Pictures

Pictures

The theme of this afternoon’s concert, Pictures, becomes evident in the themes of each piece chose. Except for Blue Shades they are all inspired by paintings. 

Scenes from the Louvre Norman Dello Joio (1913-1908) 

I The Portals
II The Children’s Gallery
III The Kings of France
IV The Nativity Paintings
V Finale

Christina’s World (After a Painting of Andrew Wyeth) Kenneth Fuchs (1956- )

INTERMISSION

Blue Shades Frank Tichelli (1958- )
Pictures at an Exhibition Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881)/ arr. Boyd

Promenade
     I Gnomus
Promenade
     II The Old Castle
Promenade
     III Tuileries (disputes between children at play)
     IV Bydlo (Ox-cart)
Promenade
     V Ballet of the Chicks in Their Shells
     VI Samuel Goldenberg und Schmuyle (two Jews, one rich, one poor)
Promenade
     VII Limoges (Market Place)
     VIII Catacombes

Cum Mortis in Lingua Mortis
     IX The Hut of Baba Yaga
     X The Great Gate of Kiev

The 2008-2009 ONU Wind Orchestra Personnel

Flutes

Virginia Abernathy,* Beavercreek OH
Gretchen Bailey, Strongsville OH
Sarah Voll,+ Ada OH
Rachel White, Lakewood OH

Piccolo

Sarah Voll, Ada OH

Oboes

Ali Bodary, Victor NY
Axel Brandt, *Rocky River OH
Kristi Russell, Hillman MI

Clarinets

Kathleen Cox, Newcomerstown OH
Lindsey Miller,* Fairfield OH
Abigail Mogren, Grove City OH
Caitlin Rowland, Boardman OH
Nathan Slusher, Alger OH

Eb Clarinet

Nathan Slusher, Alger OH

Bass Clarinet

Emily J. Lockwood, West Liberty OH

Bassoons

David Walch,* Fairfield OH
Amanda Weaver, Mentor OH

Alto Saxophones

Brittani Csongendi, N. Royalton OH
Michael Krak,* Senecaville OH

Tenor Saxophone

Kevin Mangan, Lakewood OH

Baritone Saxophone

Ashley Ebersole, New Paris OH

Trumpets

Mark Blowers,* Toledo OH
Melissa Else, Cambridge IL
Tyler Graves, Wickliffe OH
Matthew Keasal,* Fostoria OH
Leah Thompson, Van Wert OH

Horns

Jennifer Focht, Dublin OH
Christina North, Ada OH
Joseph Sasak, Broadview Heights OH
David Tietz,* Westerville OH

Trombones

Abbey Kramer, Edon OH
Jenna Roney, Ottoville OH
Andrew Straw,* Curwensville PA

Bass Trombone

Kevin Earnest, Rensselaer IN

Euphonium

Megan Pierce, Grove City OH

Tuba

Zack Voll, Ada OH

Percussion

Josh Haudenschield, Kenton OH
Timothy Herrick,* Strongsville OH
Megan Quay, Lima OH
Joshua Purk, Urbana OH
Korey Sarven, Lima OH
Holly Taylor, Upper Sandusky OH
John Taylor, Lima OH

Piano

Elesha Hodges, Lima OH

String Bass

Collin Morelock, Upper Arlington OH

Harp

tba

*= Principal, + = Ensemble President

Program Notes 

Norman Dello Joio grew up in New York City surrounded by musicians and music in his home. He began working as a church organist and choirmaster at the age of 12 and later studied at Juilliard, Tanglewood and the Yale School of Music. Besides teaching, he was a prolific composer, with works for chorus, orchestra and band, along with many solo pieces. He won the Pulitzer Prize in 1957 and an Emmy Award for Scenes from the Louvre in 1965.

Scenes from the Louvre is derived from the original score of an NBC television special about the museum that aired in 1964. It covers the period of the museum's development during the Renaissance, with each movement based on themes of Renaissance composers.

The arrangement for band, presented on today’s’ concert, was commissioned from the composer by the Baldwin Wallace Symphonic Band in 1966.

Christina’s World is the most famous painting by the preeminent American painter, Andrew Wyeth, who passed away in January of this year at the age of 91. He was a highly decorated artist, having received citations and awards from three different American Presidents and is regarded by many as the dean of 20^th century American painters.

Andrew Wyeth's haunting image of Cristina Olson, resting solitary in an open field, her back to the viewer, her body twisted toward the family homestead, provided the inspiration for this musical composition. It is her world of sea and pasture, of yearning for home, and a sense of loss and fulfillment, that I have attempted to evoke in this music. Christina's World was composed in New York City at the invitation of my friend and mentor William Hipp, Dean of the School of Music at the University of Miami. I composed this work especially for the Wind Ensemble and their conductor Gary Green, whose enthusiasm, advice, and encouragement during the composition of this work were truly inspiring!” (Kenneth Fuchs)

Blue Shades, is one of the best known and most often performed pieces by the eminent American composer Frank Ticheli. As its title suggests, the work alludes to the Blues, and a jazz feeling is prevalent – however, it is not literally a Blues piece. There is not a single 12-bar blues progression to be found, and except for a few isolated sections, the eighth-note is not swung. The work, however, is heavily influenced by the Blues: “Blue notes” (flatted 3rds, 5ths, and 7ths) are used constantly; Blues harmonies, rhythms, and melodic idioms pervade the work; and many “shades of blue” are depicted, from bright blue, to dark to dirty, to hot blue. At times Blue Shades burlesques some of the clichés from the Big Band era, not as a mockery of those conventions, but as a tribute. A slow and quiet middle section recalls the atmosphere of a dark, smoky blues haunt. An extended clarinet solo played near the end recalls Benny Goodman’s hot playing style, and ushers in a series of “wailing” brass chords recalling the train whistle effects commonly used during that era.

Pictures at an Exhibition, composed by Modest Mussorgsky in 1874, found its inspiration in ten drawings and water colors by the architect William Hartmann, a recently deceased friend of the composer. Though probably Mussorgsky’s best known work, and often performed on piano, its present renown can attributed to the many orchestrations that have been done of the piece, specifically the one by Maurice Ravel, completed in 1922.

The various movements of the piece are interrupted by Promenade, as if the listener were actually walking through a gallery.

The Ravel orchestration is the model for John Boyd’s arrangement which the Wind Orchestra will be performing today.