Wind Symphony welcomes guests, The Boston Brass 11/22/24

Friday, Nov. 22, 2024  •  7:30 p.m.

Weigel Auditorium
Columbus, OH

Russel C. Mikkelson, conductor
Uiliami Fihaki, guest conductor

Boston Brass, guest artists

The appearance of the Boston Brass is made possible by a generous gift from Ms. Sarah Brown.

Program

Postcard
Frank Ticheli (b. 1958)

Uiliami Fihaki, conductor

Postcard was commissioned by my friend, colleague and former mentor, H. Robert Reynolds, in memory of his mother, Ethel Virginia Curry. He requested that I compose not an elegy commemorating her death, but a short energetic piece celebrating her life. In response, I have composed this brief "postcard" as a musical reflection of her character — vibrant, whimsical, succinct.

It is cast in an ABA' form. The primary theme, first heard in the flute and clarinet and used in the outer sections, is a palindrome — that is, it sounds the same played forwards or backwards. This theme honors a long-standing tradition in the Reynolds family of giving palindromic names (such as Hannah and Anna) to their children. H. Robert Reynolds' first name is Harrah. The theme's symmetry is often broken, sometimes being elongated, other times being abruptly cut off by unexpected events.

The B section is based on a five-note series derived from the name Ethel: E (E natural), T (te in the solfeggio system, B flat), H (in the German system, B natural), E (E-flat this time), L (la in the solfeggio system, A natural). The development of this motive can be likened to a journey through a series of constantly changing landscapes.

The ‘A' section is articulated by the return of the main melody. This section is not identical to the A section, but is close enough in spirit to it to give the effect of a large-scale palindrome surrounding the smaller ones.

— Note by the composer

Two Works by Percy Grainger
Percy Grainger (1882–1961)

1.  Irish Tune from County Derry
2.  Shepherd’s Hey

Irish Tune from County Derry (published 1918) is based on earlier settings that date back as early as October 1902 with an essentially identical setting of this melody for wordless mixed chorus. Later versions for solo piano (1911) and string orchestra with two optional horns (1912) followed. The wind band setting is cataloged as British Folk Music Setting Nr. 20, and like all his settings of British folk music is “lovingly dedicated to the memory of Edvard Grieg.” The composer’s brief program note states, “This tune was collected by Miss J. Ross, of New Town, Limavady, Co Derry, Ireland and published in The Petrie Collection of the Ancient Music of Ireland, Dublin, 1855.

In some agricultural districts in England, teams of “Morris Men”, decked out with jingling bells and clicking sticks, can still be seen dancing to such traditional tunes as Shepherd's Hey, which are usually played on a fiddle or a combination of fife and drum. This is one of the many wonderful renditions of English folksongs transcribed by Grainger. Originally penned for an ensemble of 12 instruments in 1911, the band version was transcribed by the composer in 1948.

— Note from Windband.org

Perplexing Times
Gordon Goodwin (b. 1954)

Boston Brass, guest artists

Perplexing Times for Boston Brass, Wind Band, and Rhythm Section is a composition that reflects fun, positivity, and wit, but with a light dusting of sass. You can hear a number of different emotions in it — some confusion and quirkiness (actually a fair amount of confusion and quirkiness), some fear and defiance, but also some hope and beauty.

It has been a joy and honor to collaborate on this project with the esteemed Boston Brass. The versatility of this fine ensemble is one of its great strengths and provides a wide canvas for any composer. I have endeavored to produce a piece that reflects the wide stylistic range and broad musical values that appeal both to me as a composer and the members of the group as performers. Adding the wind ensemble instrumentation and rhythm section has provided a great variety of colors and shades to choose from in fashioning this composition for the legendary Boston Brass.

— Note by the composer
 

— Intermission —

Pluto, the Last Planet
Bruce Edward Miller (b. 1957)

Boston Brass, guest artists

Pluto, The Last Planet was commissioned by the Boston Brass and Dr. Robin Dinda, organist; the work is dedicated to them. The title gets its name from the suggestion of a friend's grandson. He was aware of the work The Planets by Gustav Holst and knew that it did not include Pluto (the composition was finished in 1916 and the planet was not discovered until 1930). He suggested I write the final planet — hence the title. The players wanted something heroic, uplifting, lively, and perhaps programmatic — hence the general tone of the work.

The work was premiered in its original form (brass quintet and organ) on October 23, 1993, at the First Church of Nashua in New Hampshire by the above-named people.

— Note by the composer

Symphony No. 6, The Blue Marble
Julie Giroux (b. 1961)

1. The Big Blue Marble
2. Voices in Green
3. Let There Be Life

Movement I. The Big Blue Marble. It is often said that the first full imagine of Earth, “Blue Marble,” taken by Apollo 17 in 1972, was the first full picture of the planet Earth. The picture is actually upside down. It happened sometime between 4:59:05 and 5:08:14 hours after Apollo's launch as they traveled up to 25,000 miles an hour. It is the most reproduced picture in history. It became painstakingly clear to humanity just how small and vulnerable our one and only home actually is. This movement celebrates that home in a variety of ways; think of it as an abbreviated introduction to planet Earth through music. 

Movement II. Voices in Green. I spent hours simply listening to the recordings of the Amazon jungle by the world-renowned sound engineer George Vlad. The recordings were made during the rainy season when humidity is at its highest and birds are the most vocal. The sounds transport you into the heart of the jungle which feels incredibly, alive. The exotic calls of the birds and the echoes from other birds of the same species, the insects, the frogs and the rain; you can practically feel and smell the rain. The rain forest has its own music. The density of growth with every shade of green, is the backdrop for this beautiful, strange opera.

I knew I wanted to write music to those sounds. I composed Voices in Green with the Amazon jungle sounds playing as my audio backdrop. It influenced every note and phrase. In my mind and heart, I was there, adding my voice to theirs. Voices in Green can be performed strictly on its own…Think of this movement as a concert taking place in the heart of the Amazon rain forest.

Movement III. Let There Be Life. Violence, death, murder, birth, and life: I wanted to capture that commonality with music in the third and final movement. There is a recurring theme throughout the finale. It evolves, much like life on Earth. It moves through the music, transporting us from one musical setting to the next, ending in a majestic, grandiose way.

The miracle of Earth is life. It is the fragile, silken thread that holds existence together. As with the famous Blue Marble photograph, I hope this symphony reminds people just how frail and beautiful Earth is.

I hope The Blue Marble fills hearts and minds with a renewed loved for our planet, our one and only home. Earth is the one thing we all have in common. It does not belong to us. We belong to it. It is our only home and we should always treat it as such with every generation leaving it healthier and happier than the way they found it.

— Note by the composer