The Trombone Sonatas of Richard A. Monaco Viii
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3T7? No. THE TROMBONE SONATAS OF RICHARD A. MONACO DISSERTATION Presented to the Graduate Council of the University of North Texas in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS By John A. Seidel, B.S., M.M. Denton, Texas December, 19 88 Seidel, John A., The Trombone Sonatas of Richard A. Monaco, A Lecture Recital, Together with Three Recitals of Selected Works by J.S. Bach, Paul Creston, G.F. Handel, Paul Hindemith, Vincent Persichetti, and Others. Doctor of Musical Arts in Trombone Performance, December, 1988, 43 pp., 24 musical examples, bibliography, 28 titles. This lecture-recital investigated the music of Richard A. Monaco, especially the two sonatas for trombone (1958 and 1985). Monaco (1930-1987) was a composer, trombonist and conductor whose instrumental works are largely unpublished and relatively little known. In the lecture, a fairly extensive biographical chapter is followed by an examination of some of Monaco's early influences, particularly those in the music of Hunter Johnson and Robert Palmer, professors of Monaco's at Cornell University. Later style characteristics are discussed in a chapter which examines the Divertimento for Brass Quintet (1977), the Duo for Trumpet and Piano (1982), and the Second Sonata for Trombone and Piano (1985). The two sonatas for trombone are compared stylistically and for their position of importance in the composer's total output. The program included a performance of both sonatas in their entirety. Tape recordings of all performances submitted as dissertation requirements are on deposit in the library of the University of North Texas. TABLE OF CONTENTS PERFORMANCE PROGRAMS Page First Solo Recital v Second Solo Recital vi Third Solo Recital Lecture Recital: The Trombone Sonatas of Richard A. Monaco viii LIST OF FIGURES ix INTRODUCTION 1 Chapter I. RICHARD A. MONACO: A BIOGRAPHY 3 II. EARLY INFLUENCES: THE FIRST SONATA FOR TROMBONE AND PIANO 11 III. THE LATER WORKS: THE SECOND SONATA 28 CONCLUSION 40 BIBLIOGRAPHY 42 IV North Texas State University School of Music Graduate Recital JOHN A. SEIDEL, Trombone LIZ SEIDEL, Piano and Harpsichord Monday, April 18, 1983 8:15 p.m. Concert Hall Sonata No. 1 s> Bach (Originally for Viola da Gamba) Adagio (non troppo) Allegro, ma non tanto Suite for Trombone and Piano Axel Jorgensen I Triomphale II Menuet giocoso III Ballade et Polonaise (Tema con variazioni) Intermission Concerto. Henri Tomasi I Andante et scherzo-valse II Nocturne III Tambourin Sonata (Vox Gabrieli) Stjepan Sulek Presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts North Texas State University School of Music Graduate Recital JOHN SEIDEL, Trombone Assisted by: Liz Seidel, Piano Patrick Allen, Organ Monday, March 25, 1985 6:30 p.m. Concert Hall Air» Haste, Ye Shepherds j. S. Bach from the Christmas Oratorio arr. Beversdorf Partita for Trombone and Organ Jan Koetsier I Allegro assai (b. 1976) II Larghetto III Vivace IV Moderato V Andante maestoso Parable for Solo Trombone Op. 133 Vincent Persichetti (Parable XVIII) Intermission Fantasy, for Trombone and Piano Sigismond Stojowski Concerto Ida Gotkovsky I Lyrique II Dolcissimo III Final Presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts A reception will follow in the Green Room presents Graduate Program JOHN SEIDEL, Trombone Liz Seldel, Piano Concerto In f minor G. F. Handel Grave A11egro Largo A1Iegro Fantasy for Trombone and Orchestra . .Paul Creston Intermission Sonate for Trombone and Piano Paul Hlndemith A11egro moderato maestoso A11egretto grazIoso A1legro pesante A11egro moderato maestoso Romance* Op. 21 Axel Jffrgensen Concertino for Trombone and Orchestra Lars-Erik Larsson Preludium: Allegro pomposo Aria: Andante sostenuto Finale: Allegro giocoso MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1988 CONCERT HALL 8t15 P.M. Presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts UNUVKHSIIV< >H Nt^fiH it-VAg Kimi i Sfc presents LECTURE RECITAL "The Trombone Sonatas of Richard A. Monaco" John Seidel, Trombone Liz Seidel, Piano - Program - Sonata for Trombone and Piano Richard A. Monaco Allegro Andante Allegro molto Second Sonata for Trombone and Piano Richard A. Monaco Allegro Moderato, espressivo Allegro molto Presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts Monday, October 24, 1988 6:15 p.m. Recital Hall vm LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. Hunter Johnson, Octatonic Scale . 12 2. Robert Palmer, Octatonic Scale . 13 3. Richard A. Monaco, Sonata for Trombone and Piano, mov't III. mm. 1-6 14 4. Richard A. Monaco, Sonata for Trombone and Piano, mov't III. mm. 7-9 15 5. Richard A. Monaco, Sonata for Trombone and Piano, mov't III. mm. 10-:1 4 .15 6. Hunter Johnson, Letter to the World, Suite for Chamber Orchestra 16 7. Richard A. Monaco, Sonata for Trombone and Piano, mov't III. mm. 119--123 17 8. Hunter Johnson, Piano Sonata 17 9. Richard A. Monaco, Sonata f or Trombone and Piano, mov't I, mm. 88-97 18 9a. Richard A. Monaco, Divertimento for Brass Quintet, mov't II 19 10. Richard A. Monaco, Sonata for Trombone and Piano, mov't I, mm. 1-11 20 10a. Richard A. Monaco, Sonata for Trombone and Piano, mov't I, mm. 17-21 . , 21 11. Robert Palmer, Chamber Concerto No. 1, (1949) . 24 12. Robert Palmer, Chamber Concerto No. 1, (1949) . 24 13. Robert Palmer, Piano Quartet 25 14. Richard A. Monaco, Sonata for Trombone and Piano, mov't III, mm. 181-184 25 IX 15. Richard A. Monaco, Divertimento for Brass Quintet, mov' t IV, mm. 1-4 30 16. Richard A. Monaco, Divertimento for Brass Quintet, mov' t IV, mm. 39-44 . • • • 31 17. Richard A. Monaco, Duo for Trumpet 1 and Piano, mov t I, mm. 1-6 32 18. Richard A. Monaco, Duo for Violin and Piano, mov't I, mm. 1-4 32 19. Richard A. Monaco, Duo for Violin and Piano, mov't I, mm. 40-46 . 33 20. Richard A. Monaco, Duo for Violin and Piano, mov't I, mm. 1-7 . 33 21. Richard A. Monaco, Second Sonata for Trombone and Piano, mov't I, mm. 1-10 . • • • 36 22. Richard A. Monaco, Second Sonata for Trombone and Piano, mov't I, mm. 15-21 • • • 37 23. Richard A. Monaco, Second Sonata for 1 Trombone and Piano, mov t I, mm. 62-64 • • • 37 24. Richard A. Monaco, Sonata for Trombone and Piano, mov1t I, mm. 142-150 38 INTRODUCTION Richard A. Monaco composed his First Sonata for Trombone and Piano at an important juncture in his life. Nearing completion of the degree Doctor of Musical Arts in composition at Cornell University, he felt compelled to choose between a possible career as a jazz trombonist or a career in higher education.1 Although he chose the latter, and performed brilliantly in that role, he continued playing trombone until illness forced him to take to the piano as a creative outlet. Monaco was a superb jazz trombonist, capable of performing at a professional level,2 yet the world is no worse for his decision to pursue academic life. Certainly, his life in higher education provided the freedom he needed to engage fully in the wide range of his musical interests. Monaco was not only a composer and trombonist, but also a conductor of both choral and instrumental music, and a reviewer and critic. He organized and conducted a professional chamber orchestra in Oxford, Ohio and for William Richardson, "Program Notes" for a Faculty Recital at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, September 27, 1985. 2 Robert Palmer, in a telephone interview, September 20, 1988. several years served as a member of the editorial staff of the Music Library Association's publication, Notes. He was by all accounts a brilliant man. Those who knew Monaco describe him as insightful, intelligent and witty. These traits are apparent in his music. The music contains elements of jazz, folk song, hymns and chant. Monaco himself acknowledged the influence of Stravinsky and Copland. In his compositions, these elements are woven into a unique musical texture, the product of a distinctive musical imagination. Most of Monaco's work remains unpublished, therefore details of his life and compositional output are not widely known. Besides presenting a biographical section that may remedy this situation to some extent, this paper will examine the sonatas for trombone and piano as well as other pieces which seem to be important in defining his work stylistically. Monaco's early works, particularly the First Sonata for Trombone and Piano, are influenced significantly by his teachers, Hunter Johnson and Robert Palmer. Compositional practices of theirs which seem to be significant in Monaco's work will be discussed as well. Monaco was an extraordinary individual with a distinctive musical imagination. It is the author's desire to promote a greater awareness of the man and his work. Chapter I RICHARD A. MONACO: A BIOGRAPHY Monaco was born on January 10, 1930 in New York City. As his father was an army physician, Monaco spent some of his childhood in Texas, but by his early teens the family had returned to New York. Accounts of his early years in New York are incomplete, but by his mid-teens Monaco was traveling regularly on weekends with a band playing the black clubs in New York City. That he was accepted by the black musicians at the tender age of fifteen or sixteen is testimony to what must have been considerable ability on jazz trombone. A colleague of his in later years described his jazz playing as first-rate. He was a be-bop player, influenced by J.J. Johnson and Kai Winding.