and questions.

FRIDAY, MARCH 21 10:00' a.m.-"Four American Dance Pieces" "Aunt Louly By The Fire" "Ben Lundy's Meadow" "The Ever-Solemn Pantomime" "Scandalous Annie"

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Grant Fletcher

Frances Wells Fletcher, pianist.

Analysis by the composer. Di\cussion.

2:00 p.m.-"Arioso" Earl George Yvonne Tait, violoncello; Frank Bohnhorst, piano. ____________________________________________________

Analysis by the composer. Discussion. *

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Cover Design by Herschel Cline