Ensemble and Faculty Concert: 2009-11-18 -- Symphony Band and Amy Schendel, trumpet Audio Playlist Access to audio and video playlists restricted to current faculty, staff, and students. If you have questions, please contact the Rita Benton Music Library at [email protected]. Scroll to see Program PDF l ffln THE UNlVERSl1Y OF lowA COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS & SCIENCES sU/M@w presents the Symphony Band Richard Mark Heidel, conductor Amy Sch~ndel, trumpet Michael D. Hart and Carter Biggers, guest conductors ' November 18, 2009 Iowa Memorial Union Main Lounge 7:30 p.m. Program Early Light (1996) Carolyn Bremer (b.1958 ) Symphony No. 2 (2003) Frank Ticheli Mvt. I. Shooting Stars (b. 1958) Mvt. II. Dreams Under a New Moon Mvt. III. Apollo Unleashed Serenade in E-flat, op. 7(1882) Richard Strauss (1864-1949) The Chamber Winds Michael D. Hart, guest conductor Sunrise at Angel's Gate (2001) Philip Sparke (b.1951) Carter Biggers, guest conductor Rose Variations (1955) Robert Russell Bennett (1894-1981) Dr. Amy Schendel, trumpet Overture on Russian and Kirghiz Folk Songs (1963) Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-197 5) trans. Guy M. Duker National Emblem (1902) Edwin Eugene Bagley (1857-192?'"­ arr. Loras J. Schiss Tonight's program is No. 2235 in a series 2009-2010 The University of Iowa School of Music Program Notes Early Light (1996) Carolyn Bremer Ear!J Light was written for the Oklahoma City Philharmonic and received its premiere performance in July, 199 5. The material is largely derived from "The Star Spangled Banner." One need not attribute an excess of patriotic fervor in the composer as a source for this optimistic homage to our national anthem; Carolyn Bremer, a passionate baseball fan since childhood, drew upon her feelings of happy anticipation at hearing the anthem played before ball games when writing her piece. The slapstick heard near the end echoes the crack of the bat on a long home run. (Carolyn Bremer) Symphony No. 2 (2003) Frank Ticheli The symphony's three movements refer to celestial light - Shooting Stars, the Moon," and the Sun. Although the title for the first movement, "Shooting Stars," came after its completion, I was imagining such quick flashes of color throughout the creative process. White-note clusters are sptinkled everywhere, like streaks of bright light. Fleeting events of many kinds are cut and pasted at unexpected moments, keeping the ear on its toes. The movement burns quickly, and ends explosively, scatcely leaving a trail. The second movement, "Dreams Under a New Jvloon," depicts a kind of journey -of the soul as represented by a series of dreams. Many dream episodes follow, ranging from the mysterious, to the dark, to the peaceful and healing. A sense of hope begins to assert itself as rising lines are passed from one instrument to another. Near the end, the main theme returns in counterpoint with the chant, building to a majestic climax, then falling to a peaceful coda. The finale, ''Apollo Unleashed," is perhaps the most wide-ranging movement of the symphony, and certainly the most difficult to convey in words. On the one hand, the image of Apollo, the powerful ancient god of the sun, inspired not only the movement's title, but also its blazing energy. On the 1other hand, its boisterous nature is also tempered and enriched by another, 1 more sublime force, Bach's Chorale BWV 4 33 (Who Puts His Trust in God Most Just), which serves as a kind of spit-i.tual anchor, giving a soul to the gregarious foreground even ts. My second symphony is dedicated to James E. Croft upon his retirement as Director of Bands at Florida State University in 2003. (Frank Ticheli) Serenade in E-flat (1882) Richard Strauss One of Strauss's first works, the one movement Serenade, was composed at the young age of 17. Scored for pairs of flutes, oboes, clarinets, and bassoons along with four horns and contrabassoon, the work received its premier by the court orchestra in Dresden. Within two years, the work was performed under the direction of Hans von Billow, one of the preeminent conductors of the day. While the work reflects the influence of 19th century German composers, elements of Strauss's emerging style can be heard. (lvfichaelD. Har0 Sunrise at Angel's Gate (2001) Philip Sparke Any trip to the Grand Canyon leaves an indelible impression on a person. This certainly was the case for Philip Sparke who visited there in October 1999 as a side excursion to the centenary celebrations of Northern Arizona University. Sunrise at Angel} Gate is Sparke's musical depiction of a day at the Grand Canyon. Sparke writes, "Sunrise and sunset are the best times to view the Canyon, as a sun low in the sky casts shadows that give depth and form to the vast panorama. Angel's Gate is one of the many named rock formations on the northern side of the Canyon and in this piece I have tried to depict the sights and sounds of dawn there, birdsong in the early morning sky and the gradual revelation of the Canyon itself as sunlight reaches into the rocky depths." In the opening section the sounds of birdsong described by Sparke can be heard in the clarinet, oboe, flute and piccolo. The low woodwinds and brass join together to depict the "gradual revelation of the Canyon" in a chorale style that eventually transforms into a more polyphonic texture. With a final fanfare the piece gives way to the faster middle section where the music _completely changes character. The countless tourists and their cars and busses hurriedly coming in and out of the Canyon is heard in the "busy­ ness" of the flutes and the call and response of the clarinet, oboe and muted trumpets. As the day at the Canyon winds to a close, the music returns to the molto lento of the opening section revisiting its melodic ideas. As the work comes to a close the tolling bell reminds us "of the dangers that the beauty of the Grand Canyon so cleverly hides." (Carter Biggers) Rose Variations (1955) Robert Russell Bennett Rose Variations was first composed for cornet and band and was publishL with a piano version by the composer in 1955. The work is in several distinct variation sections, each based on a different "rose" melody. The work demands extreme control, technique, and endurance from the performer and is an excellent program piece depicting Bennett's flair for musical comedy and true Americana. The variations are as follows: Introduction- "The Garden Gate", Theme- "Carolina (wild) rose", Variation I - "Dorothy Perkins (rambler) rose", Variation II - "Fran Karl Druschki (white) rose", Variation III - "Cinnamon Rose (with humming birds)", and Variation IV - ''American Beauty (red) rose." Robert Russell Bennett was born in Kansas City, Missouri in 1894. His first musical instruction was with his mother and father. At the age of 16, Bennett began the study of musical composition with Carl Busche (then conductor of the Kansas City Philharmonic) and later he studied in Paris with Nadia Boulanger under a Guggenheim Fellowship. He was a copyist for the G. Schirmer Co. in his early years. In 1930 he began work as an arranger and orchestrator for fihn studios in Hollywood. Mr. Bennett later moved to New York City to become the champion of musical comedy composers. (David Hickman) Overture on Russian and Kirghiz Folk Songs, op. 115 (1963) Dmitri Shostakovich · In the spring of 1963, Shostakovich traveled in Kirghizstan, a republic of the U.S.S.R. that bordered China, Afghai:iistan, and India. In the ten days he was there, Shostakovich estimated that he traveled over 3,000 kilometers. One of his most memorable meetings was with Kirghiz folk musicians (there exists a wonderful photograph of Shostakovich sitting cross-legged on the floor listening to an ensemble playing Kirghiz folk music). When Shostakovich was commissioned later that year to compose a work celebrating the centenary "voluntary incorporation" (i.e., conquest and annexation) of Ki.rghizstan, he thus had firsthand knowledge of the native music upon which he could draw. The resulting Overture on Russian and Kirghiz rolksongs, Op. 115, is thus a relatively authentic piece of Kirghiz music interwoven with a Russian theme that Shostakovich had heard in the Omsk region of Siberia. A straightforward work that combines catchy, folk-inflected melodies with brilliant orchestrations, Shostakovich's Overture on Russian and Kirghiz Folksongs is an occasional piece of no particular profundity but with its own considerable ethnic charm. (All Music Guide) N ational Emblem (1902) Edwin Eugene Bagley Tn 1905, Bagley composed his best known and one of the finest marches .vritten. Originally published by Ernest S. Williams of Boston, ''National Emblem" was played by every type of marching and concert band throughout the world, and an orchestral adaptation assured Bagley's march creation of even wider exposure. John Philip Sousa included the National Emblem in a short list of the very best parade marches composed, and Frederick Fennell calls it as perfect a march as a march can be." E.E. Bagley died in Keene, New Hampshire on January 29, 1922. (Loras J. Schissel) Michael D. Hart Michael Hart is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in Band Conducting from The University of Iowa where he is a student of Dr. Richard Mark Heidel and serves as a graduate teaching assistant with The University of Iowa Bands. He is also a faculty member at Iowa Wesleyan College where he directs the Southeast Iowa Band. Michael holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Concordia College in Moorhead Minnesota and a Master of Music in Conducting from the University of Iowa.