Saskatoon Concert Band (Concert Notes/Programme)

Selections from Fiddler on the Roof *Jerry Bock*	You will surely recognize many of the tunes from Jerome Robbins' reknowned musical, "Fiddler On the Roof". The Eastern European Jewish setting of this musical provides for some very interesting and unusual melodies. Composer Jerry Bock skillfully superimposes some of the subtleties of Yiddish folk songs onto these solid show tunes, like "Matchmaker", "If I Were A Rich Man", "Sunrise, Sunset", and others. We give you these well-loved selections from the 1964 Broadway musical "Fiddler On the Roof"
Send in the Clowns *Stephen Sondheim*	Next we feature an arrangement of a beloved melody by American composer Stephen Sondheim, who wrote the music and lyrics for "A Little Night Music", which includes the hit song "Send In the Clowns". The story of this musical, first produced on Broadway in 1973, is based on an Ingmar Bergman film, called "Smiles of A Summer Night", in which love is viewed from the perspectives of age and social position. A middle-aged lawyer, his child bride, his former mistress, and her current lover meet for a weekend in the country, where all the proper partners are sorted out. "Send In the Clowns", which issung by the mistress, is a self-mocking ballad about missed romantic opportunities. Cleo Lane's recording of this song was very popular in the '70's. We hope you enjoy this Jerry Nowak arrangement of Sondheim's song, "Send In The Clowns".
A Leroy Anderson Portrait *Leroy Anderson/James Barnes*	The ability to compose light music of quality is a rare musical gift, one which even serious composers envy. When Brahms was once credited with the "Blue Danube" waltz, he had to admit "I didn't write it." Then he added, "Unfortunately." Our next three selections feature works by American composers who excell in light music for the theatre, movies, and concert hall. The music of Leroy Anderson is heard in airports, elevators, and hotel lobbies every day, yet it hasn't begun to wear out. In the "Portrait", which we are about to play, you will recognize such classics as his "Syncopated Clock", "Blue Tango", and "Bugler's Holiday". These are all extremely hummable tunes which are also lots of fun to play, and, we hope, fun to listen to. This is "A Leroy Anderson Portrait", arranged for concert band by James Barnes.
Symphonic Scherzo for Band *Franz Shubert*	Viennese composer Franz Schubert lived a short but very productive life. He died of typhus at the early age of thirty-one, by which time he had written several operas, operettas, symphonies, and other works for voice, piano, and orchestra. Of his early symphonies, perhaps the most popular is his Fifth, which he composed when he was nineteen. This "Symphonic Scherzo" is actually a band arrangement of the Minuetto from his Fifth Symphony. While Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven all use the minuet dance form as the basis of a symphonic movement, Schubert's Austrian background can be detected in the melody of this less courtly, more rural, peasant-based dance. Here is Franz Schubert's Minuetto, transcribed by Benjamin Suchoff as the "Symphonic Scherzo for Band".
Highlights from Dr. Dolittle *Leslie Bricusse*	The much-loved "Dr. Dolittle" was first introduced to us in the novels of Hugh Lofting in the 1920's. The tale is told of a country physician who gives up his people practice to pursue the opportunities availed by his ability to talk to animals. Then, in the 1960's, Leslie Bricusse wrote a musical score and lyrics for the first film production of the Dolittle story, which starred Rex Harris. Probably the best known melody from that score is the Academy Award winning song "Talk To The Animals", which is the first theme you will hear in this arrangement of selections from the 20th Century Fox production of "Dr. Dolittle".
London Again Suite *Eric Coates*	British composer Eric Coates is noted for his light orchestral works, as well as many marches, suites, and fantasies for band. The fact that Coates played the viola may account for his rather odd sense of humour. Our esteemed conductor, George, kept harping on us in rehearsal of this piece not to take it too seriously or to play too heavily. (Finally, when he drew an analogy to Mr. Bean, I think some of us began to catch on to the correct interpretation of the music.) This suite has three movements. The first is a March called "Oxford Street", which we like to think of as "Gardening With Nigel". The second movement, "Langham Place" begins and ends with a meditative elegy, which may remind you of the style of Puccini. The final movement, "Mayfair", is a jolly, animated waltz with variations, which may again engender visions of Rowan Atkinson's special silliness. This is Eric Coates' "London Again Suite".
Abduction from the Seraglio *WA Mozart*	This is an arrangement of Mozart's Overture to his opera "Abduction From The Seraglio". A "Seraglio" is a place where concubines are kept. In this opera, the lovely Constanze has fallen into the hands of the wealthy Selim Pasha, who keeps her in his palace against her will, hoping to win her love. But Constanze is betrothed to Belmonte, who bravely attempts to abduct her from the palace and is caught in the act. Selim Pasha is about to order Belmonte's death, when his heart is touched by the young couple's sorrow, and he nobly decides to set them free. It is interesting to note that this opera was written and performed just before Mozart's controversial marriage to ConstanzeWeber; this was a union of which Mozart's father definitely did not approve. The Overture introduces a fast major and a slow minor theme. Mozart himself described it as being "quite short, alternating continually between forte and piano", and containing some the more bombastic elements of Turkish music. After its first performance, in 1782, the Emperor told Mozart that this opera was too good for Viennese ears, in that it contained "too many notes". Mozart replied, "I have written the exact number of notes required." This is Merle Isaac's arrangement of Mozart's Overture to "The Abduction from the Seraglio".
Suite Francaise *Darius Milhaud*	In 1940, when Germany occupied France, the French composer Darius Milhaud chose to immigrate to the United States. Then, in 1945, his commission to write an extended work for band resulted in this "Suite Francaise". Each of the five movements in the suite represents a province of France. Milhaud used the folk tunes of the provinces because, in his own words, he "wanted young Americans to hear the popular melodies of those parts of France where their fathers and brothers fought." The movements also represent a wide range of emotions: patriotic love and cheerful industry are starkly contrasted by the second movement, Bretagne, which is a touching expression of the deep and unresolvable sorrow caused by war.
Quebec Folk Fantasy *Howard Cable*	Howard Cable is a great Canadian composer-arranger-conductor and musical ambassador who has worked closely with such greats as Robert Goulet, Victor Borge, Bob Hope, Danny Kay, the Boston Pops Orchestra, and the Saskatoon Concert Band. It was in 1980 that we last had the honour of playing under him as our guest conductor. Because of the music and the man behind it, this band enjoys performing his works. This evening's selection, "Quebec Folk Fantasy", is a lively arrangement of Folk Tunes from "La Belle Province" which you will no doubt recognize, and we hope you will enjoy.
Highlights from Mr. Lucky *Henry Mancini*	Don't we all love Henry Mancini? His legacy of popular tunes and clever arrangements is great: music from "Peter Gunn", "The Pink Panther", "Breakfast At Tiffany's" , "Moon River", "Shot In the Dark", "Days of Wine and Roses", . . . . It is remarkable that Mancini maintained his popularity over such a long and prolific career. His first professional gig was with the Glenn Miller-Tex Beneke Orchestra in 1945, and he was still scoring for motion pictures up until the time of his death. In fact, he was working on new music for a stage production of "Victor, Victoria" when he died of cancer in 1994. The music we are playing this evening was named Instrumental Album of the Year by Billboard Magazine in 1960. This arrangement features our ever-busy percussionists in some typically delightful Mancini grooves. There is also a very sexy sax solo, which I particularly like, performed by our own Sheldon Corbett.
The Dam Busters *Eric Coates*	British composer Eric Coates is noted for his works in a lighter vein, including many marches, suites, and fantasies for band. It is interesting that he often chose the band as his medium, in light of the fact that he was himself a violist.
Marche Lorraine *Louis Gaston Ganne*	Louis Gaston Ganne was a French composer and conductor of the early twentieth century. He studied at the Paris Conservatoire under Jules Massenet, whose ballet music you will hear later in tonight's program. He wrote light operas, ballets, 150 piano pieces, and many marches. Some of us have particularly nostalgic memories of playing this march with the U. of S. Wind Ensemble, under another very memorable conductor, Dwayne Nelson. For me, it is a favourite just for that reason.
Czech Suite *Paul W. Whear*	The charm and simplicity of Czech folk songs and dances has influenced such great composers as Smetana and Dvorak. In his "Czech Suite", Paul W. Whear has chosen two lovely romantic melodies and one dance to arrange for band. The song in the first section is called "Now My Love". I think you will enjoy the lovely horn solo near the end of this section. The second song, "Flow, River Flow", was a favourite of President Masaryk of the Czech Republic at the time this suite was composed. You will notice the quiet rippling of the river introduced by the flutes and clarinets before the folk melody begins. The third section is a lively dance which is sure to get your toe tapping. If you feel the urge to polka at this point, then we will have succeeded.
Canadian Folk Song Suite *Donald Coakley*	Canadian composer Donald Coakley has arranged these four folk melodies for band. The first is a rollicking tune which appeared in Saskatchewan during the great depression. It is called Flunky Jim, and its lyrics tell the tale of the youngest member of a family of twelve, who hopes to receive new clothing from the bounty he will collect on gopher tails. The beautiful lyric A la Claire Fontaine follows. The words of this song tell of lost love, and it was a very popular paddling song on the lakes and rivers of early New France. Third is The Squid Jigging Ground, an amusing and popular folk song from Newfoundland, which describes the adventures of Squid Fishermen on the grand banks. Fourth is the vigorous En Roulant Ma Boule, which was a favourite of 18th c. voyageurs and coureurs de bois. We hope you enjoy this sampling of Canadiana.
Le Cid *Massenet*	We close the first half of our concert with some of the ballet music from the opera Le Cid, by Massenet. I always find it very interesting research these program notes, and I just have to share with you a description of Massenet which was written by a musicologist who should probably remain nameless. He said: "Massenet was NOT a great composer. His melodies are very singable, but they border on the sentimentally trite. Still, his operas will outlive other works of a more pretentious nature, because they possess the potent quality of charm." Well, he may not have impressed everyone, but Massenet was certainly appreciated by many. In 1878, at the age of 36, he was a professor of advanced composition at the Conservatory in Paris and the youngest member ever elected to the Academie des Beaux-Arts in that city. (It is interesting to note that one of his best students was named Gustave Charpentier.) He was also very prolific; from 1867 until his death in 1912, he composed fifteen operas, seven orchestral suites, and many pieces of incidental and ballet music. The opera Le Cid takes place in a colourful twelfth century kingdom in Spain. Its ballet music, which represents several traditional Spanish dances, is first-rate. These dances have been described as exotic, exuberant, seductive, languid, beguiling, exhilarating, and rousing. Singable? yes. Trite? We don't think so. We hope you enjoy these dances from Le Cid.
Highlights from Oklahoma Rogers and Hammerstein	What can I say about "Oklahoma" that hasn't already been said? It was Rodgers and Hammerstein's first full length collaberation, it broke all box office records after it opened in1943, and it remains among the most popular pieces of musical theatre. Tonight's selection includes such tunes as "Oh What a Beautiful Morning", "Many A New Day", "Out of My Dreams", "People Will Say We're In love", "Surry with a Fringe on Top", and, of course, the title song. We enjoy playing Rodgers and Hammerstein, and we hope you enjoy listening to it.
Folk Dances Dmitri Shostakovitch arr. Frank Erickson	Our next selection is a Frank Erickson arrangement of Shostakovitch Folk Dances. The now internationally reknowned Dimitri Shostakovitch had a career of ups and downs, some of which I must share with you. He wrote his First Symphony in 1926 at the age of nineteen, and it was soon performed by the Leningrad Philharmonic. He was critically acclaimed at that time, but by 1930, his opera "The Nose" was assailed by the Russian Association of Proletarian Composers as "a product of bourgeois decadence". He tried unsuccessfully to win back his audience through political means: a May Day hymn comprised the choral ending of his Third Symphony, and a social opera called "Lady Macbeth of Mensk" was a kind of modern morality play; but the former fell flat ,and the latter was considered "vulgar" and "scandalous" -- something about the trombone glissando during a bedroom scene was considered offensive. Next he tried a ballet, "The Limpid Stream", which Pravda branded a "frivolous oversimplification of the subject of collective farming". Finally, his FIFTH SYMPHONY, first performed in 1937, met with such dramatic success and acceptance that his place was established among the great Russian composers of this century.
Prelude and Rondo *David R. Holsinger*	American composer David R. Holsinger's "Prelude and Rondo" is an interesting piece for band that was published in 1976. This selection, along with the two that follow it, led us to consider advertising our performance tonight as the "Changing Meter Concert". Actually, once we figured out how to count this piece, the band really started to enjoy playing it. Here is Holsinger's "Prelude and Rondo".
Symphony No.2 Alexander Borodin William A. Schaefer	It is truly amazing that composition was not Alexander Borodin's profession, but merely a hobby. He called himself a "Sunday composer", and he devoted much of his spare time to organizing music education, especially courses for women, but his career was as a Chemist. Even so, he has become known and loved as a great composer. His Second Symphony was considered boldly innovative when it was first performed in 1877. Tonight we will perform a William A. Schaefer arrangement of the Finale from the Second Symphony by Russian composer and Chemist, Alexander Borodin.
Third Suite *Robert Jager*	American composer Robert Jager wrote the "Third Suite" for Mr. Leo Imperial, director of the Granby High School Band in Norfolk, Virginia, in 1965. The piece is dedicated to the band and its director. This piece is a lot of fun to play, as it keeps everyone on his toes. The first section is a rather metrically distorted march; one might imagine marching on crutches to this one. There is also an interesting percussion solo in the middle of this section. The second movement, "Waltz", also suffers from what sounds like metrical disability. Do not try to dance to this one. Just enjoy our talented flute section. The last movement, a "Rondo", was introduced to us with the visual concept of an egg rolling end over end. I'm sure you'll understand when you hear it.
Crown Imperial *William Walton*	"Crown Imperial" was composed by William Walton in 1937, for the coronation of George VI. Walton was 35 years old when he wrote this music; he had shown exceptional musical talent since early childhood and had completed an Baccalaureate degree in music at the age of sixteen. By the time he wrote this coronation march he was was well known and respected, and not only in England. Walton's music has the typically English, majestic sound; I find this particular piece is quite reminiscent of Elgar.
Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night *Eliot Del Borgo*	The Dylan Thomas poem, "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" was the motivation for this composition by Eliot Del Borgo, who is a professor of music at the Crane School of Music, New York State University. He intended the music not to be a programatic description, but rather a recreation of the essence of the poem in sound. Dylan Thomas wrote the poem during his father's final illness.
Danzon (from Fancy Free) Leonard Bernstein arr. John Krance	This John Krance Arrangement of Leonard Bernstein's "Danzon" from the ballet "Fancy Free" retains the spirit and charm of the original orchestral score. The ballet tells the story of three young U.S. Navy sailors on shore leave in New York City where they meet, fight over, and lose a succession of girls. The highlights of the ballet are the solo dances the three buddies perform in order for each man to "show his stuff" in dancing ability. The first sailor dances a good-natured galop, the second a wistful waltz, and the third dance, the Danzon, has an intense and passionate Latin touch.
Downland Suite John Ireland Steadman-Allen	John Ireland has been described as a "composer intent on saying big things in his music". He was a brilliant student, accepted at the Royal College of Music at an early age, with the piano as his principal study. Later, John Ireland discarded or destroyed everything he had written before the age of twenty-seven on the grounds that he had not yet formed an individual style. In 1932, he composed "A Downlad Suite" as a brass band test piece, but he was still not satisfied, and eventually rewrote the whole suite for string orchestra, stating that it was much more effective on strings. Well, that sounds like a challenge to us.
?? Marvin Hamlisch arr. Warren Barker	Composer Marvin Hamlisch had a remarkable career that brought him three Academy Awards and a Pullitzer Prize by the age of thirty-one. As a young pianist, he helped Liza Minelli make her first record, a Christmas present for her mother, Judy Garland. His next job was as a rehearsal pianist for Barbra Streisand in "Funny Girl" on Broadway. Then he hopped a train for Hollywood, where he composed the score and title song for the movie "The Way We Were", and adapted the music for "The Sting", and accepted three Oscars in one evening. This Warren Barker arrangement of his tunes includes "They're Playing My Song", Nobody Does It Better", "One", "If You Remember Me", "The Entertainer", and "What I Did For Love".
Music For The Royal Fireworks *G.F. Handel*	I have read and heard many different versions of the story of the first performance of Handel's "Music For The Royal Fireworks", most of which conclude that the music must have had a rather boisterous dynamic level. One historian suggests that the music had to be powerful enough to be heard by a vast number of spectators spread over a wide area, over the crackling and sputtering of the fireworks themselves, which were being set off in celebration of the end of the War of Succession, on April 27, 1749. This may be why Handel omitted strings in the original orchestration, which apparently called for 24 oboes, 16 bassoons, 24 horns, and 40 trumpets. Unfortunately, the fireworks display was a failure, as the platform from which they were set off caught fire and burned down. One version of the story suggests that at this point in the program, there was a mighty clap of thunder and a deluge sent everyone home. We in the Saskatoon Concert Band can relate to these kinds of outdoor performances, having braved almost every combination of the elements. Hopefully, tonight, the roof will stay on and nobody will get wet. We will now conclude our program for you with Handel's Suite from the Music for the Royal Fireworks.
The Vanished Army *Kenneth J. Alford*	Here is a march by Kenneth J. Alford, the "March KIng" of Great Britain. (And here is some little known trivia about this famous composer: his real name was Fred Ricketts.) He wrote "The Vanished Army" in 1918, and dedicated it to the first 100,000 men who died in W.W. I. It is a restrained and dignified march, atribute to those who gave their lives.
Irish Celebration *Thomas Knox*	Thomas Knox played cornet and trumpet with the United States Marine Band, joining in 1961. He was subsequently appointed chief composer-arranger for the band and held that position until his retirement in 1985. His "Irish Celebration" is a unique arrangement of well-known Irish folk tunes: "The Rakes of Mallow", "Danny Boy", "The Minstrel Boy", and a couple of lively dances all find their way into this musical celebration of a bit of the Irish.
Two Irish Songs *Clare Grundman*	Clare Grundman is a highly prolific American composer, having written over fifty works for band, in addition to other media. His special interest is in arranging and composing for high school and college level bands. This arrangement features two Irish songs.
Overture to Rienzi *Richard Wagner*	The opera "Rienzi" was first produced in 1842, when Richard Wagner was 31 years old. Set in 14th century Rome, it tells the story of Rienzi, who successfully led a citizens' uprising against the nobility and briefly ruled the city before the citizens turned on him. The trumpet call which opens the overture is a symbol of Rienz's "Pentecost Revolution", and it is immediately followed by the solemn melody which will become his prayer in Act V, and then by an exciting and challenging allegro that is typical of Wagner.
Symphonic Overture *Charles Carter*	Charles Carter's "Symphonic Overture" for band, which employs the familiar three-part form, begins with a robust and rhythmically interesting A section, followed by a slow, expressive B theme introduced by the flute,followed by the A theme treated somewhat differently, as a fugue, and concluding with a characteristic coda.
Chorale and Capriccio *Caesar Giovannini*	Caesar Giovannini"s "Chorale and Capriccio" begins with a solemn and dignified chorale which builds slowly to a powerful musical statement. Then a percussion bridge takes us into his lively, cheeky capriccio, which is full of buffoonery and satire. This band just loves buffoonery - we hope you like it, too.
Jazz Waltz *Richard Maltby*	This "Jazz Waltz" is composed by Richard Maltby, who has a long list of impressive arranging credits: he worked for Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, and Tommy Dorsey, as well asCBS and ABC, and he has written many symphonic works, too.
Irish Tune from County Derry and Shepherd's Hey *Percy Aldridge Grainger*	Percy Aldridge Grainger first studied the piano with his mother in Melbourne, Australia. His early success took him to Europe, and by the time he was twenty-four years old he so seriously impressed composer Edvard Grieg that Grainger was invited to spend the summer of 1907 at Grieg's home in Norway, to prepare the premiere of the Grieg Concerto. Grieg died before the piece was performed, but Grainger's rendition established him as one of the concerto's great interpreters. In 1909, Grainger dedicated this setting of a tune from County Derry, Ireland, to the memory of Edvard Grieg. His rich arrangement of a perfect melody has kept the Irish tune a favourite for decades. The "Shepherd's Hey", by contrast, is an extraordinarily inventive setting of a traditional Morris dance. It typifies Grainger's love of folk music and tendency toward unusual rhythmic experimentation. Here is Percy Grainger's "Irish Tune from County Derry" and "Shepherd's Hey".
Irish Suite *Leroy Anderson*	Leroy Anderson was a leading arranger and guest conductor for the Boston Pops Orchestra. In 1947 he was commissioned by the Erin Society of Boston to write an Irish Suite. This band arrangement is of one of the six Irish tunes in the suite. We hope you go home whistling it.
Thanks to Margi Corbett (MC Saskatoon Concert Band)

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