Program Notes Database
Welcome to the new Program Notes Database! Below find writings on more than 300 compositions, grouped by composer and sorted by last name, Aho to Zemlinsky. Use the navigation above to skip to a particular letter or press "More" for additional notes sorted by concert title. Hashtags located at the top right corner of every box will take you to MusicCentral blog posts which discuss that composer or topic. Tip: Linked PDFs often include notes for more than one composition; scroll through the document until you reach the desired composition.
— Additional Notes by Concert Title —
"Afternoon Classics" with the Young Artists Chamber Orchestra
The Young Artists Chamber Orchestra is a select group of seven string students founded by John De Chiaro in fall 2014. Based in Alexandria, these young musicians have performed around the country in venues as prestigious as New York’s Carnegie Hall and West Point Military Academy. They have also won several national orchestra competitions. Now juniors and seniors in high school, these students have come to flourish under the mentorship of Mr. De Chiaro. Read More
Repertoire:
Bach, Johann Sebastian (1685-1750): Fugue in G minor, BWV 578 'Little', arr. De Chiaro
Boyce, William (1711-1779): Symphony No. 1 in B-flat major, Op. 2 No. 1
Clark, Larry (*1963): Dance of the Harlequins
Debussy, Claude (1862-1918): The Girl with the Flaxen Hair
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus (1756-1791): Eine kleine Nachtmusik, K. 525
Newbold, Soon Hee (*1974): Lion City
"American Masters" with Two Rivers Brass
The composers whose music Two Rivers Brass shares tonight are all American composers who were active in the later twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. Although these composers were not the fierce Modernists we often associate with this era, they still achieved considerable acclaim, particularly within academic circles. Indeed, most held prestigious teaching posts, received commissions from universities, and participated in professional societies, and two of our composers were even nominated for the Pulitzer Prize—the highest honor accorded an American composer. Read More
Repertoire:
Bach, Johann Sebastian (1685-1750): Three Canons from the 'Goldberg Variations,' BWV 988, arr. Frackenpohl
Muczynski, Robert (1929-2010): Voyage, Op. 27 for trumpet, horn, and trombone
Schmidt, William (1926-2009): A-B-A^2-C-US for trumpet, horn, and trombone
van Appledorn, Mary Jeanne (1927-2014): Trio Italiano for brass trio
"Arias, etc." with Haley Whitney and Kameron Lopreore
Opera has a long, storied history, one which began on the Italian peninsula around 1600 but soon saw itself expanding outward across Europe and around the world. Its major innovators have included the composers Claudio Monteverdi, Christoph Willibald Gluck, Richard Wagner, Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Puccini, and Alban Berg. Repeatedly, its stories tell of doomed lovers cursed by inescapable fates. So much of the repertoire is tragic, but there are also lighter moments, whole comedies too. Read More
Repertoire:
Anonymous, attr. Eduardo di Capua: “O sole mio”
Bolcom, William (*1938): A View from the Bridge: “New York Lights”
Handel, George Frideric (1685-1759): Giulio Cesare, HWV 17: “Da tempeste illegno infranto”
Rodgers, Richard (1902-1979): Excerpts from Oklahoma! and Carousel
Rossini, Gioachino (1792-1868): La Cenerentola: “Sì ritrovarla io guiro”
Weill, Kurt (1900-1950): Street Scene: “What Good Would the Moon Be”
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"Classics and a Contemporary" with John De Chiaro
This evening’s program features the extraordinary John De Chiaro, recently called “one of the leading lights of classical guitar” by Fred Child, host of public radio’s Performance Today. This evening, Mr. De Chiaro will play music written or arranged for guitar from throughout the ages. There is early music by John Dowland and Domenico Scarlatti, the Grand Overture by nineteenth-century guitar virtuoso Mauro Giuliani, and pieces by Scott Joplin and Isaac Albéniz which bridge the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. In addition, Mr. De Chiaro will play a brand new piece by contemporary composer Jackson Harmeyer. Read More
Repertoire:
Albéniz, Isaac (1860-1909): Suite española No. 1: Sevilla
Dowland, John (1563-1626): Melancholy Galliard; My Lady Hunsdon’s Puffe
Giuliani, Mauro (1781-1829): Grand Overture, Op. 61 for solo guitar
Harmeyer, Jackson (*1991): Suite for Solo Guitar, Op. 21
Joplin, Scott (c.1868-1917): The Entertainer
Sainz de la Maza, Eduardo (1903-1982): Campanas del Alba for solo guitar
Scarlatti, Domenico (1685-1757): Sonata in E minor, K. 98; Sonata in A major, K. 322
"Early English Song" with Cain Budds and Michael Austin
Tonight at Nachtmusik guitarist Cain Budds and vocalist Michael Austin share with us music of the English renaissance, specifically songs and solo lute works by the distinguished composers John Dowland, Robert Johnson, Philip Rosseter, and Thomas Campion. Each of these composers made their own distinctive contributions to these repertoires which was part of a larger flourishing in English music in the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras. Read More
Repertoire:
Campion, Thomas (1567-1620): "Author of Light"; "Never Weather-Beaten Sail"; "When to Her Lute"
Dowland, John (1563-1626): Five Songs from Bookes I and II; Three Galliards
Johnson, Robert (c.1583-1633): "Full Fathom Five"
Rosseter, Philip (1568-1623): "When Laura Smiles"; Galliard
"Enchanted Landscapes" with Sally Horak and Tom Hundemer
The Austrian composer Franz Doppler was, with his younger brother Karl, regarded as one of the nineteenth century’s most talented flute virtuosi. While still children, the Dopplers became acquainted with the rich folk music traditions of many eastern European cultures as concert tours and also political upheavals took the brothers and their family wide and far. As young men, the Doppler brothers became Hungarian patriots in the turbulent 1840s. Read More
Repertoire:
Amram, David (*1930): Blues and Variations for Monk for solo horn
Bach, Jan (*1937): Four Two-Bit Contraptions for flute and horn
Doppler, Franz (1821-1883): Souvenir du Rigi, Op. 34 for flute, horn, and piano
Hoover, Katherine (*1937): Summer Night, Op. 34 for flute, horn, and piano
Jacob, Gordon (1895-1984): The Pied Piper for flute and piccolo
Walters, Aaron: Trio for flute, horn, and piano
"Euphonium Unleashed I"
The euphonium is a valved brass instrument with a resounding baritone to tenor range. It is similar in shape and tone to the larger tuba and is sometimes called the tenor tuba. The first euphoniums, like the first tubas, were developed in the early nineteenth century as replacements to the various sizes of the ophicleide. The euphonium and tuba had a significant advantage over the ophicleide: these newer instruments had valves. Read More
Repertoire:
Frackenpohl, Arthur (1924-2019): R3E2 for two euphoniums
Handel, George Frideric (1685-1759): Semele, HWV 58: "Where’er You Walk," arr. Beeler
Haydn, Joseph (1732-1809): Baryton Trio in G major, XI:70, arr. Droste
Ito, Yasuhide (*1960): Euphoniums Parfait for euphonium quartet
Mendelssohn, Felix (1809-1847): Equali Nos. 2 and 3, arr. Wittmann, Voxman, and Smith
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus (1756-1791): Divertimento No. 1, K. 439b/1: Allegro, arr. Kuroda
Warren, George W. (1828-1902): God of Our Fathers, arr. Ryden
"Euphonium Unleashed II"
The euphonium is a valved brass instrument with a resounding baritone to tenor range. It is similar in shape and tone to the larger tuba and is sometimes called the tenor tuba. The first euphoniums, like the first tubas, were developed in the early nineteenth century as replacements to the various sizes of the ophicleide. The euphonium and tuba had a significant advantage over the ophicleide: these newer instruments had valves. Read More
Repertoire:
Anonymous: Scarborough Fair, arr. Reichenbach
Ito, Yasuhide (*1960): Tchaikovskiana; Four Euphoniums for You
Mantia, Simone (1873-1951): Variations on "Believe Me, if All Those Endearing Young Charms," arr. Werden
Maurer, Ludwig (1789-1878): Four Pieces, arr. Stevens
Reicha, Anton (1770-1836): Horn Trios, Op. 82 (selections), arr. Kuroda
Wilson, Kenyon (*1970): Dance No. 1 for euphonium quartet
"An Evening of Guitar Classics" with John De Chiaro
Our Second Annual Sugarmill Music Festival begins with a concert by a local favorite, the classical guitarist John De Chiaro. His diverse program will sample a range of music, from Spanish guitar classics by Fernando Sor and Isaac Albéniz to arrangements of works by Scott Joplin and Erik Satie created by the guitarist himself. Relax and enjoy this wonderful concert, beginning with two pieces by the Renaissance lutenist and composer John Dowland. Read More
Repertoire:
Albéniz, Isaac (1860-1909): Suite española No. 1: Leyenda de Asturias
Dowland, John (1563-1626): Allemande; Lachrimae Pavan
Joplin, Scott (c.1868-1917): Heliotrope Bouquet; Rosebud March
Mendelssohn, Felix (1809-1847): Canzonetta, arr. guitar
Sainz de la Maza, Eduardo (1903-1982): Campanas del Alba for solo guitar
Satie, Erik (1866-1925): Trois Gymnopédies, arr. De Chiaro
Sor, Fernando (1778-1839): Guitar Sonata No. 1 in D major, Op. 14 'Gran solo'
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"Evening Harmonies" with the Dýchanie Duo
When we think of the Classical era in music, it is often the music of Vienna to which our minds are first drawn. In the 1780s and 1790s when Classicism was at its peak, Vienna was in fact where the era’s three leading composers—Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven—were all based. Yet, earlier in the century when Classicism was still in its development, Vienna was only one of several German-speaking cities with an important and individual musical culture. Read More
Repertoire:
Selections by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, Jiři Čart, Joseph Fiala, and Georg Philipp Telemann
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"An Evening of Romantic Song" with D'nissa Hester and Elen Daughtery
This evening soprano D’nissa Hester and pianist Elena Bogaczová grace Abendmusik Alexandria as they present “An Evening of Romantic Song.” Their selections include an array of songs which explore the concept of love in many of its varied guises. The songs are by German and French composers of the nineteenth century, many of the most admired creators of art song. Together we shall encounter German Lied as well as its French parallel, the mélodie. Read More
Repertoire:
Debussy, Claude (1862-1918): Beau soir
Fauré, Gabriel (1845-1924): Après un rêve
Hahn, Reynaldo (1874-1947): L’heure exquise; Offrande; Si mes vers avaient des ailes
Mendelssohn, Felix (1809-1847): Neue Liebe
Schubert, Franz (1797-1828): Lachen und Weinen; Lied der Mignon; Ständchen
Schumann, Clara Wieck (1819-1896): Liebst du um Schönheit
Schumann, Robert (1810-1856): Du Ring an meinem Finger; Widmung
Viardot, Pauline (1821-1910): Fleur desséchée
"Forgotten Sounds" with Euphonium Unleashed
The euphonium is a valved brass instrument with a resounding baritone to tenor range. It is similar in shape and tone to the larger tuba and is sometimes called the tenor tuba. The first euphoniums, like the first tubas, were developed in the early nineteenth century as replacements to the various sizes of the ophicleide. The euphonium and tuba had a significant advantage over the ophicleide: these newer instruments had valves. Read More
Repertoire:
Anonymous, attr. Giuseppe Giordani: Caro mio ben, arr. Irons
Brahms, Johannes (1833-1897): Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98: II. Andante moderato, arr. Long
Gounod, Charles (1818-1893): Funeral March of a Marionette, arr. Lotzenhiser
Ito, Yasuhide (*1960): Euphoniums Parfait for euphonium quartet
Koepke, Paul (1918-2000): Scherzo Caprice for euphonium quartet
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus (1756-1791): Divertimento No. 2, K. 439b/2: Allegro, arr. Kuroda
Tcherepnin, Nikolai (1873-1945): Ballet Harlequins, arr. Walters
"Hamirgue Percussion"
Percussion has represented, in the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, a largely untapped medium for composers seeking to explore new realms of sound. Although percussion instruments have been part of the Western art music tradition from its beginning, they had often been relegated to keeping pulse or accenting climatic moments prior to the twentieth century. Thanks, however, to composers like Edgard Varèse, Percy Grainger, John Cage, and many others, percussion instruments have gained greater significance in orchestral textures as well as an exciting solo and chamber repertoire of their own. Read More
Repertoire:
Beck, Stephen David (*1959): Percussion Quartet: Mvts. I and II
Dietz, Brett William (*1972): Urban Hymns; Street Fight
Eriksson, John (*1974): Träd, Forest of Hands for marimba
Garland, Peter (*1952): Apple Blossom for four marimbas
Reich, Steve (*1936): Clapping Music for two performers
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"Infinite Possibilities" with Masahito Kuroda
This evening at Abendmusik Alexandria Masahito Kuroda explores the past, present, and future of the euphonium. The euphonium is a valved brass instrument with a resounding baritone to tenor range, similar in shape and tone color to the more familiar tuba; in fact, the euphonium is sometimes called a tenor tuba. The euphonium—while immensely popular within symphonic wind bands—is less-commonly heard in orchestral and chamber settings. Read More
Repertoire:
Boda, John (1922-2002): Sonatina for euphonium and synthesizer
Clarke, Herbert L. (1867-1945): Fantasy, Theme, and Variations on "Carnival of Venice"
Curnow, James (*1943): Rhapsody for euphonium
Shostakovich, Dmitri (1906-1975): Festive Overture, arr. Kuroda
Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich (1840-1893): Serenade for Strings, Op. 48: I. Pezzo in forma di sonatina, arr. Kuroda
"Jazz Intersections" with the Rose City Trio
In modern jazz, saxophone and trumpet are often the two lead instruments in smaller combos. Think of Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. Or, Parker and Miles Davis. Or, Davis and Coltrane. Or, Branford and Wynton Marsalis. Backing these melody instruments is the rhythm section which most commonly consists of piano, bass, and drums. The pianists Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock, and Kenny Kirkland have all been frequent collaborators with the aforementioned saxophonists and trumpeters. The point is: saxophone, trumpet, and piano is a common instrumentation in jazz, but, in classical music, it is almost never heard. Read More
Repertoire:
Bell, Micah: Nightscapes for saxophone, trumpet, and piano
D’Rivera, Paquito (*1948): Afro
Rivier, Jean (1896-1987): Concerto for alto saxophone, trumpet, and string orchestra
Stephenson, James M. (*1969): Cousins, concerto for saxophone, trumpet, and orchestra
"Kacherski/Morita Duo"
As a member of the Texas Guitar Quartet, guitarist Jay Kacherski has performed around the world. One of his special interests is Mexican guitar music, an underappreciated body of works which he has promoted not only through concerts but also the creation of a Mexican Guitar Music Catalog. His wife, Lina Morita, a native of São Paulo, Brazil, has also led an active performing career, including recent recitals in Mexico City at the Museo Mural Diego Rivera and La Escuela de Musica. Read More
Repertoire:
Diabelli, Anton (1781-1858): Grande Sonate brillante in D minor, Op. 102 for piano and guitar
Falla, Manuel de (1876-1946): La vida breve: Danza Española No. 1
Frazier, J. Todd (*1969): Brazos de Dios for piano and guitar
Mitchell, David (*1970): Lake Avondale for piano and guitar
Ponce, Manuel (1882-1948): Preludio for harpsichord and guitar
"A Little Night Music" with the Shreveport Opera
Tonight the rising stars of the Shreveport Opera will treat us to a program of famous opera arias and hit Broadway show tunes. All are classics—songs that most audience members will recognize, perhaps even know before their first words are sung. Although most all songs will be familiar, here is some historical background on the wonderful program of music assembled for tonight’s special occasion. Read More
Repertoire:
Selections by Leonard Bernstein, Georges Bizet, Alexander Borodin Léo Delibes, Gilbert and Sullivan, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Giacomo Puccini, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Gioachino Rossini, Stephen Sondheim, Giuseppe Verdi, and others
"Metamorphosis" with the Three Reeds Duo
Now entering our fourth season, Nachtmusik Alexandria tonight welcomes the Three Reeds Duo as they celebrate the release of their second album, Metamorphosis. This duo, consisting of oboist Leah Forsyth and saxophonist Paul Forsyth, is the only one of its kind and, thus, this husband-and-wife team out of Natchitoches, Louisiana has actively sought new repertoire for their unique ensemble. Read More
Repertoire:
Britten, Benjamin (1913-1976): Six Metamorphoses after Ovid, Op. 49
Hundemer, Thomas: Three Reeds Suite: I. Double Soliloquy
Lieuwen, Peter (*1953): Little Rivers for oboe and alto saxophone
Morris, Alyssa (*1984): Duo Displasia for oboe and alto saxophone
Piazzolla, Astor (1921-1992): Oblivion, arr. Hudlow
Villa-Lobos, Heitor (1887-1959): Chôros No. 2, arr. Sugihara
"Milestones" with the Three Reeds Duo
Nachtmusik von BrainSurge tonight welcomes the Three Reeds Duo as they celebrate the release of their new debut album signals cross. Awarded the Alford Professorship at Northwestern State University in 2015, Three Reeds founders Leah and Paul Forsyth have had the opportunity to record five new compositions written especially for their performance; their album signals cross released this summer is the finished product. Well aware that their combination—oboe and saxophone—is by no means a standard lineup, the Forsyths have looked to friends and colleagues to create for them a personalized repertoire. Read More
Repertoire:
Blaha, Kyle: signals cross
Britten, Benjamin (1913-1976): Six Metamorphoses after Ovid, Op. 49
Hundemer, Thomas: Three Reeds Suite: Mvts. IV and V
Rose, Richard: The Journey
Villa-Lobos, Heitor (1887-1959): Chôros No. 2, arr. Sugihara
Wanamaker, Gregory: Double Cadenza for oboe and tenor saxophone
"Music for Brass Trio" with Two Rivers Brass
Tonight’s program begins with two chorale preludes by Johannes Brahms as arranged for brass trio by Thomas Hundemer. These chorale preludes are drawn from his Opus 122 set of eleven preludes for organ each based on verses of Lutheran hymn tunes. Composed in 1896, the chorale preludes are among his final works and were not published within his lifetime; instead, they were published posthumously in 1902. Brahms was by 1896 well-aware of his mortality, and the texts of several of the chorales he adapted deal with the approach of death. Read More
Repertoire:
Blank, Allan (1925-2013): Trio for trumpet, horn, and trombone
Brahms, Johannes (1833-1897): Eleven Chorale Preludes, Op. 122: Nos. 5 and 7, arr. Hundemer
Poulenc, Francis (1899-1963): Sonata for horn, trumpet, and trombone
Ross, Walter (*1936): Shapes of Klee for brass trio
Sampson, David (*1951): Duncan Trio for brass trio
Tull, Fisher (1934-1994): Trio for trumpet, horn, and trombone
"Music in the Folk Tradition" with the Red River Dulcimer Ensemble
The mountain dulcimer, also called the Appalachian or Kentucky dulcimer, is a fretted string instrument, consisting of a narrow fingerboard and a body shaped either like an hourglass or a teardrop. Dulcimers traditionally possess three strings while some newer models add a fourth string. It is plucked and placed either on the lap or a table. The first American dulcimers are believed to have developed in southwestern Pennsylvania during the eighteenth century among mostly Scottish immigrant communities and their interactions with other European settler groups. Read More
Repertoire:
These notes offer a brief history of Anglo-American folk music and related genres, discussing contributions by Francis James Child, Cecil Sharp, Olive Dame Campbell, John and Alan Lomax, Lead Belly, Muddy Waters, the Carter Family, Hank Williams, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, the Beach Boys, Bill Monroe, Earl Scruggs, and Moses Asch among others.
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"A Musical Journey" with John De Chiaro
This evening guitarist John De Chiaro will take us on a worldwide tour of classical masterpieces. Our travels will bring us across the globe to Great Britain through the music of John Dowland, France via Maurice Ravel’s famous Pavane, to Germany for pieces by Johann Sebastian Bach and Felix Mendelssohn, Spain by way of Alonso Mudarra and Joaquín Malats, and back to the United States for rags by Scott Joplin. Read More
Repertoire:
Bach, Johann Sebastian (1685- 1750): Fugue in A minor, BWV 1001/2, arr. guitar
Domeniconi, Carlo (born 1947): Koyunbaba, Op. 19, suite for solo guitar
Dowland, John (1563-1626): Lachrimae Pavan
Harmeyer, Jackson (*1991): Suite for Solo Guitar, Op. 21
Joplin, Scott (c.1868-1917): Cleopha; Rose Leaf Rag
Malats, Joaquín (1872-1912): Serenata española, arr. guitar
Mendelssohn, Felix (1809-1847): Canzonetta, arr. guitar
Mudarra, Alonso (c.1510-1580): Fantasia
Ravel, Maurice (1875-1937): Pavane pour une Infante défunte, arr. De Chiaro
"NELA Clarinet Trio Recital" with Scot Humes
The clarinet, an instrument beloved for its clear, beautiful tone, is one of only a handful of instruments to have achieved prominence in genres as diverse as classical music, wind band, jazz, klezmer, and even popular music. Cylindrical in shape, this single reed instrument comes in various sizes and tonalities, although the B-flat clarinet is by far the most commonly played today. Clarinets typically have two main registers: the lower chalumeau register with its warm tone and the upper clarino register which possesses a trumpet-like clarity. Read More
Repertoire:
Bagley, Edwin Eugene (1857-1922): National Emblem, arr. Drapkin
Bouffil, Jacques-Jules (1783-1868): Clarinet Trio in C major, Op. 7 No. 1
Fučík, Julius (1872-1916): Entry of the Gladiators, arr. Drapkin
Handel, George Frideric (1685-1759): Harpsichord Suite No. 4, HWV 429, arr. Dich
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus (1756-1791): Five Divertimenti, K. 439b: No. 3
Offenbach, Jacques (1819-1880): Orpheus in the Underworld: Overture, arr. Drapkin
Wood, Stephen (*1977): Drosera: the morning dew of the sun for clarinet trio
"New Frontiers" with the Three Reeds Duo
Many people who enjoy listening to classical music forget that the classical tradition is still alive and well today. Although contemporary composers write music which is quite different from the masterpieces of the past, their compositions are still worthy of the attention of listeners. Impacted by both the Modernist agenda of twentieth-century composers and the concurrent experiments in jazz and rock, contemporary composers work with a revised musical language and within a changed landscape from their predecessors. Read More
Repertoire:
Besozzi, Alessandro (1702-1793): Sonata
Blaha, Kyle: signals cross
Hundemer, Thomas: Three Reeds Suite
Maroney, Marcus: Pastorale
Rose, Richard: The Journey
"A Night of Popular Favorites" with the Young Artists Chamber Orchestra
This evening the Young Artists Chamber Orchestra of Alexandria returns to Abendmusik Alexandria. Under the direction of John De Chiaro, these twenty young string musicians amazed Abendmusik audiences last fall when they performed a series of demanding classical pieces at November’s “Young People’s Concert.” Tonight this ensemble changes gears, however, to play a different sort of program with music drawn from two of Broadway’s grandest musicals, one of Hollywood’s highest-grossing movies, and even a popular song. Read More
Repertoire:
Bernstein, Leonard (1918-1990): West Side Story Medley
Gates, David (*1940): Aubrey, arr. De Chiaro
Lloyd Webber, Andrew (*1948): The Phantom of the Opera Medley
Newbold, Soon Hee (*1974): Perseus
Silva, Alan Lee: Sweet Moment
Zimmer, Hans (*1957): Pirates of the Caribbean Medley
"Oliver Molina, Percussion Recital"
Thanks to twentieth-century composers like Edgard Varèse, Percy Grainger, John Cage, and many others, percussion instruments gained greater significance in orchestral textures as well as an exciting solo and chamber repertoire all their own. The composers whose music Oliver Molina shares with us tonight are largely contemporary American composers who have followed in the footsteps of these tremendous innovators. Several are percussionists themselves, but all have had something meaningful to contribute to this emerging repertoire. Read More
Repertoire:
Bach, Johann Sebastian (1685-1750): Cello Suite No. 1, BWV 1007: III. Courante, arr. McGinnis
Chapman, Evan: buttonwood for snare drum and audio track
Gauthreaux, Guy (*1956): American Suite for solo snare drum
Hopper, Adam (*1985): Mind the Gap for steel pan and audio track
Lucier, Alvin (*1931): Silver Streetcar for the Orchestra for triangle
Mellits, Marc (*1966): Stick for solo snare drum
Molk, Dave: hope for solo glockenspiel
"Opera, Broadway, and Everything In-Between" with the Shreveport Opera
This evening, we’ll hear everything from famous opera arias to hit show tunes from today’s most popular musical theater. There’s music in at least three different languages—English, French, and Italian—and spanning three centuries—from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Don Giovanni in the late eighteenth to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera in the late twentieth. But, despite their wide range, these songs are all classics—songs that many audience members will recognize, perhaps even before their first words are sung. Read More
Repertoire:
Selections by Leonard Bernstein, Georges Bizet, Léo Delibes, George Gershwin, Charles Gounod, Jerome Kern, Lerner and Loewe, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Jacques Offenbach, Cole Porter, Giacomo Puccini, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Gioachino Rossini, Schönberg and Boublil, Stephen Sondheim, and Giuseppe Verdi
"Outdoor Escapes" with the I-49 Brass Quintet
This afternoon we are joined by the I-49 Brass Quintet for a diverse program, well-suited to the casual, outdoors environment of the Sugarmill Music Festival. Escape, a 2007 work by American composer and trumpeter Kevin McKee, makes for an exciting opener to our concert. McKee was born and raised in California, learning trumpet with the encouragement of his father, a high school music teacher. Although trumpet quickly became a passion of his, he only later discovered his ability as a composer while pursuing his master’s degree at the University of Maryland. Read More
Repertoire:
Bach, Johann Sebastian (1685-1750): My Spirit, Be Joyful, BWV 146, arr. brass quintet
Calvert, Morley (1928-1991): Suite from the Monteregian Hills
Jacob, Gordon (1895-1984): Changing Moods for brass quintet
Maurer, Ludwig (1789-1878): Morgengruss for brass quintet
McKee, Kevin (*1980): Escape for brass quintet
Sherwin, Manning (1902-1974): A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square
Texidor, Jaime (1884-1957): Amparito Roca
Vaughan Williams, Ralph (1872-1958): Rhosymedre
"Primavera Winds" with Kelsey Wright McDonald
There has long been an association between spring and woodwinds. Spring is the time of year when, after the chill of winter, people are able to return outside and enjoy the rebirth of nature. Wind instruments, many of which found their primary usage in outdoor settings prior to the nineteenth century, maintain this association with nature. Indeed, the flute has often been used to imitate birdsong. The horn, meanwhile, has retained its initial connection to hunting, another outdoors activity. Read More
Repertoire:
Colomer, Blas Maria (1833-1917): Bourrée for wind quintet
Kummer, Kaspar (1795-1870): Trio in F major, Op. 32 for flute, clarinet, and bassoon
Nielsen, Carl (1865-1931): Wind Quintet, Op. 43: I. Allegro ben marcato
Taffanel, Paul (1844-1908): Wind Quintet in G minor
"Quatuor de Trombones de Louisiane"
Our program this afternoon opens with a triumphal selection from The Creation, the famed oratorio Joseph Haydn composed toward the end of his career. Inspired during his visit to London by the oratorios of George Frideric Handel and especially their performance at the Handel Festival at Westminster Abbey, Haydn returned to Vienna ready to compose his own great oratorio. Haydn’s patron Baron Gottfried van Swieten enthusiastically accepted the offer to write the text, having previously fostered in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart an interest in Handel’s music. Read More
Repertoire:
Bozza, Eugène (1905-1991): Trois Pièces for trombone quartet
Bruckner, Anton (1824-1896): Christus factus est, arr. Williams
Haydn, Joseph (1732-1809): Achieved is the Glorious Work, arr. Miller
Joplin, Scott (c.1868-1917): Pleasant Moments, arr. Sauer
McCarty, Patrick (*1928): Recitative and Fugue for trombone quartet
Monk, Thelonious (1917-1982): 'Round Midnight, arr. Hampton
Serocki, Kazimierz (1922-1981): Suite for trombone quartet
"Romantic Sounds of Classical Guitar" with John De Chiaro
The majority of this evening’s program consists of works by Spanish or Latin American composers. Yet these five compositions also possess great diversity among themselves as they are drawn from across two hundred years spanning the beginnings of classical guitar to one of its greatest contemporary proponents. They shall be the core of these notes, for the remaining two pieces require little introduction. These are transcriptions made by this evening’s featured performer John De Chiaro himself of works so well-known they require little introduction. Read More
Repertoire:
Albéniz, Isaac (1860-1909): Suite española No. 1: Leyenda de Asturias
Brouwer, Leo (*1939): El Decamerón negro: III. Balada de la doncella enamorada
Offenbach, Jacques (1819-1880): Can-Can, arr. De Chiaro
Schubert, Franz (1797-1828): Ave Maria, arr. De Chiaro
Sor, Fernando (1778-1839): Guitar Sonata No. 1 in D major, Op. 14 'Gran solo'
Tárrega, Francisco (1852-1909): Gran jota de Aragonesa for solo guitar
Yradier, Sebastián (1809-1865): La Paloma
"Saxophone Celebration" with the NSU Saxophone Studio
Tonight at Nachtmusik we celebrate the life and work of Adolphe Sax, inventor of the saxophone, who was born on this day 204 years ago. For this reason, we have invited Paul Forsyth, professor of saxophone at Northwestern State University, and his saxophone studio to share with us a program of saxophone music. Their repertoire is all classical, with one notable exception. Several pieces are arrangements, but several are also original compositions for this instrument. Read More
Repertoire:
Bozza, Eugène (1905-1991): Improvisation et Caprice for solo saxophone
Britten, Benjamin (1913-1976): Six Metamorphoses after Ovid, Op. 49, arr. solo saxophone
Bryant, Steven (*1972): Dusk for saxophone choir
Gotkovsky, Ida (*1933): Saxophone Quartet
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus (1756-1791): Rondo alla turca, K. 331/3, arr. saxophone choir
Rollins, Sonny (*1930): St. Thomas
Villa-Lobos, Heitor (1887-1959): Bachianas brasileiras No. 5, arr. saxophone quintet
"The Steel Pan Experience" with the NSU Steel Pan Ensemble
It is fitting that our March Nachtmusik, which falls only a week after Mardi Gras, would feature the NSU Steel Pan Ensemble. The steel pan and its main repertoire, calypso, originated at Carnival, the same festival season which takes place before Lent, as it was celebrated on the Caribbean island of Trinidad. Located a mere seven miles off the Venezuelan coast, this southernmost island in the Caribbean Sea attracted large numbers of French Catholics at the end of the eighteenth century, and they brought with them their Carnival celebrations as they had earlier brought them to New Orleans. Read More
Repertoire:
These notes offer a brief history of Trinidadian calypso, its steel pan culture, and their influences abroad. Among others, the musicians considered in this narrative include the calypsonians Lord Executor, Atilla the Hun, Roaring Lion, and Lord Kitchener as well as American popular artists like Harry Belafonte, Chubby Checker, Arthur Lyman, and the Beach Boys.
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"Trio de Llano in Concert"
This evening’s program features a wide variety of music written for a combination of instruments that for many listeners is probably quite unfamiliar—wind trio. Consisting of flutist Dennette McDermott, clarinetist Malena McLaren, and bassoonist Douglas Bakenhus, Trio de Llano is based in Natchitoches where its members are professors at Northwestern State University. As Trio de Llano, these three talented musicians have toured around the world bringing the often unheard sounds of wind trio to many receptive audiences. Read More
Repertoire:
Beethoven, Ludwig van (1770-1827): Variations on "Là ci darem la mano," WoO 28
Gabriel, Todd: Sunflower Dance for flute, clarinet, and bassoon
Gebauer, François René (1773-1845): Trio, Op. 42 No. 2 for flute, clarinet, and bassoon
Muczynski, Robert (1929-2010): Fragments for flute, clarinet, and bassoon
Piston, Walter (1894-1976): Three Pieces for flute, clarinet, and bassoon
Sung, Stella: Paris 1987 for flute, clarinet, and bassoon
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"Young People's Concert" with the Young Artists Chamber Orchestra
During his tenure with the New York Philharmonic, the eminent conductor-composer-educator Leonard Bernstein hosted a series of fifty-three televised concerts he titled Young People’s Concerts. This series which ran from 1958 to 1972—and during its most popular three years on CBS primetime—witnessed Bernstein addressing diverse topics as difficult as understanding the music of noted twentieth-century composers and as controversial as playing jazz or folk music in the concert hall. The aim of these concerts was to instill in young audiences the love of music, and Bernstein achieved this admirably. Read More
Repertoire:
Clark, Larry (*1963): Dance of the Harlequins
Day, Susan: Mystic Rhapsody
Newbold, Soon Hee (*1974): Lion City
O'Fallon, David: Rondo Concertante
Saint-Saëns, Camille (1835-1921): Danse macabre
Spata, Doug: Maharaja
Vaughan Williams, Ralph (1872-1958): Rhosymedre