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Program Notes for Schnickelfritz Band

Concert Band Program Notes

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16 views3 pages

Program Notes for Schnickelfritz Band

Concert Band Program Notes

Uploaded by

KBHR47
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Program Notes – Spring 2019

Overture on a Southern Hymn..................................................................................Robert Palmer


(1915 – 2010)
Robert Palmer is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music at the University
of Rochester. Palmer was a student of Howard Hanson and is included in a
group of composers known as the "Eastman Group." This group consisted of
Bernard Rogers, Robert Ward, William Bergsma, and Peter Mennin.
This Overture is based on the opening phrase of one the most popular
Southern folk hymn tunes called Wondrous Love. Wondrous Love is found in
the tunebooks The Southern Harmony compiled by "Singing Billy" Walker and
The Sacred Harp compiled by Benjamin Franklin White. These tunebooks use
what is referred to as "shape-note" notation in which the musical notes are
shaped according to their position in the scale. Also unique to these
tunebooks is the use of three-part harmony, placing the melody in the
middle voice. The American shape note tradition has produced music with
strong, haunting harmonies deeply rooted in the folk tradition and although
considered a primitive and stark sound, there is great beauty to the simply
nature of the music. The practice of shape note singing is very popular to
this day with many societies of Sacred Harp found throughout the United
States.

Danse Celestiale......................................................................................................Robert Sheldon


(b. 1954)
Robert Sheldon served on the faculty at Florida State University where he
taught conducting and instrumental music education courses. Mr. Sheldon
has won numerous awards for his compositions including the Volkwein Award
and the Stanbury Award.

Danse Celestiale is a rhapsodic work of brilliant fanfares and dynamic


interplay of melodic and harmonic materials with a lyrical section of
contrasting styles and themes. The work was commissioned by Tau Beta
Sigma and Kappa Kappa Psi, University of Florida.

Contrapunctus V..........................................................................................Johann Sebastian Bach


(1685 – 1750)
arr. by Larry Daehn

Die Kunst de Fuge (The Art of Fugue) was one of the final products of Bach’s
prolific career and is an incomparable work in the history of western music.
As was the custom of his day for great-learned men, Bach began compiling a
sort-of autobiographical sketch of a lifetime of his contribution to the
discipline of music. He began his work on this masterpiece in the early
1740’s giving the various movements the Latin title Contrapunctus to
emphasize their learned character. His health and vision were failing
significantly by 1748 and the project took on a pressing urgency for him but
he was unable to complete the oeuvre before his death in July of 1750. The
set’s final items were culled from his manuscripts and first published in
Leipzig in 1751.

Ghost Dances............................................................................................................Roland Barrett


(b. 1955)
Dr. Roland Barrett is currently a member of the music theory faculty at the
University of Oklahoma, a position he has held since 2001. Dr. Barrett has
200 published works, including concert band, marching band, brass
ensembles and solo and horn pieces.

Ghost Dances, was inspired by the tragic story of the massacre of some 300
members of the Lakota Sioux tribe at Wounded Knee, South Dakota, on
December 29, 1890. The U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment had been charged with
disarming the Lakota and one version of the events claims that during this
process, a deaf tribesman, Black Coyote, was reluctant to give up his rifle,
claiming he had paid a great deal for it. Simultaneously, another elder in the
tribe was performing the ritual Ghost Dance, which associated prophecy of
the end of U.S. expansion in what were considered the Lakota Sioux
territories. This dance was joined by numerous participants, wearing brightly
colored shirts, and the more that were involved, the wilder the dance
became. The dancers believed these “ghost shirts” would protect them from
soldiers’ bullets. Tensions were raw and when Black Coyote’s rifle
discharged, the army reacted to this incident as an attack on them and the
shooting began indiscriminately. The Wounded Knee battlefield has been
designated a National Historic Landmark.

Pavanne (from Symphonette No. 2)..........................................................................Morton Gould


(1913 – 1996)
Morton Gould was one of the most prolific composers of American history,
publishing his first composition, Just Six, when he was only six years old. By
eighteen, he was staff pianist at Radio City Music Hall, at twenty-one, the
conductor of the WOR Mutual Radio. When Gould moved to CBS in the 1940s,
his music reached an audience of millions. He composed in many genres;
Broadway, films, television, and symphonic works were being performed by
the likes of Leopold Stowkowski and Arturo Toscanini. His creativity was
recognized by awards such as the Pulitzer Prize (1995), a Kennedy Center
Honors Award (1994), 12 Grammy nominations (and one Grammy award in
1966), to name but a few.

The pavane was a stately dance in slow duple time dating from the 16th
century that took its name from the Middle French word for a peacock.
Morton Gould intentionally misspelled the title to match the unconventional
nature of the work. Pavanne is the middle movement of Gould’s
Symphonette #2, written in 1938. Its slow, bouncy style is both simple and
elegant. The Pavanne was one of four of Gould’s works performed at a
special tribute concert held at Carnegie Hall four weeks after the composer’s
death in 1996.

John Williams: The Symphonic Marches....................................................................John Williams


(b. 1932)
arr. by John Higgins

One of the most recognized names in the world of film music, John Williams,
has provided the musical score on some of the greatest movies in cinematic
history. He has won 24 Grammy Awards, 7 British Academy Film Awards, 5
Academy Awards and 4 Golden Globe Awards. He is the second most
Academy Award nominee, after Walt Disney.

The Symphonic Marches is a compilation of works including: The Raiders


March, from “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” The Imperial March, from “Star Wars,”
and the Olympic Fanfare and Theme for the 1984 Olympic Games held in Los
Angeles, CA.

A little known fact about his work is that he wrote incidental music for the
first season of Gilligan’s Island.

At a Dixieland Jazz Funeral...........................................................................................Jared Spears


(b. 1936)
Dr. Jared Spears is Professor of Music Emeritus of Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, AR.
Born in Chicago, IL, Spears earned his degree in music education from Northern Illinois
University and the Doctorate of Music in Composition from Northwestern University.

This work is based on the traditional Dixieland funeral, known as a Second Line, which is part of
the cultural heritage of New Orleans. The origins are rooted in the procession of mourners
(first line of the parade) moving through the streets toward the final resting place for the
bereaved. The brass band, leading the procession, breaks out into upbeat music that is meant
to celebrate the life and joys of the soul we will miss. There is dancing in the streets, members
of the “second line” (those who join the rolling excitement) are decked out in a wardrobe of
brightly colored suits, sashes, hats and bonnets, parasols and banners, all melding with the
pomp of the courtly function and the spontaneous energy of the celebration.

Common questions

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John Williams's 'The Symphonic Marches' compile pieces from iconic films such as 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' and 'Star Wars,' which are renowned for their narrative depth. Williams creates compelling musical narratives by using thematic development and motif recognition, allowing the music to evoke images and emotions from the stories associated with these films. These elements help convey dramatic tension and heroism, mirroring the on-screen narrative progression .

Howard Hanson's influence on the 'Eastman Group' composers, including Robert Palmer, Bernard Rogers, and Robert Ward, is evident through their shared propensity for integrating American folk themes with classical forms. Hanson's mentorship encouraged these composers to explore a distinctly American sound, incorporating elements like folk hymns and innovative harmony, while maintaining emotional expressiveness and formal rigor in their works. This approach expanded American music's stylistic palette during the mid-20th century .

Robert Sheldon's 'Danse Celestiale' illustrates modern American compositional techniques through its use of rhapsodic structures, brilliant fanfares, and dynamic interplay of melodic and harmonic materials. This allows for a contrast of lyrical sections with varied styles and themes, demonstrating a blend of rhythmic complexity and harmonic innovation typical of contemporary American composers .

Robert Palmer was a graduate of the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester and a student of Howard Hanson, which placed him in the 'Eastman Group' with other notable composers like Bernard Rogers and Robert Ward. This environment exposed him to rich musical traditions and innovative compositional techniques that are reflected in his 'Overture on a Southern Hymn.' His use of the Southern folk hymn 'Wondrous Love' and shape-note notation exemplifies his blend of classical training with American folk influences .

The Wounded Knee Massacre, as a pivotal event in Native American history, profoundly shapes the inspiration and narrative of Barrett's 'Ghost Dances.' The massacre, driven by ethnic conflict and cultural misunderstanding, imbues the composition with historical gravitas and emotional depth. The piece reflects the tragedy through its musical embodiment of the Ghost Dance ritual and the resulting conflict, capturing the struggle and resilience of the Lakota people against overwhelming odds .

Roland Barrett's 'Ghost Dances' composition draws inspiration from the tragic historical event of the Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890, where about 300 Lakota Sioux members were killed. The piece reflects the cultural significance of the Ghost Dance, a ritual that prophesied the end of U.S. expansion into Lakota territories. The ritual was marked by participants believing in the protective power of 'ghost shirts' and represents the tension between indigenous cultural practices and U.S. military actions .

'Die Kunst der Fuge' or 'The Art of Fugue' represents a culmination of Bach's personal and professional experiences, showcasing his mastery in the contrapuntal style. Compiled towards the end of his life, during declining health, the work serves almost as an autobiographical sketch, capturing the depth of his contribution to music. Despite his failed eyesight, Bach's urgency to complete it underscores its significance in expressing his lifelong dedication and intellectual capacity in music .

Jared Spears's 'At a Dixieland Jazz Funeral' reveals the vibrant and resilient cultural heritage of New Orleans through its depiction of a traditional Dixieland jazz funeral, or Second Line. This practice celebrates the life of the deceased with a blend of mourning and joy, symbolized by an initial solemn procession followed by lively dance and music. It highlights the city's unique ceremonial practices that synthesize African, European, and Caribbean influences, reflecting the local culture's adaptation to life and death .

The practice of shape-note singing, notable for its unique notation system and three-part harmony with melodies in the middle voice, contributes significantly to the musical structure of Robert Palmer's 'Overture on a Southern Hymn.' This technique allows Palmer to infuse the work with the primitive yet hauntingly beautiful harmonies typical of the American folk tradition, providing a distinctively textured and culturally rich sound .

Morton Gould significantly impacted American music by bridging popular and classical genres through his vast repertoire in orchestral, radio, and film music. In 'Pavanne (from Symphonette No. 2),' Gould combines the elegance of a traditional dance with unexpected twists, such as a deliberately altered title spelling. This work showcases his aptitude for combining simplicity and sophistication in a manner accessible to a wide audience, contributing to a distinctive American musical identity .

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