Classical Music Appreciation—Intermediate

Transcription

Classical Music Appreciation—Intermediate
Session 3 notes
Bill Buffam, instructor
27-Feb-2007
Tonight’s agenda
Mozart Piano Concerto No. 21 [Classical period]
Schubert Symphony No 8 [Romantic period]
Instrumentation, Round 1
The major ensemble types in classical music
Bartok, Concerto for Orchestra, 2nd movement1 [orchestral instruments]
Holst, St Paul's Suite [string orchestra]
Holst, Suite in F [wind band]
Vaughan Williams, Variations for Brass Band [brass band]
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) (Austria) Piano Concerto No. 21
Concerto (Classical Period, Symphony Orchestra)
Historical Context
Mozart was a child prodigy, a capable performer on harpsichord and violin as a very
young child. His older sister was similarly talented on the harpsichord. By age five,
Mozart was “composing” by improvising minuets, which his father notated. By age 9 he
had completed his first symphony.
Mozart’s father was a musician and composer in the employ of the Archbishop of
Salzburg, but as his children’s talents grew he gave their careers higher priority, not least
because he saw the opportunity to make more money from their efforts than his own.
Accordingly, the Mozart family undertook much travel throughout Europe—they went on
tour, just like present-day bands and orchestras. Included in their wanderings were Italy,
1
That thing I said about playing only complete works: here’s an exception, but it’s the only one.
Classical Music Appreciation—Intermediate, Session 3
© William J Buffam, 2007
1
Chester County Night School, Spring 2007
Mannheim, Munich, Paris, and London, where they stayed for over a year. It was here, in
1764-65, that Mozart met and was befriended by JC (“The London”) Bach2 . (If you do
some quick arithmetic, you’ll realize that Mozart was aged only 8-9 during his time in
London, Bach being 29-30.). This meeting and friendship explains the influence of Bach
that can clearly be heard in Mozart’s music.
By 1777, the Mozarts realized that the hugely gifted Wolfgang was too big for Salzburg,
and the focus of the touring became to secure an appropriate paid position. After initial
promise in Paris, prospects began to look less rosy. Worse, Mozart’s mother, who was
accompanying him on the tour, died. Leopold quickly ordered Wolfgang home to
Salzburg, where a post had been hastily arranged for him at the court of the archbishop.
It seems that Mozart’s mother had died of an inadequately treated infection. Leopold—
who’d had to remain at his post in Salzburg in order to put bread on the table—blamed
Wolfgang for neglecting his mother, and the resulting rift between father and son was
never fully healed.
Now aged 21, Mozart took his time over the return journey, traveling slowly and alone.
He spent the years 1779-80 in Salzburg in the employ of Archbishop Colloredo of
Salzburg, playing in the cathedral and at court, composing sacred works, symphonies,
concertos, serenades and dramatic music.
In 1781, Archbishop Colloredo and his court were in residence in Vienna on the
accession of a new emperor. The Archbishop—whom Mozart characterized as “an
arrogant and conceited cleric”—summoned Mozart to Vienna. The Archbishop showed
little or no interest in Mozart’s achievements, and treated him badly, making him report
to the head chef. After things came to a head and a heated argument ensued, the chef had
Mozart “thrown out of the door with a kick in the arse”—quite literally, by all accounts.
Newly jobless, Mozart chose to remain in Vienna, where he made a living from teaching
(piano chiefly, but also composition), and commissions for compositions. During the
years 1782-1785 Mozart put on a series of concerts in which he appeared as both soloist
and conductor in his piano concertos. These concerts were financially successful. It was
this period that produced the Piano Concerto No. 21.
It seems to have become firmly lodged in folklore that Mozart died a pauper and is buried
in a pauper’s grave. The truth is that Mozart made a decent amount of money from his
music, but he managed his affairs badly, always spending more than he earned. He was
given a “simple” funeral and burial—not a pauper’s—in accordance with the law. When
he died at the age of 35, faced with the prospect of raising their two children (another 3
had died in infancy) alone, his widow was essentially broke. In tackling that challenge,
she skillfully and successfully negotiated the publication of Mozart’s music with
Breitkopf and Hartel3 to secure the income she needed.
2
Johann Christian, the youngest of JS Bach’s sons.
This company is still in existence, still publishing music to this day. I wonder if they would be if Mrs
Mozart hadn’t been so broke?
3
2
The Music
Theme Chart
First Movement
First theme
“invitation” to soloist
Second theme
Third theme
Fourth theme
Fifth theme
Second Movement
Principal theme
Third Movement
Principal theme
First Movement
Allegro Maestoso
Sonata (loosely speaking) form
Mozart takes a quite free approach with his design for this movement. However, it maps
quite well onto sonata form, and so we’ll analyze it in those terms.
Compared with more “straightforward” sonata-form movements, this first movement has
very extended codettas and bridge passages that are almost development sections in their
own right. Also, the development section proper develops only the first theme, and very
tangentially at that. The recapitulation continues in the same spirit by reprising a very
small sample of the exposition’s thematic material.
3
bar time4
1 0:00
68 2:02
84
91
109
128
2:34
2:47
3:18
3:51
structure
exposition
first theme (C maj)
“invitation”
remarks
a march- like mood
woodwinds invite the piano to take up his
solo
145 4:17
second theme (C maj)
third theme (C maj)
fourth theme (G min)
fifth theme (G maj)
codetta
first theme returns (G maj)
222 6:40
development
274 8:13
recapitulation
first theme (C maj)
278 8:20
313 9:22
328 9:49
second theme (C maj)
fifth theme (C maj)
codetta
396 11:55 coda
the return of the first theme introduces a
very extended codetta that rounds out the
exposition
the development begins with the piano
playing a fragment of the first theme. The
entire development is very free form, and
seems to be derived from the first theme.
the return of the first theme, in its
original form and in the home key,
announces the beginning of the
recapitulation
a very swift return of the second theme
the return of the first theme announces
the codetta that closes out the
recapitulation
the piano cadenza announces the
beginning of the coda proper.
We can persuade ourselves that the movement adheres more closely to sonata form if we
consider themes 1-3 as the components of the First Subject, and themes 4-5 as the
components of the Second Subject. The key sequences are then “correct,” with the
second subject being in the dominant major/minor in the exposition and in the tonic key
in the recapitulation.
Second Movement
Andante
Free fantasia
So familiar has this movement become that it almost qualifies as “pop” music. First
propelled to prominence through its appearance in the 1967 film Elvira Madigan, it turns
4
Timings are relative to the Quintessence recording CDQ 2047, Angela Giulini, piano, with the Mozart
Festival Orchestra conducted by Alfred Scholz.
4
up again and again as background music, classical pops recordings, and even
advertisements.
Its design is very free, though its duration (less than 6 minutes) and simplicity make it
instantly accessible without any need for analysis.
Third Movement
Allegro vivace assai
Non-strict rondo with elements of sonata form
The third movement has elements of rondo and sonata form about it, although it doesn’t
conform to the standard layout of sonata rondo. The principal theme, which reappears
often (which you’ll recall is the definitive feature of a rondo) forms the basis for the
lengthy development, as well as for several of the episodes. As in the first movement, a
piano cadenza announces the coda that concludes the work.
I’m not going to present a more detailed analysis because my judgment is that, for a
movement a mere 7 minutes long, more detail wouldn’t add much value in listening to
what is a readily accessible piece right out of the box5 .
Franz Schubert (1797-1828) (Austria) Symphony No. 8 (The Unfinished)
Symphony orchestra; Classical/Romantic periods
Historical context
Schubert was the son of a school assistant. He learned to play piano and violin from his
father and brothers, and at the age of 11 won a choral scholarship to a religious seminary.
Here his musical talents blossomed, and it seems that he was inspired to compose from
this early age. He became qualified as a teacher, and taught in his father’s school in order
to support himself. But his passion was composing, and his output was considerable,
given the brevity of his lifespan.
Schubert composed the two movements of his eighth symphony in October 1822 and sent
the score the following year to the Styrian Music Society in Graz in acknowledgement of
his having been elected an honorary member. Anselm Hüttenbrenner, to whom the score
was entrusted, failed to turn it over to the Society, and instead kept it locked away in a
chest in his house. It was not found until 1865, some 37 years after Schubert's death, and
5
Besides, as I’m writing this it’s late and I’m tired.
5
was given its premiere in Vienna on December 17 of that year under the direction of
Johann Herbeck.
The fact that Schubert released the music in this way strongly suggests that he himself
considered it finished. Yet there are other indications that he had originally intended to
add material to it. Why he never did so remains something of a mystery, and the subject
of a great deal of conjecture that continues unabated to this day.
One plausible explanation for the symphony’s “unfinished” condition is that these two
movements are already lengthy by the standards of the day, and that Schubert was afraid
that the work, when completed with two movements of matching scale, would be too
large an undertaking for performers and audience alike.
But the line of conjecture that I personally find most appealing is that Schubert, with
these two movements, was “composing out of his skin” and realized as much. To follow
music of such genius with anything would run the serious risk of anticlimax. This
supposition is supported by the fact that Schubert left sketches for the third- movement
scherzo, and even completed the orchestration for its first nine bars. Furthermore,
although he left no additional sketches, some scholars have surmised that the
incongruously substantial entr’acte for the incidental music for Rosamunde, which
appeared in 1823, was repurposed work originally intended for the symp hony’s final
movement.
The Music
I’ve presented here a high- level overview of the structure of the symphony. Schubert’s
design is much freer than that of a symphony from the classical period. There is much
modulation within the expositions and recapitulations, and to call them all out would
result in a pretty complex chart that would—in my judgment, in the context of this
class—be more confusing than enlightening.
The Norton Company publishes what they call a “critical score,” which in addition to the
score itself contains a wealth of information on the historical background to the piece,
detailed fine-grain analysis of its structure, and critical appraisals, including some words
from such luminaries as Igor Stravinsky and Aaron Copland.
6
Theme Chart
First
Movement
First subject
Second subject
Second
Movement
First subject
Second subject
First Movement
Sonata form
bar time6
1 0:00
44 1:29
structure
exposition
first theme (B min)
second theme (G maj)
110 3:47
exposition repeats
110 7:32 development
218 11:02 recapitulation
first theme (B min)
258 12.20
second theme (D maj)
328 14:47 coda
remarks
subdominant of the relative major—a
“two-hop” key
relative major
Second Movement
Abridged sonata form
Calling the second moveme nt “sonata form” is a bit of stretch, because Schubert has
modified the design considerably. There is no development section as such. Rather, the
exposition itself digresses into somewhat distant keys as a development section would,
particularly during the second subject. At the same time, the degree of variation on the
6
Times are relative to the recording by Giuseppe Sinopoli with the Philharmonia Orchestra, DG 445 514-2.
7
thematic material is less than we’d expect in a full-blown development passage. The
recapitulation continues the pattern of free modulations with minimal thematic diversion.
bar time
1 0:00
64 2:34
144 5:26
205 8:00
structure
exposition
first subject (E maj)
second subject/development
recapitulation
first subject (E major)
second subject (D major)
268 10:18 coda
remarks
the first subject makes brief tonal
excursions: G maj, B maj, C sharp
min
Schubert cleverly combines a second
subject and development in one
package—there is no tangible
dividing line between them.
Modulations include C sharp min, D
flat maj, G maj, C maj.
the first subject’s modulation this
second time around are into G maj, F
sharp min, and A maj
the second subject/development is
slightly abridged this second time
round, and the modulations are to a
different palette of keys
a gentle and very quiet coda closes
out the movement
The major ensemble types in classical music
See the Appendix for some illustrations of some of the less familiar instruments.
Symphony Orchestra
(Further reading: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_orchestra )
Woodwinds
[piccolo {normally played by 3rd flute player}]
flutes (2)
oboes (2)
[English horn (cor anglais) {3rd oboe}]
clarinets (2)
[bass clarinet {3 rd clarinet}]
bassoons (2)
[contra-bassoon {3 rd bassoon}]
Brass
horns (French horn) (4)
trumpets (2)
[cornets {3 rd and 4th trumpets}]
tenor trombones (2)
bass trombone
tuba
8
Percussion
tympani
snare drum
cymbals
xylophone
etc. etc.
[Harp]
Strings
first violins (c. 16)
second violins (c. 14)
violas (c. 12) {fifth lower than violin)
cellos (c. 12) {octave lower than viola)
double basses (c. 9) {minor 6th below cello)
This list approximately represents a “core” symphony orchestra. Instruments listed
without brackets can reasonably expect to have a part to play in most of the orchestral
repertoire from the 19th century onwards. However, composers do not usually feel
constrained by this framework. They sometimes introduce “nonstandard” instruments,
and often augment the number of parts for brass and woodwind instruments. It is quite
common, for instance, to write 3 or even 4 trumpet parts. Some of the more extreme
examples of this kind of orchestra augmentation are:
o tenor banjo: William Grant Still, Symphony No. 1
o 6 (yes six—that’s not a typo) harps: Granville Bantock, Celtic Symphony
o 4 Wagner tubas: Bruckner, Symphony No. 8
o 8 horns, post- horn, 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, 4 each of flutes, oboes, and
bassoons; contrabassoon: Mahler, Symphony No. 3. A huge orchestra for a huge
work: it runs to 95 minutes.
o 3 saxophones, flugel horn: Vaughan Williams, Symphony No. 9
o 9 trumpets: Janacek, Sinfonietta
String Orchestra
The string orchestra is, as its name implies, the string section of a symphony orchestra. It
is worth mentioning as an ensemble type in its own right because of the rather large
repertoire it has acquired.
Without the heavy brass to compete against, works for string orchestra are often
performed by chamber-sized string ensembles.
Brass Band
(Further reading: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brass_band )
The brass band instrumentation is very standardized, consisting of 25 players. This
standardization emerged in Britain in the late 19th century.
9
soprano cornet (Eb)
Bb cornets (9—4, 1, 2, 2)
flugel horn
Eb tenor horns (3) [known as “tenor” horns by tradition, but actually an alto instrument]
Bb baritone horns (2) [known as “baritones” by tradition, but actually a tenor instrument]
note: tenor horns and baritone horns are saxhorns, not French horns.
euphoniums (2)
tenor trombones (2)
bass trombone
Eb basses (tub as) (2)
Bb basses (tubas) (2)
percussion
Though traditionally a British institution, the brass band movement started to spread
across Europe in the 1950s, and is now a significant presence on the continent. The brass
band movement in the US reached critical mass in the early 1980s with the formation of
the North American Brass Band Association (NABBA). In 1983 NABBA held its first
competition, with five bands competing. In 1984 nine bands participated, the event being
held at (drum roll please…………………) West Chester University. Many more bands
have been formed since; there are at least three within a 50 mile radius of West Chester.
Brass bands are, through tradition and economic reality, largely amateur endeavors. Yet
the standard of musicianship and technical ability of the better bands is on a par with
world-class orchestras. A wealth of recorded material is available.
Concert Band (Wind Band)
(Further reading: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symp hony_orchestra
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concert_band )
The concert band as we know it today crystallized in the early 1950s, largely due to
Frederick Fennell and his Eastman Wind Ensemble. Earlier similar ensembles emerged in
the military, and were very popular in their day, so much so that the breakaway John
Philip Sousa was able to sustain his band as a successful commercial venture. Today, the
Dallas Wind Symphony is one of the very few (if not the only) professional bands in the
entire US not supported either by the military or by an educational institution.
Supplementing these professional organizations, many community bands exist (including
two in West Chester and several more in the greater Delaware Valley).
10
Like the symphony orchestra, the concert band instrumentation consists of a “core”
which composers freely add to or subtract from. This core is as follows:
Flutes 1,2,3
Piccolo
(Alto Flute, Bass Flute)
Oboes 1,2
English Horn
Bassoons 1,2
Contrabassoon
Clarinets 1,2,3 in B flat
E flat Clarinet, Alto Clarinet, Bass Clarinet
(Contra-Alto Clarinet, Contrabass Clarinet)
Saxophone: Altos 1,2, Tenor, Baritone
Soprano Saxophone
Trumpets/Cornets 1,2,3,(4)
(Flugelhorn)
Horns (French horns) 1,2,3,4
Trombones 1,2,3
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
Percussion
Timpani
String Bass [yes, in a “wind” band. I’ve never figured this one out.]
Chorus, choir
The human voice was of course the first musical instrument, and features prominently in
several of the classical music genres, notably opera and oratorio. Choral passages and
solo voice have also been used to add an extra dimension to otherwise standard orchestral
works. Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony is perhaps the most well known of these.
The song, the standard unit of music in the popular- music world, also has its counterpart
in classical music. Franz Schubert, for example, wrote many songs in addition to his
orchestral and chamber-ensemble works, songs that indeed were the popular music of his
day.
Here’s a thought to ponder: are Schubert’s songs truly classical music? Or just very old
popular music? It was consideration of this dilemma that led me to choose not to include
short songs—whether by choir or solo voice—in this class.
11
String quartet
(Further reading: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_orchestra
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/String_quartet )
The string quartet consists of 2 violins, viola, cello. It is a long-established combination,
and has been endowed with an extensive repertoire by many well-regarded composers.
Wind quintet
(Further reading: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_quintet )
The wind quintet consists of flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and horn. The format was
established in the early 19th century by the composers Antoine Reicha, who wrote 24
wind quintets, and Franz Danzi, who wrote nine. (Ironically, neither of these composers
is remembered for anything else). The wind quintet pretty well died out in the latter part
of the 19th century, and we would not be talking about them today if not for the renewal
of interest by 20th century composers, including West Chester’s own Samuel Barber.
Brass quintet
Philip Jones formed his Philip Jones Brass Ensemble (PJBE) as a quartet in 1951. Adding
a fifth member in 1961, Jones is generally credited with “inventing” the brass quintet
format. (PJBE also augmented its forces to 10 players for larger halls and works.)
“Inventing” a new musical ensemble involves much more than having the idea and then
getting 5 friends together and playing music—there’s the slight inconvenience of “hmm,
what’re we gonna play?” Philip Jones and his associates commissioned works and
arrangements from leading practitioners of the day, as well as creating their own
arrangements of music originally written for other ensemble types, and thus gave the
format the momentum it needed to take hold and become established.
Other high-profile quintets include the Canadian Brass (formed in 1970) and the Empire
Brass (1970s), both of which are still performing. The PJBE became the London Brass
when Philip Jones retired in 1986.
The standard brass quintet consists of 2 trumpets, horn, trombone, tuba (or bass
trombone)
Bela Bartok (1881-1945) (Hungary) Concerto for Orchestra
We’ll hear the second movement, “Presentation of the pairs” to remind
ourselves of the sound of the various instruments.
The movement begins with a series of duets. Following a brief chorale-like
section for heavy brass, the duets are reprised with additional
embellishment.
12
Here is a map of the movement:
duets, round 1; string accompaniment
1. bassoons
2. oboes
3. clarinets
4. flutes
5. trumpets (muted)
chorale passage
6. heavy brass choir (trumpets, trombones, tuba) (with solo snare drum
(snares off))
7. horn duet—very brief, with solo tuba accompaniment
duet reprise, string accompaniment again, but with additional instruments helping
out this time around)
8. bassoons
9. oboes
10. clarinets
11. flutes
12. trumpets (again muted)
Gustav Holst (1874-1934) (England) St. Paul’s Suite
In 1905, Holst was appointed Director of Music at St. Paul’s Girls School in
Hammersmith, London, and retained that position until his death in 1934. This suite was
written for his school orchestra. Given the implied limited technical capabilities he was
working with, Holst produced a work of outstanding musical merit.
First Movement: Jig
The opening movement is a lively jig. It is based a single thematic idea, which is stated in
full at the beginning, and then transformed in various ways as the movement progresses.
Second Movement: Ostinato
With an opening dance-based movement, we might be lulled into expecting a dance suite
in the mould of the baroque era, but the second movement swiftly dispels that notion. It is
13
labeled Ostinato, a musical term with the same root as obstinate, and with a similar
meaning—it means a phrase or melody obstinately repeated over and over. In this
movement the second violins are the obstinate ones, stubbornly repeating a fast and busy
four-note figure throughout the movement. (Actually, they somehow talk the first violins
into taking over for a six-bar spell. This is the high-register bit, and one wonders whether
Holst would have made the same accommodation had the piece been intended for
professional musicians.) While the second violins busily repeat their four-note figure, the
first violins try several times to dislodge them with a lyrical the me of their own. They
eventually succeed when the second violins abruptly quit four bars before the end.
Third Movement: Intermezzo
An intermezzo is a short musical interlude between two acts or sections of a longer work,
such as an opera or ballet—or in this case, a suite. This intermezzo initially fools us into
thinking we’re going to listen to the traditional slow movement that usually occurs in a
symphony or concerto, but Holst quickly surprises us and wakes us up with a Vivace
passage, which increases in energy as it brings us to a triple- forte (very loud) reprise of
the opening melody. The mood and volume once again subside as the solo violin returns,
but Holst alternates these two ideas several more times before the movement closes.
The solo violin part demands a high degree of musicianship, as well as technical skill for
the high-register part. We may infer that Holst had an exceptionally talented solo violinist
under his wing.
Fourth Movement: Finale
This movement is almost a note- for-note transcription of the fourth movement of the
Second Suite in F, for wind band. (Holst reworked only a few bars in one of the
transitional passages.) Although not labeled as such, this movement is another ostinato.
The Dargason theme introduces the movement, and continues without a break of any kind
until the final seven bars of the movement. Unlike the second- movement ostinato, the
Dargason is passed around all the instruments—no one claims ownership in quite the
same compulsive way that the second violins did of their four-note figure in the earlier
movement. While the Dargason pursues its relentless repetition, the rest of the orchestra
spares us from madness by providing other interest, chiefly the expansive theme
Greensleeves 7 .
By now you’re probably wondering, “What’s this Dargason thing he keeps talking
about?” Relax, I’ll tell you—it’s an English country dance. If your curiosity is
sufficiently piqued, you can find instructions on how to perform the dance at
http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/del/sections/english_country_dance9.html. You might be
amused to learn that the author (collector?) of these instructions regards the Dargason as
“a very silly dance,” though not quite as silly as the Cruciform Double Dargason
(whatever that is). The mind boggles.
7
Greensleeves is a popular traditional tune in England, where it has absolutely nothing to do with
Christmas.
14
Gustav Holst (1874-1934) (England) Second Suite in F
Wind Band (Modern Period)
Holst wrote several pieces to enrich the wind-band repertoire, compositions that came
about by a quirk of fate—Holst’s misfortune was the wind-band community’s gain. A
physical disability had robbed him of the manual dexterity required to perform on his
preferred instruments, piano and organ, so Holst responded by taking up the trombone.
Aside from percussion, it is perhaps the only instrument that can be competently played
in spite of limited finger mobility.
Holst plied his instrumental prowess in wind bands in addition to orchestras. (Any
trombone player will tell you that orchestral trombone parts involve a great deal of
counting of bars’ rest, and precious little playing time.) It was through this experience
that he realized how impoverished was the wind-band repertoire. At the time, that
repertoire consisted chiefly of transcriptions and arrangements from orchestral works,
very few original pieces of any merit having been written expressly for the medium.
Holst’s Suite in F takes its thematic material from folk tunes. Here is a map of the fourmovement work.
March
The march features two march themes, one energetic, one expansive and lyrical. Forming
a “trio” section, we then hear a Morris dance tune in 6/8 time, before the two march
themes are reprised.
Song without words
This is the traditional slow movement, using the folk song “I’ll love my love.” Ho lst adds
interest with a flowing accompaniment when the theme is repeated.
Song of the blacksmith
This movement paints a sonic picture of the blacksmith working away at his craft. We
hear him whistling happily as he works, accompanied by irregular rhythmic and
percussive sounds that portray his hammering.
Fantasy on the Dargason
Yes, we’ve heard this one before—it’s the final movement of the St. Paul’s Suite. Here it
is in its original setting.
15
Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) (England) Variations for Brass Band
Historical Context
Vaughan Williams began to compose at the age of six, and continued until the day of his
death (from a heart attack in 1958). His last 22 years produced no less than five of his
nine symphonies. The Variations for brass band was commissioned as the test piece for
the 1957 National Brass Band Championship of Great Britain.
A Personal Perspective
This music has intensely personal significance for me, which some inner voice urges me
to share with you.
I was present at the competition in 1957, where at the tender age of nine I heard most of
the 21 competing bands play this piece, one after the other. My father and I took but one
break, when our hunger overcame our desire to listen to a couple of the less wellregarded bands. Condensed score in hand, we followed the composer’s notation along
with the music. After the bands had finished playing, while the judges were deliberating
on the results, Ralph Vaughan Williams himself came halfway down the staircase
adjacent to the stage and acknowledged the crowd’s applause.
It’s hard to explain the effect the music had on me. The magnificent sound quality
produced by the bands, their huge dynamic range, their nimble and stunningly accurate
articulation, the grandeur of London’s Royal Albert Hall—it was all awe- inspiring. It was
the most magnificent music—the most magnificent sound of any kind—I had ever heard.
It still is.
In 1957 this piece instantly became my favorite piece of music. But that's too trite a
description—it's hard to find adequate words. It's more a deep-down feeling that the piece
has assimilated itself into the core of my being. Yeah, I know that sounds pretentious and
corny, but it's the best I can do to convey in words what the piece means to me. Given the
16
awe- inspiring situation of my first hearings of it, no piece of music will ever, in my
regard, eclipse this one.
In 1995 I learned that the work was to be used as the test-piece for the upcoming US
National Championships. Despite several years of playing in first-class British bands, I
had never had the opportunity to play the piece. Now, perhaps, there was a chance. I
contacted the Atlantic Brass in Glassboro (New Jersey) to see whether I might insert
myself for the contest. Bad news: the band was not going to enter the contest. Good
news: they were rehearsing the piece anyway to include in an upcoming concert series.
Even better news: the flugel player was looking to get off flugel back onto cornet. They
needed a replacement. There was my spot.
I got to play the piece at last. Even though by then my best playing days were well behind
me (having peaked at age 17), the experience was still sublime. I stayed with the band for
a year or so, but the commitment became too much and I dropped by the wayside. But I’d
experienced my revered VW Variations from the input end of my beloved flugel, and I
was well satisfied.
The Music
I’m sure you will not be surprised to learn that I still have the program from the 1957
championship. This fact is significant because the program contains illuminating program
notes by Frank Wright.
Who’s Frank Wright? Frank Wright was a gifted orchestrator of brass band music.
Though he wrote surprisingly little original work, his contribution to the brass-band
repertoire was nevertheless immense. For example, his transcriptions of Berlioz overtures
are stunning in their effect and tone color, and sound to my (very biased) ears even better
than the originals.
Okay, why am I rambling on so about Frank Wright when we’re
supposed to be talking about Vaughan Williams? Here’s the
situation. The brass band movement has had some quite
significant successes in persuading “serious” composers to write
original works for brass band. Edward Elgar, Vaughan Williams,
Edmund Rubbra, Gustav Holst, Arthur Bliss… the list is a long
one. Now, the brass band instrumentation is quite unfamiliar to
most of these composers. They needed varying amounts of help in
scoring their works. This is where people like Frank Wright (and
Henry Geehl before him) came in. These orchestrators often
scored the entire work from the composer’s piano-score sketches,
Frank Wright
effectively doing most of the work. The tradition of the times
dictated that such ghost-writing be kept a closely guarded secret. It was a sore point with
some of these orchestrators that they received not a smidgen of recognition for their
contributions, and not much in the way of monetary compensation either. Based on a
printed outburst I read by Henry Geehl, I got the impression that he was the guy who
17
scored, and generally did the most work on, Elgar’s Severn Suite, though Geehl was far
too much of a gentleman to name names.
The secret ghost-writing thing was eventually overcome, and Frank Wright was openly
given credit for orchestrating Edmund Rubbra’s Variations on the Shining River (1960),
and Arthur Bliss’ Belmont Variations (1963).
The significance of all this orchestrator talk is that, based on the evidence I’ve been able
to piece together, my speculation is that Frank Wright was Vaughan Williams’
orchestration coach, an undertaking that nevertheless stopped well short of doing the job
for him. One clue here is that in 1957—the year that produced the Variations—Vaughan
Williams also produced his Ninth Symphony. Most unusually, this work features a part
for flugel horn, a very prominent one at that. Now, in brass band orchestration, the flugel
horn was a criminally neglected instrument before Frank Wright came along. He singlehandedly brought the instrument out into the spotlight. I can’t imagine that Vaughan
Williams would have discovered the flugel if not for Wright’s guiding hand.
Given my speculation that Frank Wright played a significant role in the creation of this
work 8 , I’m going to defer to Wright’s notes for the core of the analysis of the piece. The
notes that follow are his—verbatim 9 —from the 1957 program, augmented by my own
annotations set off in brackets or footnotes. Timings are relative to the recording by the
Black Dyke Mills Band, conducted by Geoffrey Brand, on Chandos CHAN 4510.
PROGRAMME NOTE BY FRANK WRIGHT
Today we reach a new landmark in the history of contesting—perhaps the most
significant in the whole history of brass bands. R. Vaughan Williams, O.M., England’s
greatest composer since Purcell 10 , has contributed an original work, specially written as a
test piece for the “Daily Herald” National Championship Final.
“Variations for Brass Band” is unique 11 in brass band music. In form it is simple
enough—a theme followed by eleven variations. [0—0:00] 12 The theme, in three sections
[the first four-bar section is played by mellow-toned instruments only—no cornets or
trombones—with horns (i.e. alto saxhorns) and flugel horn playing the high voice], is
8
Indeed, my speculation was verified almost immediately after writing this paragraph, when I opened the
score to begin work on annotating Wright’s program notes. In a box beneath the title are the words “I wish
to thank Mr. Frank Wright for examining and revising this score. R. Vaughan Williams, August 1957”
9
Well, not quite verbatim. I fixed the curious occurrence (twice) of “orientation” in place of “ornamentation.” I’m guessing that the typist misread Wright’s longhand, and no-one caught the error in time.
10
Really? Most observers, myself included, would place VW well behind Elgar. Interestingly, Elgar also
contributed an original work to the brass-band repertoire (The Severn Suite) written, like VW ’s Variations,
in the composer’s twilight years. However, by popular consensus, the Severn Suite falls well short of
Elgar’s best in the artistic-merit department.
11
I hadn’t realized it until I wrote these notes, but Vaughan Williams’ Variations was probably the first
major work written for brass band in the theme-and-variations form. Many composers since have followed
Vaughan Williams’ lead.
12
The bold bracketed notations denote a reference number followed by a time.
18
“modal13 ” and majestic in character, a fanfare- like passage [0.1—0:12] (marked quasi
trumpets—no vibrato) [in which bright-toned cornets and trombones dominate] forming
the middle section. The variations follow one another without pause and are rich in
expressive contrasts.
[1—0:40] In the first variation the theme is announced by horns, with some rhythmic
ornamentation by cornets and baritone. After the [1.1—0:51] “fanfare,” played in triplet
figuration by all the cornets against a “rolling” quaver14 passage in the euphoniums and
baritones, the [1.2—0:59] theme is heard in the basses [and bass trombone].
[2—1:20] The second begins as a kind of dialogue, with euphonium and baritone
answering the solo cornet—there are interventions here and there and support from the
soprano and flugel—each voice deriving from the theme.
[3—2:00] Trombones, loud and commanding, are up and away with the tune in variation
three, the triplet fanfare passage by cornets against the legato quaver bass adding to the
rhythmic interest.
[4—2:16] The fourth is joyous music. Canonical in style, it has a splendid energy and
festival- like character.
[5—2:46] A sombre atmosphere prevails in variation five, which begins as a quartet for
flugel, horn, baritone and euphonium. [5.1—2:59] Muted trombones and stealthy bass
steps seem to cast a mysterious shadow, soon, however, to be dispelled as the music
moves through [5.2—3:10] six bars marked crescendo to reach [5.3—3:20] a majestic
climax.
[6—3:30] In variation six, cornet and flugel sing their way quietly through a tune that at
once catches the ear—the theme in waltz time. But soon the music takes on an urgency
and suddenly [6.1—3:46] erupts over four bars. After an abrupt and unexpected stop—
[6.2—3:51] the composer has indicated a short breathing space here—the quiet song is
resumed, this time by soprano, flugel and horn. Two melodic bars [6.3—3:57] by flugel
and horn, in octaves with a pizzicato- like bass and with a florid, muted cornet passage in
the background, lead to the next section.
[7—3:59] Variation VII (Arabesque). This is one of the most ingenious parts of the work.
By overlapping phrases, a continuous line of gracious ornamentation, derived from the
theme and marked pp, is maintained by the solo cornet and flugel. The theme, in a new
guise and played by euphonium, enters at the second bar, so that we have the tune and a
derivative of it both going at the same time. Temporarily [7.1—4:18] the ornamentation
is passed to baritones, to be resumed [7.2—4:29] by cornet and flugel over the “fanfare”
13
“Modal” in the sense that Vaughan Williams uses a note palette different from the usual major or minor
keys. The first two bars are a straightforward unison pentatonic scale, but thereafter the scheme becomes
more complex. As many times as I have heard this piece, I cannot accurately whistle even the theme,
because of its modal complexity.
14
quaver is English terminology for eighth note.
19
played by muted trombones and lower cornets quasi trumpets. The last phrases [7.3—
4:49] of the variation are given to soprano, who alone leads in to the eighth variation.
[8—4:59] In the form of a Polacca, the music here is at once assertive and powerful.
Following a discourse on the fanfare we hear [8.1—5:09] the first phrase of the theme
sweeping downwards instead of upwards, and being invested with a rhythmic interest in
the process. Then, after some by-play between the upper and lower sections of the band,
they all get together [8.2—5:20] in three rollicking bars of semiquavers 15 . Suddenly
[8.3—5:32] the music quietens and an entirely new, but easily recognisable, version of
the theme is heard from trombones and cornets. A crescendo molto leads us for a brief
period to [8.4— 5:47] the key of E- major. With this burst into a radiant fortissimo,
sunshine prevails until the final bars. Here animation ceases. There is a sudden haze.
[9—6:38] The soft, sustained octave with which variation nine opens allows us to pause
for reflection. It is like standing on the seashore, and looking eastward into a morning
mist. Quietly [9.1—7:00] the theme rises somewhere from the depths. There is hidden
strength—and mystery. The solemnity is unmistakable. As the voices reach upwards the
music takes on an ethereal quality. (Did the composer have in mind some enigmatic
association here?) The last bars leave us in a less pensive mood.
[10—8:53] In variation ten we meet again the sustained trombone octave, this time
played mf. It provides an excellent starting point for the first entry of the Fugato. Clothed
in a new rhythmic garb, the theme—now so familiar that the least sensitive ear would
recognise it —is startling in its vigour. Were ever two consecutive movements more
strongly contrasted than this and number nine?. Steadiness—crotchet16 =88—does not
detract from its splendid vitality. Its life comes from the very nature of the music itself,
not the speed.
[11—9:49] In the final variation (No. 11—Chorale), three muted cornets form a high
semi-chorus, heard as from a distance. The rest of the “choir” sing their hymn, pp. All the
material is thematic. After some fourteen bars [11.1—10:25] the ensemble, now united,
hushes itself to ppp. A crescendo leads to mf, where three fragments of the theme are
most skillfully interlocked. Here the basses are given a short respite. Their entry two bars
later is a most impressive one. [11.2—11:27] Four majestic chords, following a passage
of bare, rugged octaves—how the theme echoes through these!—bring the work to a
mighty end.
15
16
A semiquaver is a sixteenth note.
A crotchet is a quarter note.
20
Appendix: What do those instruments look like?
Note: Although I have tried to adjust the sizes of these images to be vaguely sensible, they
are not presented in anything approaching accurate scale.
Symphony Orchestra
flute
French horn
trumpet
21
harp
22
oboe
english
horn
clarinet
bass clarinet
bassoon
contra-bassoon
23
I assume everyone knows what the stringed instruments look like, so I haven’t included
pictures of those.
Brass Band
soprano cornet (Eb)
Bb cornet
flugel horn
trombone (tenor/bass)
24
Chester County Night School, Fall 2006
bass trombone
Similar to tenor/bass, but usually has larger bore and bell. May have an additional trigger
to extend low range.
Eb tenor horn
Bb baritone (horn)
euphonium
basses
Very similar in overall shape to euphonium, but proportionately larger, with longer
overall tube length.
This picture of a brass band illustrates the relative dimensions of the various instruments.
Front row, left to right: Bb bass, Eb bass, euphonium
2nd row: 3 trombones, 2 baritones, 3 tenor horns, flugel horn
other two rows are cornets (with three percussionists ghosting in at the sides)
25
Chester County Night School, Fall 2006
Specialty instruments
piccolo trumpet
26

Classical Music Appreciation—Intermediate

Transcription

Similar documents

Final Fantasy VII Piano Collections

ACANTHUS TOWEL RING | 3430

poster - Reed College

6MoSubscription 062613.eps

Sales sheet - World Music Network

www.moe.gov.om

Promotional Brochure

Print a Brochure (Back)

SDASA PRETORIA CHAPTER