PROGRAM NOTES • SYMPHONIC BAND
Kevin Day
When I was writing Dancing Fire, I wanted to write a piece for my high school band program and its directors for the great pieces we played, the fun times we had, and the excitement our bands created at our concerts. The picture I had in my head before I began writing was a group of people surrounding a large bonfire during the night. These people began dancing around the fire, having fun, singing songs, and ultimately, celebrating life. Once I had that picture in my head, along with the constant repeating motif that eventually became the melody for the entire piece, the rest of the work fit together nicely, and in two weeks it was done. The composition brings this mental picture I had to life in a fun and energetic way with dance-like percussion and a constant groove, as well as its contagious melody, a mysterious soprano sax solo, and a climactic ending. This was written in dedication to the Arlington High School Band Program in Arlington, Texas, and to my former band directors, Michael Hejny, Nathan Burum, and Nathan Hervey.
Program Note by Kevin Day
Suite from China West
CHEN Yi
Commissioned in 2005 by the Metropolitan Wind Symphony, Lawrence Isaacson, Music Director, the fourmovement Suite from China West premiered on May 18, 2008 at the National Heritage Museum in Lexington, MA. The authentic folk music from China West has amazed and inspired the composer to write this piece, which has folk music elements drawn from the folk songs “Gadameilin” and “Pastoral” of the Meng People; “Ashima” of the Yi People; “Du Mu” and “Amaliehuo” of the Zang People; and “Dou Duo” and the Lusheng ensemble music of the Miao People.
Note by CHEN Yi
Cedar Canyon Sketches Carol Brittin Chambers
This enjoyable work is intended to take listeners back in time on a journey through the Texas Hill Country, a place of rugged hills and beautiful sunsets. Highly descriptive, the piece begins with the tranquil sounds of nighttime conveyed by a mysterious-sounding NativeAmerican-like flute solo with marimba accompaniment. The bumpy yet joyful trip across the plains is depicted in a brisk section, occasionally interrupted by smooth, flowing passages. A slower, expressive section begins softly with initial melodic material stated by the horns accompanied by low brass. Bold brass statements are heard as the section builds to an effective full-ensemble climax representing the grandeur and majesty of a beautiful sunset. Earlier material is then revisited and developed as the composition moves to a spirited conclusion.
Program Note by Carol Brittin Chambers
Sea Songs
Ralph Vaughan Williams
The wind band’s repertoire owes a significant debt to Ralph Vaughan Williams. Having studied at the Royal Academy of Music and with Max Bruch in Berlin and Maurice Ravel in Paris, he rapidly achieved significant acclaim as a composer. Vaughan Williams, along with his compositional colleague and close friend Gustav Holst, was an ardent Anglophile. Worried that British folk songs and dances were fading from the musical consciousness oftheEnglish people,it becameamatterofcivicduty to preservetheseaural traditions.Acharter member of the English Folk-Song Society, Vaughan Williams set about traveling to various locales to hear old singers, and to transcribe and publish these folk tunes. Due to his frail health, Holst never travelled the English countryside in search of melodies, although he incorporated numerous tunes into all of his compositional genres.
In a further effort to preserve these melodies (with perhaps Holst and Percy Grainger serving as inspirations), Vaughan Williams realized that the wind band – with its lack of a substantial body of original repertoire at the time – could serve as fertile ground for this nationalistic effort. After placing several “calls for compositions” in the Musical Times, Vaughan Williams wrote his first wind band work The English Folk Song Suite in 1923. The suite was written for the Kneller Hall Band (The Royal Military School of Music) and consisted of four movements. Vaughan Williams incorporated a total of eleven folk tunes in this work.
In 1924, Vaughan Williams excerpted the second movement “Seas Songs” as a standalone work, leaving the suite with but three movements.The melodiesVaughanWilliams employed in Sea Songs are: “Princess Royal", "Admiral Benbow", and "Portsmouth.” As a hybrid both on content and form, the work draws from its antecedent traditions. The source tunes are presented very much like “song-sets,” popular when performing British folk music. The work also draws on March form, with its multiple strains/sections and change of key and affect at the “trio.” A da capo brings back the music heard at the beginning, creating a rounded-balanced form.
The Renaissance Fair
Bob Margolis
The Renaissance Fair was commissioned to be a sequel to the composer's band work, Fanfare Ode & Festival. The work was commissioned by the Murchison Middle School Band ofAustinTexas, Cheryl Floyd, conductor. The Renaissance Fair is appropriate for high school bands and technically gifted junior high bands. H. Robert Reynolds conducted a splendid demonstration recording with the University of Michigan Symphony Band.
The three-movement suite depicts a joyful gathering of royalty and peasantfolk for an entertainment of dancing and magic. Winds and brass are intended to imitate their antique counterparts. Percussion instruments are color infusers there for texture and sparkle.
The chirpingly regal first movement, Entry of the Court, is the famous Courante (CLXXXIII) from Prætorius' Terpsichore of 1612. In this band setting the winds are arrayed in extreme registers high in the flutes and low in the contra clarinets -- for a brilliant and weightless 16th-century band sound. A subsequent shift to bass sounds adds weight and a ceremonial quality to the end of the movement.
The lilting second movement, Shepherdesses' Dance, is the well-know Basse Danse, "Bergerette sans roch," from Susato's Het derde musyck boexken (called Danserye) of 1551. This movement can be performed anywhere from moderately slow to moderately fast. Alternating choirs provide clear contrasts in texture, the brass especially being featured.
The speedy third movement, The Magicians, is the final dance on the last folio of Danserye, the relatively obscure Gaillarde (XV), "Le tout," an extraordinary romp of marked vivacity. Intricate percussion parts propel the music forward until an abrupt change of key and timbre sets our musical galaxy on tilt. Temple blocks herald an abrupt ending, the music hurls itself beyond the silence.
Program Note by Bob Margolis
Armenian Dances, Set I
Alfred Reed
The complete Armenian Dances – Parts I and II – constitutes a four-movement suite for concert band based upon authentic Armenian folk songs from the collected works of Gomidas Vartabed (1869-1935), the founder of Armenian classical music. Part I, containing the first movement of the suite (with the remaining three movements in Part II), is an extended symphonic rhapsody built upon five different songs, freely treated and developed for the modern concert band. While the composer kept his treatment of the melodies within the general limits imposed upon the music by its very nature, he has not hesitated to expand the melodic, harmonic and rhythmic possibilities in keeping with the demands of a symphonic/instrumental (as opposed to a vocal/choral) approach to its performance. Nevertheless, it is hoped that the overall effect of the music will be found to remain true in spirit to the work of this brilliant composer-musicologist, who almost single-handedly
preserved and gave the world a treasure trove of beautiful folk music that to this day has not yet become as widely known in the Western word as it so richly deserves.
In order of their presentation in Part I, the works drawn upon for Armenian Dances are: “Tzirani Tzar” (The Apricot Tree), “Gakavi Yerk” (Partidge’s Song), “Hoy Nazan Eem” (Hoy, my Nazan), “Agalyaz” and “Gna, Gna” (Go, Go).
“The Apricot Tree” consists of three organically connected songs that Vartabed transcribed on 1904. Its declamatory beginning, rhythmic vitality and ornamentation make this song highly expressive. “The Partidge’s Song” is an original song by Vartabed, published in 1908 in Tiflis, Georgia. He originally arranged it for solo voice and children’s choir and later for solo voice with piano accompaniment. It has a simple, delicate melody that might perhaps be thought of as depicting the tiny steps of the partidge. Vartabed published “Hoy Nazan Eem” in 1908 in a choral version. This lively, lyric love song depicts a young man singing the praises of his beloved, Nazan. This song is filled with dance rhythms and ornamentation in five-eight meter. Vartabed first arranged “Alagyaz” (a mountain in Armenia) for solo voice and piano, and later for chorus. It is a beloved Armenian folk tune, and its long-breathed melody intimates the majesty of the mountain itself. “Go, Go” is a humorous, light textured tune. In performance, Vartabed coupled it with a contrasting slower song, “The Jug.” Its repeated note patter depicts the expression of laughter.
Part I of Armenian Dances was completed in the summer of 1972 and first performed by Dr. Harry Begian (to whomtheworkisdedicated)andtheUniversityofIllinoisSymphonicBandon10January1972,attheCBDNA Convention in Urbana, Illinois.
Note by Alfred Reed and Dr. Violet Vagramian
PROGRAM NOTES • CONCERT BAND
Joy Revisited
Frank Ticheli
Joy and its companion piece, Joy Revisited, are the results of an experiment I have been wanting to try for many years: the creation of two works using the same general melodic, harmonic, and expressive content. In other words, I endeavored to compose un-identical twins, two sides of the same coin but with one major distinction: Joy was created with young players in mind, while Joy Revisited was aimed at more advanced players. Thus, Joy is more straightforward than its companion piece. Where Joy sounds a dominant chord (as in the upbeat to measure 10), Joy Revisited elaborates upon that chord with a flourish of 16th notes. While Joy Revisited moves faster, develops ideas further, and makes use of a wider register, Joy is more concise.
Despite these and many more differences between the two works, both come from the same essential cut of cloth. Both were composed more or less simultaneously, and both were born out of the same source of inspiration. In short, Joy and Joy Revisited serve as two expressions of the feelings experienced by one expectant father (who happens also to be a composer) on one wonderfully anxious and exciting day.
Program Note by Frank Ticheli
Moorscape KimberlyArcher
Moorscape in many ways represents an escape from writer’s block. Because it was commissioned shortly after the premiere of my Symphony no. 3, by the same school that commissioned the symphony (albeit a different conductor, for the second band), it was hard for me to come down from the euphoria of a major musical experience and get to work on a whole new piece. In fact, I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to do it at all that perhaps I had spent so much effort on the symphony that I simply had nothing left.
Then, in the summer of 2008, I had a dream that involved passing through a quiet, yet somewhat ominous landscape during a murky twilight. In fact, it was a landscape that much resembled the Hadrian’s Wall area of northern England. In the course of the dream, I met one of my early composition teachers, who prodded me until I admitted, much to my surprise, that my problem was not with lack of ideas or even exhaustion, but instead, with fear of failure. The dream was so vivid and powerful, I held onto the image of this landscape, cast purple and orange under a fading sun, and allowed my imagination to fill in even more details. This experience rekindled my creativity and allowed me to start composing again.
Thus, Moorscape is a musical portrait of this dark and unsettling dream landscape, but also a reminder to myself about overcoming fear particularly the unfocused kind
Program Note by Kimberly Archer
Satiric Dances (for a Comedy byAristophanes)
Norman Dello Joio
Satiric Dances was commissioned by the Concord Band, Concord, Massachusetts, to commemorate the Bicentennial ofApril 19, 1775, the day that launched theAmericanWar for Independence.At the North Bridge, in what is now Minute Man National Historical Park, the first ordered firing upon British Regulars by Colonial militiamen resulted in "the shot heard `round the world." Dello Joio, then Dean of Boston University's School fortheArts, agreed to do thecommission, but stipulatedit wouldbebasedon apiecehehad used as background music for a comedy by Aristophanes. The most famous comic dramatist of ancient Greece, Aristophanes was born anAthenian citizen about 445 BC. His plays commented on the political and social issues of fifth century Athens and frequently employed satire.
The first dance movement is annotated as allegro pesante. The brass entry signifies the importance of the work, but the brisk tempo keeps the simplicity of "peasantry" from being ponderous. Taking a much slower adagio mesto tempo, the second dance begins with a melancholy tune from the flutes and low brass. The movement has light and delicate features that are quite exposed. Its central theme might evoke thoughts of a dance in a meadow that eventually reverts into a more solemn theme. Without a break in the music, the final movement is introduced by rolls from the snare drum. The tempo is indicated as allegro spumante and is the fastest of the composition. The quick turns and dynamics evoke images of the objects that were the titles of Aristophanes' plays: Clouds, Wasps, and Birds.
Program Note from Windband.org
Lichtweg Jennifer Jolley
Lichtweg (Lightway) is a wind ensemble pieced based on the Keith Sonnier’s light installation in Connecting Level 03 in Terminal 1 at the Munich Airport. Bright fluorescent neon lights line the walls of a typical airport walkway to both guide travelers to where they are going and to help them cope with the stress of being in transit.
In this piece I musically portray the rhythmic placement of red and blue light emanating from this neon installation by creating a constant eighth-note ostinato that is heard throughout the piece. Just as the panes of glass, mirrors, and aluminum sheets refract and scatter the colorful neon light, this ostinato is diffused amongst the different colors in the ensemble.
Program Note by Jennifer Jolley
Mother ofARevolution!
Omar Thomas
This piece is a celebration of the bravery of trans women, and in particular Marsha "Pay It No Mind" Johnson. Marsha is credited with being one of the instigators of the famous Stonewall uprising of June 28, 1969 one of the pivotal events of the LGBTQ liberation movement of the 20th century -- which is commemorated annually during the worldwide Gay Pride celebrations. Existing as a trans woman, especially a trans woman of color, and daring to live authentically, creating space for oneself in a transphobic world, is one of the bravest
acts I can imagine. Over 20 trans women were murdered in the United States in 2018 alone. There is no demographic more deserving and, frankly, long overdue for highlighted heroism and bravery. The disco vibe in the latter half of the piece is meant to honor club culture, a sacred space held amongst LGBTQ persons in which to love, live, mourn, heal, strategize, connect, disconnect, and dance in defiance of those outside forces who would seek to do LGBTQ persons harm simply for daring to exist and take up space.
We pump our fists to honor the life, heroism, activism, and bravery of Marsha P. Johnson, to honor the legacy of the Stonewall revolution, to honor the memory of the trans lives violently ended due to fear and hatred, and in honor of trans women worldwide who continue to exist unapologetically and who demand to be seen. This piece was commissioned by the Desert Winds Freedom Band, under the direction of Dean McDowell, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising.
Program Note by Omar Thomas
Stride
Kevin Day
Commissioned by the American Bandmasters Association, Stride is derived from the definition meaning to walk in a decisive way to cross and overcome obstacles that may come within our paths. Stride is also a referencetothemarching bandtraditionandhighlightsmyexperiencegrowingupasaTexasbandkid marching on the field. This is an energetic work that features brass and drum grooves that could be felt within duple and triple, while contrasting to a beautiful lyrical section that showcases the woodwind section.
AnAmerican whose music has been characterized by "propulsive, syncopated rhythms, colorful orchestration, and instrumental virtuosity," (Robert Kirzinger, Boston Symphony) composer Kevin Day has quickly emerged as one of the leading young voices in the world ofmusic composition today, whose music ranges from powerful introspection to joyous exuberance. Kevin Day is an internationally acclaimed composer, conductor, and pianist, whose music often intersects between the worlds of jazz, minimalism, Latin music, fusion, and contemporary classical idioms. Day serves as the Vice President of the Millennium Composers Initiative, a collective of more than 120 composers from several countries around the world.
A winner of the BMI Student Composer Award, a three-time finalist for the ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Award, and considered for the 2022 Pulitzer Prize for his Concerto for Wind Ensemble, Day has composed over 200 works, and has had numerous performances throughout the United States, Russia,Austria, Australia, Taiwan, South Africa, and Japan. His works have been programmed by the symphonies of Boston, San Francisco, Detroit, Indianapolis,Houston, and more,as well as several topprofessional andcollegiatewind ensembles. His works have been performed at Carnegie Hall, Rachmaninov Hall (Russia),The Midwest Clinic, and other major venues, and recently he had his Carnegie Hall Conducting Debut at the 2022 New York International Music Festival.
Day is currentlyAssistant ProfessorofCompositionatWilfrid LaurierUniversity inWaterloo, Ontario, Canada. He is pursuing his DMAin Composition from the University of Miami Frost School of Music, where he studies with Charles Norman Mason, Dorothy Hindman, and Lansing McCloskey. He holds a MM in Composition from theUniversity ofGeorgia,andBM in Performance fromTexas ChristianUniversity (TCU). Heis alumnus of Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity and Phi MuAlpha Sinfonia Fraternity ofAmerica. Program Note by Kevin Day
