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Home , As Long as He Needs Me, Cavalleria rusticana, Night Mail, Sicilian Vespers

PROGRAM NOTES

Overture to “Il Vespri Siciliani” (The Sicilian Vespers) (1813-1901) Arr. Dan Godfrey

The Paris being the most prestigious institution of its kind in Europe during the mid-nineteenth century, all composers with any sort of dreams longed to have their music produced there. Verdi first managed the feat in 1847 with Jerusalem, a French-language revision of his 1843 , I Lombardi alla prima crociata (The Lombards at the First Crusade). Les Vêpres siciliennes (Sicilian Vespers), the first of his two composed specifically for Paris (it was followed by Don Carlos in 1867) appeared eight years later. The city and its grand opera style had its own particular demands, including five acts (requiring three to four hours of music), spectacular scenic and choral effects, and a ballet. The setting is the city of on the Italian island, , in 1282, a time when the territory was occupied by the French. Revolutionary plots are afoot, and lovers become entangled in webs of deceit, all climaxing in a massacre of the French at the hands of the Sicilians. The overture is a dramatic and soulful piece. In the manner of Rossini, Verdi’s predecessor as the master of Italian opera, it makes thrilling use of crescendo, a gradual build- up in volume.

Irish Reel (1936) (1913-1976) Arr. Guy Wolfenden

Born appropriately on 22 November, St. Cecilia's Day (the Patron Saint of music), Edward Benjamin Britten was the fourth child of a Lowestoft dentist. Encouraged by a doting mother, he privately studied composition with the Sussex-born composer Frank Bridge. His piano teacher was Harold Samuel. Later, at the Royal College of Music, he studied composition under John Ireland. Britten's music first attracted a wider audience when in 1936 he wrote background music for three GPO Film Unit "shorts": The King's Stamp, , and - most notably - . Britten lived in the USA from 1939 to 1942 in the company of Peter Pears and WH Auden, where friendships were struck which were to have a profound effect on his future. During these years Britten wrote his Violin Concerto, and his first opera . Also the first thoughts of what was to be his most popular opera - - were taking root. Britten wrote Irish Reel in 1936 as the title music for a entitled “Around the Village Green”. It is a bravura piece, exhibiting all the energy and strong orchestral colours typical of the composer’s output at that time, which makes use of a traditional reel tune with the evocative title “The Bottom of the Punch Bowl”. Guy Woolfenden’s transcription for symphonic wind band skilfully captures all the fun and sparkle of this ebullient score.

March “From Maine to Oregon” (1913) John Philip Sousa (1854-1932) Arr. John R. Bourgeois

John Philip Sousa is well known throughout the world for his successes with the Sousa Band, and for writing the most popular marches ever written. Some of his marches actually were created from music originally written for an operetta, From Maine to Oregon, based on musical themes from Sousa's operetta, The Glass Blower, which was renamed The American Maid.

Highlights from “Oliver” (1963) Arr. Ted Ricketts / Food Glorious Food / As Long As He Needs Me / I'd Do Anything / Where Is Love?

Oliver! was the first musical adaptation of a famous work to become a stage hit. There had been two previous Dickens musicals in the 1950s, both of them television adaptations of A Christmas Carol The plot of Dickens' original novel is considerably simplified for the purposes of the musical, with being represented more as a comic character than as a villain, and large portions of the latter part of the story being completely left out. (It may well be that Bart based his musical on David Lean’s film, rather than Dickens' book.)

The show premiered on Broadway on January 6,1963 at New York’s Imperial Theater and closed on November 14, 1964 after 774 performances. There have been numerous Broadway and revivals, the most recent in 2011, as well as a film in 1968. It was announced this past March that a remake of the film will be made with a premiere set for 2016.

Intermezzo Sinfonico (fr. the Opera, “Cavalleria Rusticana” Pietro Madscagni (1863-1945) Arr. Elliot Del Borgo

Cavalleria Rusticana (Rustic Chivalry) is an opera in one act by to an Italian by Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti and , adapted from a play and short story written by . Considered one of the classic operas, it premiered on 17 May 1890, at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome. Since 1893, it has often been performed in a so-called “Cav/Pag” double-bill with by .

Intermezzo Sinfonico is from the introduction to the second act of Cavalleria Rusticana by Pietro Mascagni. This piece is one of the most loved orchestral interludes in all of operatic literature. Expressive and sensitive melodic lines are built on simple, yet very warm, romantic harmonies. Del Borgo’s transcription seeks to capture the fullness of tone present in the by utilizing the warm colors and sonorities of the symphonic band.

Satiric Dances (for a comedy by Aristophanes) Norman Dello Joio (1913-2008) Allegro Pesante / II. Adagio Mesto / III. Allegro Spumante

Satiric Dances was commissioned by the Concord Band, Concord, Massachusetts, to commemorate the Bicentennial of April 19, 1775, the day that launched the American War 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 for the Arts, agreed to do the commission, but stipulated it would be based on a piece he had used as background music for a comedy by Aristophanes. The most famous comic dramatist of ancient Greece, Aristophanes was born an Athenian 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 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 . 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.

“Tchaikovsky and Other Russians” Ira Gershwin and Kurt Weill As performed by Danny Kaye (1913-1987)

Danny Kaye (David Daniel Kaminsky) was born in 1913. He became one of the most beloved and versatile actors, comedians, and performers in show business, having starred on Broadway, movies (“The Court Jester”, “Merry Andrew”, “Walter Mitty”, “On the Double”, “Hans Christian Andersen”, and many other films), and television where he hosted his own weekly variety show in the 1960’s. He was also a well-regarded conductor (although he couldn’t read a note of music) and a spokesman for Unicef. His “big break” was in the 1941 show “Lady in the Dark” where he literally stopped the show at each performance by performing one of the great patter songs of all time: “Tchaikovsky and Other Russians” by none other than Ira Gershwin and Kurt Weill. The song is a miniature music appreciation class where in the space of 39 seconds Kaye rattled off the names of 49 composers, from Malichevsky, Rubinstein and Arensky to Gretchnaninoff, Kvoschinsky and Rachmaninoff during its mad dash to an imaginary finish line in a torrent of tongue-twisting verbiage. In a tribute to Mr. Kaye, and with the assistance of associate conductor Allison Rakickas and the BGSB, Howard Green will attempt to match that feat……. The arrangement for symphonic band was written by Adam Stout. Adam is a talented musician with many years professional experience in musical theater and cabaret as a director, conductor, pianist and vocalist. Originally from Indianapolis, he now resides in Houston when he is not traveling the world performing on cruise ships. Adam relied on his remarkable knowledge of musical theater history and performance styles as well as input from Howard Green to score "Tchaikovsky and other Russians" for symphonic band. Tonight the Buffalo Grove Symphonic Band debuts Adam's arrangement.

The Banks of Green Willow (1913) George Butterworth (1885-1916) Arr. Martin Tousignant

This is a short piece (originally for orchestra), probably the most played of Butterworth’s three works for orchestra. It has certainly been his most recorded orchestral work. Described by its composer as an "Idyll", and written in 1913, it is a belated companion to the Two English Idylls of 1910-1911. All three pieces are founded on folk melodies Butterworth collected in Sussex in 1907, each has a similar "arch" shape, and each lasts between 4½ and 6 minutes. Butterworth based The Banks of Green Willow on two folk song melodies that he noted in 1907 - "The banks of green willow" and "Green bushes". Green Bushes was a common tune, and there are notable uses of it in works by Ralph Vaughan Williams (Folk Song Suite, Movement 2) and Percy Grainger (Passacaglia: Green Bushes and The Lost Lady Found). A solo and winds create a pastoral scene with the title theme, followed by a short development and restatement of the tune. The mood becomes more somber and agitated as a new theme (Butterworth's own, on horns) is introduced. An animated motif leads to the main climax, which is surprisingly passionate for such a short work, before the music subsides to introduce Green Bushes hesitantly on . This is repeated gently on , accompanied by harp, and the piece ends tranquilly with snatches of the variant title theme on violin solo, horn and oboe. The premiere of The Banks of Green Willow took place on 27 February 1914, when Adrian Boult conducted a combined orchestra of forty members of the Hallé and Liverpool orchestras in West Kirby. The London premiere took place three weeks later, and seems to have been the last occasion Butterworth heard his own music. Butterworth was killed on 5 August 1916, during the Battle of the Somme. He was aged 31, and was a Lieutenant in the Durham Light Infantry. The music is certainly reminiscent of Sir Edward Elgar and Ralph Vaughn Williams. One can only wonder what masterpieces Butterworth would have composed had his life not ended so prematurely. Malaguena Ernesto Lecuona (1895-1963) Arr. Sammy Nestico

Sometimes referred to as the “Cuban Gershwin,” Lecuona left his mark as a popular song composer and as leader of a dance band known as “Lecuona’s Cuban Boys.” After his graduation from the National Conservatory in Havana, he toured Europe, Latin American, and the United States extensively. Not only was he a contemporary of Gershwin, his music is similar in that it appealed to a broad audience, bridging the popular and the “classical.” His Malaguena was originally the sixth movement from his Suite Adalucia, composed for piano after an inspirational trip to . Andalusia, the southernmost part of Spain, is deeply rooted in folklore and Spanish tradition, and is known for its dramatic mountain ranges and snow-white beaches. The Malaguena is a traditional style of flamenco from that area. This piece originally became famous through sheet music sales, and since then has been arranged for orchestra, marching band, jazz bands, and other ensembles. Lecuona first premiered the piece with his orchestra in the US in 1927. This arrangement for symphonic band by Sammy Nestico is similar in many ways to the arrangement for jazz band made famous by the Stan Kenton Big Band. It not only makes use of driving Latin rhythms, but also includes a section where the band “swings”.

Overture to “The Flying Dutchman” (“Der fliegende Holländer”, WWV 63) Richard Wagner (1813-1883) Arr. Kenneth Singleton

Der fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman), Wagner’s fourth opera, marked the dawn of his creative maturity. In the summer of 1839, he fled from the German (now Latvian) town of Riga in order to escape heavy debts and make his way to Paris, the operatic capital of Europe. Smuggled on board a ship anchored in the Baltic port of Pillau, he, his wife Minna and their enormous Newfoundland dog, Robber, made the crossing to England. He later cited events of that long, stormy voyage, such as the shouts of the crew echoing round the granite walls of the Norwegian fjord in which the ship took refuge, as inspiration for The Flying Dutchman, although he had already began to consider the legend as the subject for an opera. Proceeding from London to Paris, Wagner eked out a living through musical hackwork. On the side, he began preparing a synopsis of his Dutchman opera. He took as his principal source a book he had read in Riga. Celebrated German author Heinrich Heine’s Memoirs of Herr von Schnabelewopski includes a retelling of the myth about a Dutch sea captain whose defiance of the Devil led to his being cursed to wander the seas eternally. Wagner blended in with it what would become a recurring motif in his work: the moral redemption of a flawed hero (with whom he identified closely) through the love of a pure woman. He showed the prose scenario and the music of his unfinished grand opera, Rienzi, to Giacomo Meyerbeer, the leading composer of French grand opera. Meyerbeer generously provided an introduction to Léon Pillet, director of the Paris Opera. Pillet purchased the text for 500 francs. Rather than commissioning Wagner to set it, however, he passed it to Pierre-Louis Dietsch, one of the composers under contract to the company. Wagner’s text was only one of the sources upon which Dietsch and his librettists drew for their version, Le Vaisseau-fantôme (The Phantom Ship). Once Wagner had completed Rienzi in November 1840, he focused first on polishing up the Dutchman’s text, then on composing the music. He completed the overture, the final portion to be written, in November 1841. The Paris Opera rejected the score, but a letter of support from Meyerbeer convinced the Berlin Opera to option it. Meanwhile in October 1842, Rienzi debuted successfully in Dresden. This led the directors of that city’s opera to purchase the rights for the still-unproduced Dutchman. They premiered it, under the composer’s baton, on January 2, 1843. The production of Dietsch’s opera at the Paris Opera in November 1842 – the same month that Wagner’s piece went into rehearsal in Dresden – spurred Wagner to make last-minute changes aimed at differentiating the two scores. He switched the locale from to Norway, for example, and altered the names of the characters accordingly. In later years, he revised the music several times. The final revision came in 1860 when, for a production in Paris, he remodeled the coda of the overture in a richer, more eloquent style reflecting the recently completed . This has long been the familiar version. The overture presents a capsule digest of the opera, not only the principal musical themes but a synopsis of the plot. The howling winds of a storm tossed seascape are easily heard; so, too the doom-laden atmosphere of the phantom ship, the rollicking dance of the Norwegian sailors, and the tender sentiments that blossom between the Dutchman and Senta, the woman whose true love redeems his soul. The overture is a true “tour de force” in its own right and presents and showcases the all sections of the Band – beginning with the Section!

~ Compiled and Composed by Howard M. Green

Special Recognition The Band gratefully acknowledges one of our own, Phil Cammenga, who recently retired after many years with the BGSB. In addition to his steady performance on bass clarinet, Phil tirelessly and graciously contributed his time and energy to help setup equipment at every concert and every rehearsal. In addition, Phil routinely helped the Band Board with publicity, fund raising, and band sponsorship. We wish Phil and his family the very best for the future. Happy Retirement, Phil!