I have already posted a video of Jennifer Higdon's "blue cathedral" and if you have not taken the time to listen to that piece, please do. In December, UMWO will be performing her Percussion Concerto with Chris Rose from the Marine Band. The video posted here is from a performance of the North Texas Wind Ensemble with Mark Ford. The cadenza is the only section played, but it will certainly give you an idea of what the piece is like. There is also a video of Colin Currie with Seoul available on YouTube. You are also encouraged to check out more of her music and her interviews that are all over YouTube. She is certainly an interesting figure in contemporary music and one that you should take note of. Enjoy!
Cadenza from Higdon Percussion Concerto
Monday, May 31, 2010
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Stravinsky Octet
This is easily one of the most important and greatest pieces written for winds. Stravinsky's "Octet", written in 1923 and widely regarded as his first truly neoclassical pieces, is written for an odd instrumentation (Fl, Clar, 2 Bsn, 2 Tpt, 2 Tbn) that, according to Stravinsky, appeared to him in a dream. This is a dubious claim at best, but interesting nonetheless. You can find some more specific information on the piece elsewhere on the Internet and here.
Stravinsky also published an article on the Octet entitled "Some Ideas About My Octuor" in a 1924 issue of the American journal "The Arts". This was Stravinsky's first published writing on his music and his most famous writing regarding interpretation (a curse word for Stravinsky) in his music. When you take all this into consideration, it is hard to deny the Octet's import in 20th century music.
The Octet will be performed on our February concert that will also feature the conductor Matthew Tommasini. It should be a fantastic concert. In the meantime, enjoy the performance of the Stravinsky Octet linked below.
Stravinsky Octet Part I
Stravinsky Octet Part II
Stravinsky also published an article on the Octet entitled "Some Ideas About My Octuor" in a 1924 issue of the American journal "The Arts". This was Stravinsky's first published writing on his music and his most famous writing regarding interpretation (a curse word for Stravinsky) in his music. When you take all this into consideration, it is hard to deny the Octet's import in 20th century music.
The Octet will be performed on our February concert that will also feature the conductor Matthew Tommasini. It should be a fantastic concert. In the meantime, enjoy the performance of the Stravinsky Octet linked below.
Stravinsky Octet Part I
Stravinsky Octet Part II
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Serenade in C Minor, K. 388
As part of our November concert, "Music of the Night", we will begin with the first movement of the Mozart C Minor Serenade for winds. I think you will see how this movement will be the perfect complement to the theme of the concert, but first and foremost it is great music. Enjoy this live performance from a DMA conducting recital at USC. This is a fine live performance and will certainly give you an appreciation for the piece. Enjoy!
"Allegro" from Serenade in C Minor, K. 388
"Allegro" from Serenade in C Minor, K. 388
Friday, May 28, 2010
Oiseaux Exotiques
If you have never listened to Messiaen's music before, take some time and look through the resources to the right. Getting to know Messiaen on a more intellectual level will probably help as you listen to his music. If you heard our performance of "Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum" last winter, you will be amazed at the difference in style presented in "Oiseaux exotiques".
"Birds" was written in 1955-1956 in the middle of Messiaen's birdsong experimentation phase. The piece is infused with tons of different bird songs. This is in stark contrast to "Et exspecto" written almost ten years later--what a difference a decade makes!
In any case, "Oiseaux exotiques" will be performed on our April concert and should be spectacular. You can find a video with Boulez conducting linked below. Stay tuned for more on this piece and if you have the time, look through the Messiaen resources that are linked to the right--they will help a lot in your appreciation of his music. Enjoy!
"Oiseaux exotiques" Part I
"Oiseaux exotiques" Part II
"Birds" was written in 1955-1956 in the middle of Messiaen's birdsong experimentation phase. The piece is infused with tons of different bird songs. This is in stark contrast to "Et exspecto" written almost ten years later--what a difference a decade makes!
In any case, "Oiseaux exotiques" will be performed on our April concert and should be spectacular. You can find a video with Boulez conducting linked below. Stay tuned for more on this piece and if you have the time, look through the Messiaen resources that are linked to the right--they will help a lot in your appreciation of his music. Enjoy!
"Oiseaux exotiques" Part I
"Oiseaux exotiques" Part II
Thursday, May 27, 2010
blue cathedral
This piece is too good not to be posted. "blue cathedral" is probably Jennifer Higdon's most well-known piece and if you haven't listened to the piece before, take the opportunity now. The link has program notes and some good links about Higdon and her music. She won the Pulitzer Prize for Music this spring and we will be performing her Percussion Concerto in December. We also recorded "Fanfare Ritimico" this past season. In the meantime, check out "blue cathedral"--pretty nice recording.
"blue cathedral" Part I
"blue cathedral" Part II
"blue cathedral" Part I
"blue cathedral" Part II
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Timbres, espace, mouvement, ou la nuit étoilée
Featured on the November concert is Dutilleux's "Timbres, espace, mouvement, ou la nuit étoilée". This is a good recording by Lyon with Baudo conducting. The descriptive text is in French, but the piece is inspired by space--think van Gogh "Starry Night".
"Timbres, espace, mouvement, ou la nuit étoilée" Part I
"Timbres, espace, mouvement, ou la nuit étoilée" Part II
"Timbres, espace, mouvement, ou la nuit étoilée" Part I
"Timbres, espace, mouvement, ou la nuit étoilée" Part II
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Um Mitternacht
If you have listened to nothing else, you need to listen to this recording of "Um Mitternacht" performed by the Vienna Philharmonic with Bruno Walter conducting and Kathleen Ferrier singing. It is a fantastic recording from 1952 and you can read some background on the performance and a translation of the text on the website. This piece will be featured on our November concert. This is truly a remarkable performance. Enjoy!
Um Mitternacht
Um Mitternacht
Monday, May 24, 2010
Strauss Suite in Bb
Here are two parts of the Strauss Suite in Bb as performed by the Texas Tech Wind Ensemble. The Strauss is similar in some ways to the Symphony for Winds that we performed at the end of last year. Notice the differences in the instrumentation and the lighter style. The Suite was written at the beginning of Strauss's life and the Symphony at the end. This should provide some interesting comparisons!
Strauss Suite in Bb: Part I
Strauss Suite in Bb: Part II
Strauss Suite in Bb: Part I
Strauss Suite in Bb: Part II
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Whoops and Black Anemones
Our concert repertoire for next year has changed slightly. You can see the updated repertoire list to the right. Two pieces that we have already posted videos for (Spin Cycle and Report) both did not make the final cut in repertoire selection. However, we still have some fantastic pieces selected and a lot of great ideas planned for the coming year.
For now, check out this video of Joseph Schwantner's "Black Anemones" which will be on our first program.
Black Anemones
For now, check out this video of Joseph Schwantner's "Black Anemones" which will be on our first program.
Black Anemones
Monday, May 17, 2010
Spin Cycle
Noticing the pattern yet? Today's video is the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Wind Ensemble performing Scott Lindroth's "Spin Cycle". It's a fun piece that is gaining more and more exposure and notoriety among college wind ensembles. Check out this nice performance by UNC-CH and be sure to hear the piece performed UMWO on our October concert.
Spin Cycle
Spin Cycle
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Friday, May 14, 2010
Dionysiaques
Check out this video of "Dionysiaques" from a Japanese wind group. The video quality is not great, but the piece is played pretty well--maybe a little too fast. But, if this doesn't get you excited about the repertoire for the wind orchestra for next year, I don't know what will. You can hear this piece on our December concerts. Enjoy!
"Dioynsiaques"
"Dioynsiaques"
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Facebook Updates
We have now added links, events, video, and pictures to our Facebook page. Follow the link to the right and become a fan of the University of Maryland Wind Orchestra.
You might also want to check out the link to Dr. Votta's explanation of what a wind orchestra is. This video is under the Links section on our Facebook page and will give you a look into what is so unique about the wind orchestra at Maryland.
Finally, we are looking for pictures to accompany our Facebook invitations for our 2010-2011 programs. If you have a picture that you think would be perfect for those events, just shoot me an e-mail with the photo. Our concert programs for next year are themed: "Winds of Change", "Music of the Night", "Wild Rides", "Torn Canvases", "Where the Wild Things Are", and the Kaleidoscope of Bands. If you have a great idea (and it's legal for us to use the picture), please send it along!
You might also want to check out the link to Dr. Votta's explanation of what a wind orchestra is. This video is under the Links section on our Facebook page and will give you a look into what is so unique about the wind orchestra at Maryland.
Finally, we are looking for pictures to accompany our Facebook invitations for our 2010-2011 programs. If you have a picture that you think would be perfect for those events, just shoot me an e-mail with the photo. Our concert programs for next year are themed: "Winds of Change", "Music of the Night", "Wild Rides", "Torn Canvases", "Where the Wild Things Are", and the Kaleidoscope of Bands. If you have a great idea (and it's legal for us to use the picture), please send it along!
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
We're Now on Facebook
We are now on Facebook. You can access our page with the link to the right and click the "Like" button to receive periodic updates in your News Feed. We are in the infant stages of developing the page so check back often for updates. The page will also link to the blog and will post updates as we post them on the blog. Enjoy!
Monday, May 10, 2010
Changes to the Website and Future Plans
There have been a few changes to the website that you should take note of and explore. All of the page elements have been collapsed down into one "Links" box to the right. This should make it easier to archive information and have it available to later users. Also notice that we have added program information and concert dates for the upcoming 2010-2011 season so you can add all these dates to your calendars. There is a lot of exciting repertoire that we will be exploring next year and we are certainly excited about next year.
Over the summer, we will try to post something new each day. We will post links, video clips, works of art--anything that speaks to what we do in the Wind Orchestra. Stay tuned for an exciting summer!
Over the summer, we will try to post something new each day. We will post links, video clips, works of art--anything that speaks to what we do in the Wind Orchestra. Stay tuned for an exciting summer!
Friday, May 7, 2010
Final Post of the School Year
Last night's concert went great. The Lang and the Strauss were both received very well and the ensemble put together a great performance. Congratulations to everyone involved. Since last night was our last concert, this will be the last post of the school year, but we will post and keep updating the blog as we go through the summer. This will include concert dates, repertoire, and some preliminary information on pieces that we are going to be looking at. Stay tuned and we hope to see you all next fall!
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Concert Post from Nick Cohen
“Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and cannot remain silent” – Victor Hugo
Tonight’s concert is full of music that in one way or another expresses things that words just cannot. Hearing the Lang in rehearsals (alas, I am not playing in the piece) I soon realized that the composer had some interesting musical ideas that he figured could simply not be put into words. Throughout the piece I hope you, as the listener will pay close attention to the “emotions” that are emitted through the music. The Strauss, for obvious reasons, sounds very different from the Lang. There are however, some interesting similarities that will undoubtedly come through in tonight’s performance. The emotions that are portrayed in the wind symphony will take you on a journey that will surely lead you to places that you might have not been possible in a concert hall. Enjoy tonight’s “emotional voyage”!
-Nicholas Cohen, contrabassoon
Tonight’s concert is full of music that in one way or another expresses things that words just cannot. Hearing the Lang in rehearsals (alas, I am not playing in the piece) I soon realized that the composer had some interesting musical ideas that he figured could simply not be put into words. Throughout the piece I hope you, as the listener will pay close attention to the “emotions” that are emitted through the music. The Strauss, for obvious reasons, sounds very different from the Lang. There are however, some interesting similarities that will undoubtedly come through in tonight’s performance. The emotions that are portrayed in the wind symphony will take you on a journey that will surely lead you to places that you might have not been possible in a concert hall. Enjoy tonight’s “emotional voyage”!
-Nicholas Cohen, contrabassoon
Strauss Post from Brett Bakalar
The Strauss was one of the hardest pieces I have played this semester. It requires a lot of endurance because it's so long and has limited areas to rest. While most of the parts in the piece are played with the first oboist, there are parts that I have to play alone or with other instruments, so counting and knowing the part is very important. This piece was also difficult because there parts where some of the chords sounded wrong, or someone was playing a wrong note. In fact it was what Strauss had written so it was important to tune to one another. Even though the Strauss is a difficult piece, it is also fun and I’m excited to be playing it tonight.
-Brett Bakalar, oboe
-Brett Bakalar, oboe
Lang Post by Peter Adam
Upon hearing the Lang,
My first thought was, “You’ve got to be kidding me!”
My second thought was, “YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!”
My third thought was, “I can’t believe I get to play something so cool!”
My fourth thought was, “That’s twice this week!”
Don’t worry you’ll get it later!
-Peter Adam, trumpet
My first thought was, “You’ve got to be kidding me!”
My second thought was, “YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!”
My third thought was, “I can’t believe I get to play something so cool!”
My fourth thought was, “That’s twice this week!”
Don’t worry you’ll get it later!
-Peter Adam, trumpet
One More Concert Day Post!
Sorry. I forgot to add one more write up for tonight--my own! Enjoy.
As any horn player will tell you, playing fourth horn is not the most glorious position in the orchestra. Most of the time, you play long tones in an uncomfortable register at even more uncomfortable dynamics, all the while supporting other people’s melodic lines (mostly bassoons or the rest of the horn section). The Strauss Symphony for Winds is no exception.
The register is uncomfortable for horn because most of the part sits in a mid to low register making it difficult to get good articulations, dynamic contrast, and clarity in technical passages. All of these are required in spades for the Strauss. The part has certainly been a challenge to work on.
That being said, fourth horn is a great place to “survey the field”. While I am playing long tones, everyone else is doing acrobatics on the tight rope without a net and I get to listen. I have noticed two things in rehearsal that I think you can listen for tonight: Strauss’s refusal to write a stepwise melody and the very dense, contrapuntal textures. As you will soon find out, this piece is quite a gem in the wind repertoire!
-Jonathan Caldwell, horn
As any horn player will tell you, playing fourth horn is not the most glorious position in the orchestra. Most of the time, you play long tones in an uncomfortable register at even more uncomfortable dynamics, all the while supporting other people’s melodic lines (mostly bassoons or the rest of the horn section). The Strauss Symphony for Winds is no exception.
The register is uncomfortable for horn because most of the part sits in a mid to low register making it difficult to get good articulations, dynamic contrast, and clarity in technical passages. All of these are required in spades for the Strauss. The part has certainly been a challenge to work on.
That being said, fourth horn is a great place to “survey the field”. While I am playing long tones, everyone else is doing acrobatics on the tight rope without a net and I get to listen. I have noticed two things in rehearsal that I think you can listen for tonight: Strauss’s refusal to write a stepwise melody and the very dense, contrapuntal textures. As you will soon find out, this piece is quite a gem in the wind repertoire!
-Jonathan Caldwell, horn
Concert Day!
Today is the big day and the last day of our concert preparation. We have a short rehearsal at 3:30 and then the concert tonight at 8:00. We would love to see a large number of people there to experience this great music. David Lang's Are You Experienced? featuring Steve Dumaine on electric tuba and Richard Strauss's Symphony for Winds are the concert selections and the audience is in for quite a wild ride. We hope to see you there!
In the meantime, here are a few more blog posts from some of the ensemble members. These will be posted along with pictures and selections from their parts outside Dekelboum before the concert tonight.
Performing with UMWO has been a wonderful opportunity for me. I have been experimenting with ways to project enough sound amongst the many wind instruments in this particular hip composition; I feel the triple pianissimos prove a difficult challenge for the limited string instruments present in the score. To me, the piece is an amalgamation of different sound productions and offbeat rhythmic placements, which sound juxtaposed but are accurate to the composer's intent. The story is composed in a critical sense which touches on some important social events, which are conveyed through the narrator's theatrical storytelling.
-Gozde Yasar, cello
Trying to describe David Lang's "Are You Experienced?" is difficult for many reasons. Among them, I'm not quite sure why he titled the piece "Are You Experienced?" But then again, I could ask why Lang did a lot of things in the piece and I probably would not get a satisfying answer. Honestly, as a musician of about ten years I have never "experienced" anything like this piece. It has Narrator and Electric Tuba. Do you know how many pieces call for Narrator AND Electric Tuba? It's more than you
think (i.e. more than zero).
So if Lang is asking the audience, "Are You Experienced?" I think the answer is a collective "No. No I am not."
-Michael Goldman, bassoon
Playing the Strauss piece for UMWO this rotation has certainly been an interesting experience to say the least. This has honestly been one of the most frustrating pieces that I’ve played this semester. This piece sounds cool so that was good, but it was such a killer to play. There are places in this piece that just seem to go on forever without any breaks for me to breathe. Examples of this can be seen in the fourth movement where the woodwinds have oh so fun sixteenth note runs to play over and over. Even though rehearsals could be quite tedious and left me with the feeling that my mouth and hands were going to fall off, the fact that I can play through this piece well, is an extreme accomplishment. This was just one of those pieces that you hate to love. So, long story short…the piece sounds really good now that we’ve completely put it together, but Strauss it wouldn’t kill you to put in a few more rests!
-Amanda Weeks, clarinet
Lang's Are you Experienced? has been a true challenge and pleasure to play. It is a very "out there" piece while at the same time becoming very interesting and unique. I personally have never heard or played a piece quite like it and am glad to have that experience. It is quite neat for me as a guitar player to hear an interpretation of Hendrix but through a tuba. I do not think you will ever hear anything quite like it and are in for quite a ride.
-Will Brumbach, guitar
In the meantime, here are a few more blog posts from some of the ensemble members. These will be posted along with pictures and selections from their parts outside Dekelboum before the concert tonight.
Performing with UMWO has been a wonderful opportunity for me. I have been experimenting with ways to project enough sound amongst the many wind instruments in this particular hip composition; I feel the triple pianissimos prove a difficult challenge for the limited string instruments present in the score. To me, the piece is an amalgamation of different sound productions and offbeat rhythmic placements, which sound juxtaposed but are accurate to the composer's intent. The story is composed in a critical sense which touches on some important social events, which are conveyed through the narrator's theatrical storytelling.
-Gozde Yasar, cello
Trying to describe David Lang's "Are You Experienced?" is difficult for many reasons. Among them, I'm not quite sure why he titled the piece "Are You Experienced?" But then again, I could ask why Lang did a lot of things in the piece and I probably would not get a satisfying answer. Honestly, as a musician of about ten years I have never "experienced" anything like this piece. It has Narrator and Electric Tuba. Do you know how many pieces call for Narrator AND Electric Tuba? It's more than you
think (i.e. more than zero).
So if Lang is asking the audience, "Are You Experienced?" I think the answer is a collective "No. No I am not."
-Michael Goldman, bassoon
Playing the Strauss piece for UMWO this rotation has certainly been an interesting experience to say the least. This has honestly been one of the most frustrating pieces that I’ve played this semester. This piece sounds cool so that was good, but it was such a killer to play. There are places in this piece that just seem to go on forever without any breaks for me to breathe. Examples of this can be seen in the fourth movement where the woodwinds have oh so fun sixteenth note runs to play over and over. Even though rehearsals could be quite tedious and left me with the feeling that my mouth and hands were going to fall off, the fact that I can play through this piece well, is an extreme accomplishment. This was just one of those pieces that you hate to love. So, long story short…the piece sounds really good now that we’ve completely put it together, but Strauss it wouldn’t kill you to put in a few more rests!
-Amanda Weeks, clarinet
Lang's Are you Experienced? has been a true challenge and pleasure to play. It is a very "out there" piece while at the same time becoming very interesting and unique. I personally have never heard or played a piece quite like it and am glad to have that experience. It is quite neat for me as a guitar player to hear an interpretation of Hendrix but through a tuba. I do not think you will ever hear anything quite like it and are in for quite a ride.
-Will Brumbach, guitar
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
More Great Concert Posts!
See below:
If the words "electric tuba" don't pique your interest, I don't know what will. When I found out I was playing on David Lang's "Are You Experienced?", I was really excited if only for those two words, and rehearsing it has been an interesting process. When we first started rehearsals, we had neither the soloist nor the narrator there with us. We had listened to the piece and talked about the piece, but when we started playing, something didn't click. I can't speak for everyone else, but my part looked relatively simple and I expected that the ensemble music would come right together. I was wrong. While we sounded ok, it was difficult to hear and play the piece cohesively without the two main parts. A couple of weeks ago, we were joined by the soloist for the first time. Not only was it hilarious to have an electric tuba in rehearsal, but having the soloist there made the piece make more sense. Finally, this past week we got to rehearse with the narrator, and that was finally when the piece clicked for me. It all came together and I had a better understanding of what the piece is all about. It was suddenly humorous, more fun, and relatable. You should definitely stick around for the Strauss in the second half of the concert, but I really hope you enjoy Steve Dumaine's fantastic tuba playing and all the other antics going on in the Lang.
-Amber Abbott, clarinet
At first this piece seemed like a joke. Really? Who plays electric tuba? What in the world does this piece have to do with Jimi Hendrix? I'm pretty sure Mitch Mitchell didn't play '4 unpitched clanging metals' and '1 large thundersheet' that the percussion part calls for. However, now that the piece has come together, it is an extremely interesting piece that draws you into the narration and the experience as a whole. The electric tuba cadenza is the highlight of this piece. I never thought a tuba could sound like a shredding electric guitar.
-Matt Jones, percussion
In the past weeks of learning the Strauss I have come to appreciate the complexity of Strauss' composition. The stamina required to play this piece has tested my strength and concentration. By combining fast articulated passages with a smooth singing melody, Strauss creates captivating music to listen to. My favorite part of the piece is the first movement where Strauss introduces the melody by repeating it throughout the ensemble. I have enjoyed working on this piece and I am excited to be performing it tonight.
-Keagan Maryman, horn
When I saw that I was going to be playing on the Strauss, I was incredibly excited. I played Ein Heldenleben with UMSO in the last concert period and I expected the Symphony for Winds to be along the same lines. Much to my surprise, it is totally different. The piece is for a very small ensemble, only 16 instruments, and surprisingly, very few of them are brass instruments.
The music is very difficult, but not really from a technical standpoint. The most difficult thing about the piece is how long it is. The clarinet part (as you can see and will hear) is 18 pages of music with barely any rests. Often times I am playing a solo for several lines of music and instead of being followed by rests, the solo is followed by very important accompaniment. There are sections in the first movement where I gasp for a breath anywhere I can, sometimes going lines without breathing. Due to this, in both the long and short term, stamina is an issue.
Ensemble is also a very difficult aspect of this piece. I am often playing with the first oboe and first flute in a ridiculously high register, making tuning difficult. The piece is also quite contrapuntal, especially in the first movement, making it difficult to fit everything together.
Despite all of the difficulty, I very much enjoy playing the piece and I like playing all of my solos throughout the work. All in all, it has been quite a wonderful and different Strauss experience for me.
-Adam Gallob, clarinet
I've had a lot of fun being a part of the Lang, and enjoyed coming to rehearsals because of the uniqueness of the piece. I really like how this piece uses a combination of unusual instruments for a wind orchestra, such as the electric keyboard, strings, amplified tuba, and even a narrator. I feel like this piece is more of a theatrical experience than a typical wind ensemble piece. When I first heard a recording of the Lang in the first rehearsal, I was confused at what was going on and what i was hearing, mostly because of the strange sound effects coming from the amplified tuba. I couldn't hear or understand how my part was used in relation to the other instruments, tuba, and narration. After many rehearsals, all the parts and effects are coming together and it's been great being a part of this process!
-Jasmin Lee , piano
If the words "electric tuba" don't pique your interest, I don't know what will. When I found out I was playing on David Lang's "Are You Experienced?", I was really excited if only for those two words, and rehearsing it has been an interesting process. When we first started rehearsals, we had neither the soloist nor the narrator there with us. We had listened to the piece and talked about the piece, but when we started playing, something didn't click. I can't speak for everyone else, but my part looked relatively simple and I expected that the ensemble music would come right together. I was wrong. While we sounded ok, it was difficult to hear and play the piece cohesively without the two main parts. A couple of weeks ago, we were joined by the soloist for the first time. Not only was it hilarious to have an electric tuba in rehearsal, but having the soloist there made the piece make more sense. Finally, this past week we got to rehearse with the narrator, and that was finally when the piece clicked for me. It all came together and I had a better understanding of what the piece is all about. It was suddenly humorous, more fun, and relatable. You should definitely stick around for the Strauss in the second half of the concert, but I really hope you enjoy Steve Dumaine's fantastic tuba playing and all the other antics going on in the Lang.
-Amber Abbott, clarinet
At first this piece seemed like a joke. Really? Who plays electric tuba? What in the world does this piece have to do with Jimi Hendrix? I'm pretty sure Mitch Mitchell didn't play '4 unpitched clanging metals' and '1 large thundersheet' that the percussion part calls for. However, now that the piece has come together, it is an extremely interesting piece that draws you into the narration and the experience as a whole. The electric tuba cadenza is the highlight of this piece. I never thought a tuba could sound like a shredding electric guitar.
-Matt Jones, percussion
In the past weeks of learning the Strauss I have come to appreciate the complexity of Strauss' composition. The stamina required to play this piece has tested my strength and concentration. By combining fast articulated passages with a smooth singing melody, Strauss creates captivating music to listen to. My favorite part of the piece is the first movement where Strauss introduces the melody by repeating it throughout the ensemble. I have enjoyed working on this piece and I am excited to be performing it tonight.
-Keagan Maryman, horn
When I saw that I was going to be playing on the Strauss, I was incredibly excited. I played Ein Heldenleben with UMSO in the last concert period and I expected the Symphony for Winds to be along the same lines. Much to my surprise, it is totally different. The piece is for a very small ensemble, only 16 instruments, and surprisingly, very few of them are brass instruments.
The music is very difficult, but not really from a technical standpoint. The most difficult thing about the piece is how long it is. The clarinet part (as you can see and will hear) is 18 pages of music with barely any rests. Often times I am playing a solo for several lines of music and instead of being followed by rests, the solo is followed by very important accompaniment. There are sections in the first movement where I gasp for a breath anywhere I can, sometimes going lines without breathing. Due to this, in both the long and short term, stamina is an issue.
Ensemble is also a very difficult aspect of this piece. I am often playing with the first oboe and first flute in a ridiculously high register, making tuning difficult. The piece is also quite contrapuntal, especially in the first movement, making it difficult to fit everything together.
Despite all of the difficulty, I very much enjoy playing the piece and I like playing all of my solos throughout the work. All in all, it has been quite a wonderful and different Strauss experience for me.
-Adam Gallob, clarinet
I've had a lot of fun being a part of the Lang, and enjoyed coming to rehearsals because of the uniqueness of the piece. I really like how this piece uses a combination of unusual instruments for a wind orchestra, such as the electric keyboard, strings, amplified tuba, and even a narrator. I feel like this piece is more of a theatrical experience than a typical wind ensemble piece. When I first heard a recording of the Lang in the first rehearsal, I was confused at what was going on and what i was hearing, mostly because of the strange sound effects coming from the amplified tuba. I couldn't hear or understand how my part was used in relation to the other instruments, tuba, and narration. After many rehearsals, all the parts and effects are coming together and it's been great being a part of this process!
-Jasmin Lee , piano
More Posts
Below are posts from Glenda Bates (oboe) and our two flute players, Nicole Cummings and Christi Rajnes.
When I heard we were playing the Strauss serenade for winds, I was really excited to be a part of it. I love playing works by Strauss, and just recently played principal in UM Symphony Orchestra’s Ein Heldenleben, which was a fantastic experience. Strauss always writes great lines for the oboe, and wrote a beautiful concerto for oboe as well.
I went into the first rehearsal excited to play and hear the piece, and left feeling a little defeated and worn out. The piece is a huge endurance challenge for everyone, and it is a struggle to keep the tight oboe embouchure together for the duration of the 45-minute piece. Strauss has a habit of writing this way for the oboe. The oboe concerto is one of the most difficult pieces ever written for oboe because of this very reason: it seemingly goes on forever with nowhere to breathe and no breaks to let the embouchure rest. The concerto was in fact deemed unplayable by some performers, though many more have risen to the challenge and created beautiful performances of the work. I like to compare this kind of playing with ballet dancing on pointe shoes: although the ballerina is in excruciating pain and exerting every ounce of energy towards controlling her movements and staying balanced, she must seem as though she were floating like a delicate flower across the stage. Tonight, I shall try to be the ballet dancer, and float across the soaring lines, while underneath, hanging on for dear life with my embouchure.
This will be my last ensemble performance here at UMD, and I’m sure it will be a memorable one.
-Glenda Bates, oboe
What I enjoy most about performing in UMWO is that every piece requires a completely different instrumentation and performance style. In this particular concert, I am playing on both the Strauss Serenade and the Lang "Are You Experienced?." It is exciting and interesting to play with a different ensemble for every piece, collaborate with new musicians within the school of music that I may not have otherwise worked with, and vary my performance style based on the composition. Everything from the instrumentation, set-up, attire and mood are completely different between the Strauss and the Lang which makes for a very fun concert. I am very thankful to have the opportunity to learn both of these pieces because, in my future music career, I may not be asked to perform many 45 minute long wind compositions or tuba concertos.
-Nicole Cummings, flute
Playing the Strauss was very enjoyable. I liked the small orchestra that the music calls for. In particular, my part (second flute) was written well for my instrument. Fast scales that don't go too high is the most fun technique for flutes! Everyone worked really hard, and I am grateful to be in such great ensemble!
-Christi Rajnes, flute
When I heard we were playing the Strauss serenade for winds, I was really excited to be a part of it. I love playing works by Strauss, and just recently played principal in UM Symphony Orchestra’s Ein Heldenleben, which was a fantastic experience. Strauss always writes great lines for the oboe, and wrote a beautiful concerto for oboe as well.
I went into the first rehearsal excited to play and hear the piece, and left feeling a little defeated and worn out. The piece is a huge endurance challenge for everyone, and it is a struggle to keep the tight oboe embouchure together for the duration of the 45-minute piece. Strauss has a habit of writing this way for the oboe. The oboe concerto is one of the most difficult pieces ever written for oboe because of this very reason: it seemingly goes on forever with nowhere to breathe and no breaks to let the embouchure rest. The concerto was in fact deemed unplayable by some performers, though many more have risen to the challenge and created beautiful performances of the work. I like to compare this kind of playing with ballet dancing on pointe shoes: although the ballerina is in excruciating pain and exerting every ounce of energy towards controlling her movements and staying balanced, she must seem as though she were floating like a delicate flower across the stage. Tonight, I shall try to be the ballet dancer, and float across the soaring lines, while underneath, hanging on for dear life with my embouchure.
This will be my last ensemble performance here at UMD, and I’m sure it will be a memorable one.
-Glenda Bates, oboe
What I enjoy most about performing in UMWO is that every piece requires a completely different instrumentation and performance style. In this particular concert, I am playing on both the Strauss Serenade and the Lang "Are You Experienced?." It is exciting and interesting to play with a different ensemble for every piece, collaborate with new musicians within the school of music that I may not have otherwise worked with, and vary my performance style based on the composition. Everything from the instrumentation, set-up, attire and mood are completely different between the Strauss and the Lang which makes for a very fun concert. I am very thankful to have the opportunity to learn both of these pieces because, in my future music career, I may not be asked to perform many 45 minute long wind compositions or tuba concertos.
-Nicole Cummings, flute
Playing the Strauss was very enjoyable. I liked the small orchestra that the music calls for. In particular, my part (second flute) was written well for my instrument. Fast scales that don't go too high is the most fun technique for flutes! Everyone worked really hard, and I am grateful to be in such great ensemble!
-Christi Rajnes, flute
Strauss Post from Marty Gold
Here is a Strauss post from Marty Gold, who is performing on the rarely seen C clarinet. Enjoy!
The Strauss Symphony for Winds seems to be a hidden gem. It doesn't get performed much, probably because of its daunting length and difficulty. I was completely unaware of its existence before it came up for this concert, but it has been a joy discovering it. This project has been a healthy challenge for me personally, starting with finding a C clarinet to use, getting used to the instrument, (I played one once in 2002), and then learning the part. From the players' perspective, this piece is a test of endurance. That being said, I appreciate how Strauss gives everyone in the ensemble a chance to show off at some point. I've enjoyed working with the talented student musicians here at the University of Maryland, I'm delighted to have been invited to perform with them once again, and honored to be part of their community.
-Martin Gold, C clarinet
The Strauss Symphony for Winds seems to be a hidden gem. It doesn't get performed much, probably because of its daunting length and difficulty. I was completely unaware of its existence before it came up for this concert, but it has been a joy discovering it. This project has been a healthy challenge for me personally, starting with finding a C clarinet to use, getting used to the instrument, (I played one once in 2002), and then learning the part. From the players' perspective, this piece is a test of endurance. That being said, I appreciate how Strauss gives everyone in the ensemble a chance to show off at some point. I've enjoyed working with the talented student musicians here at the University of Maryland, I'm delighted to have been invited to perform with them once again, and honored to be part of their community.
-Martin Gold, C clarinet
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Resource Page Added
We have added a resource page for the "Post-modern/romantic-ism" concert this week. You will find the link to the right of this post. Enjoy!
New Strauss Post!
Our next post is from John Devlin, who is playing basset horn on the Strauss. Don't know what a basset horn is? Read more to find out!
As a conductor in the School of Music, I do not often get the chance to perform as a member of the school's major ensembles. Therefore, when Dr. Votta asked me to be part of the Strauss project, I was thrilled to be on the other side of the podium and eagerly accepted his invitation. I was less overjoyed, however, when I found out that I would be performing on basset horn! I had never played this instrument-- the ancient (well, 300-year old) ancestor of the clarinet. The basset horn is in the key of F and plays a major fifth lower than the normal clarinet. In addition, there are a number of extra keys, levers and gadgets that allow a skilled basset player to reach even lower! The challenge is that, given the extra length of the instrument, a player must put extra air through the horn and adjust to the slimmer margin of error for playing the higher partials. Combine those elements with the fact that the instrument feels as if there is a sock stuffed inside of it, and I found myself longing for my Bb clarinet.
The rehearsal process has allowed me to warm to this challenge and I have really enjoyed striving to create a homogenous sound between myself, the bass clarinet, the Bb clarinets and even the added C clarinet. My biggest surprise, however, was when I found that the instrument with whom I shared the most lines was the first (french) horn. JD (the first horn player) and I have worked on lots of tricky intonation issues and think that we have created a sound beautiful to behold. The Strauss requires great stamina as it is monumental in scope, being a piece for winds only. The four movements are completely symphonic in arc and I love the beautiful second movement where the basset horn plays extended duets with both the oboe and the Bb clarinet.
-John Devlin, basset horn
As a conductor in the School of Music, I do not often get the chance to perform as a member of the school's major ensembles. Therefore, when Dr. Votta asked me to be part of the Strauss project, I was thrilled to be on the other side of the podium and eagerly accepted his invitation. I was less overjoyed, however, when I found out that I would be performing on basset horn! I had never played this instrument-- the ancient (well, 300-year old) ancestor of the clarinet. The basset horn is in the key of F and plays a major fifth lower than the normal clarinet. In addition, there are a number of extra keys, levers and gadgets that allow a skilled basset player to reach even lower! The challenge is that, given the extra length of the instrument, a player must put extra air through the horn and adjust to the slimmer margin of error for playing the higher partials. Combine those elements with the fact that the instrument feels as if there is a sock stuffed inside of it, and I found myself longing for my Bb clarinet.
The rehearsal process has allowed me to warm to this challenge and I have really enjoyed striving to create a homogenous sound between myself, the bass clarinet, the Bb clarinets and even the added C clarinet. My biggest surprise, however, was when I found that the instrument with whom I shared the most lines was the first (french) horn. JD (the first horn player) and I have worked on lots of tricky intonation issues and think that we have created a sound beautiful to behold. The Strauss requires great stamina as it is monumental in scope, being a piece for winds only. The four movements are completely symphonic in arc and I love the beautiful second movement where the basset horn plays extended duets with both the oboe and the Bb clarinet.
-John Devlin, basset horn
Final Concert of the Year This Week
This Thursday at 8:00 PM in Dekelboum, UMWO will perform in it's final concert of the year. The concert, themed "Post-modern/Romantic-ism", features two pieces: David Lang's Are You Experienced? and Richard Strauss's Symphony for Winds. As part of our ongoing efforts to give people more insight into the rehearsal process, we will be posting paragraphs from the ensemble all this week. These paragraphs will also be posted outside Dekelboum before the show. Each member has been asked to write about one of the pieces on the program. Today's posts are by Kara Neil (Horn on the Lang, and Horn III on the Strauss) and Ari Allal (Bassoon I on the Strauss). Enjoy!
Working on the Lang's "Are You Experienced?" has been an interesting musical experience. The horn part is written like a trombone part - it's almost entirely in bass clef and very tiring, and this has given me a great opportunity to get better at low horn. Although I'd much rather be playing staple wind ensemble literature, the Lang has helped me gain an appreciation for the electric tuba and the wide variety of sounds and textures that a small ensemble is capable of.
-Kara Neil, horn
This will be my second time performing the Strauss Symphony for Winds. The first time I played it as an undergraduate here and I played the 2nd bassoon part. This time I'm playing principal bassoon as a substitute for my friend Tom who was out of the country. I remember that I didn't enjoy playing the piece very much the first time around. However, this time I'm appreciating it a little more. The work is very demanding of all the players, especially the first horn and pretty much all the clarinets. The musicians are playing constantly and fatigue really starts to be a problem for some players. But aside from physical challenges, the music itself is very challenging to pull off. The musical lines are so contrapuntal that it takes excellent group rhythm to not have everything fall apart every now and then. Melodically, Strauss seems to be having fun with this piece; in a way it almost sounds trite or like a joke to me at some points. It's almost tongue in cheek. He plays with certain themes over and over again, messing with the harmonies and always making it tricky for the musicians by introducing harmonies that are not expected. This wouldn't be a bad thing if the themes that he was working with here were catchy, or crowd pleasing. But to me they don't have the musical depth of a great melody. Except for a moment in the third movement, where the clarinet plays a beautiful solo melody, I never really find myself getting lost in the music's beauty. All this being said, I do have a much greater appreciation of this piece now that I'm a little older and a little more knowledgeable about Strauss and his craft. The harmonies make the piece go, and you definitely go on a wild ride.
-Ari Allal, bassoon
Working on the Lang's "Are You Experienced?" has been an interesting musical experience. The horn part is written like a trombone part - it's almost entirely in bass clef and very tiring, and this has given me a great opportunity to get better at low horn. Although I'd much rather be playing staple wind ensemble literature, the Lang has helped me gain an appreciation for the electric tuba and the wide variety of sounds and textures that a small ensemble is capable of.
-Kara Neil, horn
This will be my second time performing the Strauss Symphony for Winds. The first time I played it as an undergraduate here and I played the 2nd bassoon part. This time I'm playing principal bassoon as a substitute for my friend Tom who was out of the country. I remember that I didn't enjoy playing the piece very much the first time around. However, this time I'm appreciating it a little more. The work is very demanding of all the players, especially the first horn and pretty much all the clarinets. The musicians are playing constantly and fatigue really starts to be a problem for some players. But aside from physical challenges, the music itself is very challenging to pull off. The musical lines are so contrapuntal that it takes excellent group rhythm to not have everything fall apart every now and then. Melodically, Strauss seems to be having fun with this piece; in a way it almost sounds trite or like a joke to me at some points. It's almost tongue in cheek. He plays with certain themes over and over again, messing with the harmonies and always making it tricky for the musicians by introducing harmonies that are not expected. This wouldn't be a bad thing if the themes that he was working with here were catchy, or crowd pleasing. But to me they don't have the musical depth of a great melody. Except for a moment in the third movement, where the clarinet plays a beautiful solo melody, I never really find myself getting lost in the music's beauty. All this being said, I do have a much greater appreciation of this piece now that I'm a little older and a little more knowledgeable about Strauss and his craft. The harmonies make the piece go, and you definitely go on a wild ride.
-Ari Allal, bassoon
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