Program Notes Edvard Grieg: March of the Dwarfs (Lyric Suite, Op.54, No.4) -
William Grant Still : Afro-American Symphony, Longing. The Afro-American Symphony of William Grant Still was the first work by a person of color to be premiered by an American symphony when the Rochester Philharmonic performed it in 1931. As a young man, Still (the “Dean of African-American
Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg used the folk
composers”) mastered many instruments. He then went on to
music of his own country as inspiration for many of his
study at the Oberlin Conservatory. Still paused his musical studies
compositions. March of the Dwarfs is an orchestral
at Oberlin during World War I to join the Navy. At that time the
arrangement of one of the 66 pieces from his Lyric
only job available to African-Americans in the Navy was mess
Suite for piano and "ranges from a whisper all the
attendant. Despite this, he and many other African-Americans
way up to a thunderous marching chorus of multitudes
chose to fight for liberty overseas, although they did not have full
of marching dwarves, contrasted by a peaceful, idyllic
freedom at home. During his tour of duty, he was relieved of some
and folksong-like middle section. This well-known
of his mess responsibilities to perform for officers' meals after it
and descriptive composition was written after the
was discovered that he could play the violin. Post-war, in a
composer's trip to the Jotunheimen mountains in
musical culture that was deeply racist, Still found work as a
Norway, and is meant to portray mystical troll-like
performer and arranger for W.C. Handy and Paul Whiteman, and
nocturnal creatures swarming about "with much
even played oboe in the pit orchestra for Eubie Blake’s Broadway
boisterous activity."
hit Shuffle Along. Still masterfully blended the classical and the
Douglas E. Wagner: To Reap the Blessings of Freedom; Hymns of the United States Armed Forces
popular throughout his works; in the Afro-American Symphony in particular he sought to represent the emotional lives of the people of his childhood in Mississippi and Arkansas through the language
This reverent medley presents the hymns of the major
of the blues, syncopated rhythms, and spirituals. To that effect, the
branches of the United States Armed Forces. In order
four traditional movements are entitled Longing, Sorrow, Humor,
of appearance it includes Eternal Father, Strong to
and Aspiration. "Longing" (performed this evening) opens
Save/Eternal Father, Lord of Hosts (Navy/Coast
evocatively with a plaintive English horn solo, and then introduces
Guard), Lord, Guard and Guide the Men Who Fly (Air
its primary blues theme in the muted trumpet, a theme that
Force), From the Halls of Montezuma (Marines), and
echoes Handy’s St. Louis Blues. Winds and brass engage in call
God of Our Fathers (Army) Douglas E. Wagner, a
and response, and the blues theme is contrasted with a secondary
native of Chicago, Illinois, is an internationally
theme in G major introduced by the oboe. The development
recognized composer and arranger, with 30 years of
brings in the sound and vitality of the dance hall, and the
experience as a high school music educator and
contrasting themes are revisited in the recapitulation (return of the
administrator.
original theme).
Alan Menken: Music from Aladdin - Imagine yourself on a magical journey astride your magic
John Philip Sousa : Stars and Stripes Forever
carpet with this medley of tunes from one of Disney's
The rise of American popular music following the Civil War found
most popular animated films. This arrangement
its way to the masses through evolving orchestral music, ragtime,
features each section of the orchestra in a medley of
and the wonderfully exciting music written for and performed by
favorites: "Arabian Nights", "Friend Like Me", "Prince
the concert band. Sousa capitalized on this and, after composing
Ali", and "A Whole New World". One of America's most
136 marches, was deemed the “March King.” Like Haydn and his
beloved Broadway composers, Alan Menken has won
symphonies, with Sousa's marches the audience came to expect a
8 Academy Awards, 11 Grammy Awards, a Tony
certain form and were never disappointed. The unmistakable four
Award and many other honors.
measure introduction of his Stars and Stripes was an expected
Johann Hanssen : Valdres March
sound wherever Sousa toured. The first and second strains (musical themes) present clearly defined melodies in the upper
Hanssen, a Norwegian bandmaster, composer, and
winds and strings, with the rhythmic “oompah” running in the lower
teacher, was bandmaster of the Oslo Military Band
winds and strings. The contrasting Trio section is much softer with
for 9 years. His most famous composition is his
the lower winds taking over the melody. The raucous “dog fight”
Valdresmarsjen (1904), a march celebrating the
section immediately follows, making way for another variation of
beautiful Valdres region in Norway that lies between
the trio, featuring the flute’s smaller counterpart: the piccolo. The
Oslo and Bergen. The main theme is the signature
final melody from the trio is accompanied by a victorious brass
fanfare for the Valdres Battalion, which is based on
section, all marked fortissimo (very loud).
an ancient melody formerly played on the medieval
Sousa’s primary instrument was violin but as a child he taught
lur, an uncoiled wooden wind instrument. The melody
himself to play many other instruments. When he was 13, his father
of the trio section derives from a fiddle tune
first enlisted him in the Marine Corps as an apprentice musician.
traditional in Hardanger and a pentatonic folk tune,
He eventually became the leader of the Marine Band in
above a typical Norwegian drone bass line. Hanssen
Washington, D.C. After a successful civilian music career, Sousa
was a horn player in the Norwegian band that first
was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Naval Reserve in 1917, as
performed it in 1904 at an outdoor concert, with the
the US entered World War I. He was 62 years old. During the war,
composer playing the baritone horn himself.
he led the Navy Band at the Great Lakes Naval Station near
Apparently at that first performance, only two
Chicago, and donated all his naval salary except a token $1 per
members of the audience applauded, and they were
month to the Sailors' and Marines' Relief Fund. On the day of his
his best friends. Later this distinctive classic march,
death, Sousa conducted The Stars and Stripes during a rehearsal
long a favorite of band directors, achieved
with the Ringgold Band of Reading, PA. One of his most
international fame, and has been recorded by several
significant contributions to American wind band music, The Stars
of the United States Armed Forces Bands.
and Stripes Forever was designated the national march in 1987.
