We’re in the thick of the Columbia Wind Ensemble Fall 2010 season. Please keep reading for information on the CUWE’s fall 2010 concerts: “Transformations” on 10/17/10, and “Magic & Mystery” on 11/21/10. Also on the radar is the Westchester County Arts Leadership Association band reading session on 11/2/10. Enjoy a look at some great repertoire!
Columbia University Wind Ensemble Fall 2010
**One special note about this season: given the 12 seniors we have in the band this year, I’ve decided to spread out the usual Senior Choices throughout the entire season. So each concert will have a handful of senior contributions, rounded out by own picks. Senior picks will be noted, and any that aren’t are my choices.**
MAGIC & MYSTERY – November 21, 2010
This set is a study of the mystical. The obvious star of the show is Dukas’s Sorcerer’s Apprentice, but the others present equally compelling looks at the mysterious. De Meij’s Gandalf presents a musical characterization of the famous grey wizard from Lord of the Rings. Thompson’s Alleluia is an appeal to a higher power at a time of great darkness and uncertainty. Nelson’s Homage to Machaut pays tribute to the medieval vocal master – I find that both Nelson’s and Machaut’s works possess an other-wordly quality. Weinberger’s Schwanda explores the mystical powers of music through truly out-of-this-world counterpoint. All of them shine a light on a mysterious place.
Polka and Fugue from Schwanda the Bagpiper by Jaromir Weinberger
Alleluia by Randall Thompson, arr. Lewis Buckley
Homage to Machaut by Ron Nelson
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice by Paul Dukas, arr. Frank Winterbottom (for clarinetist [formerly bass] and world traveler Alicia Samuel)
Note: Pagan Dances by James Barnes hasn’t disappeared completely. Look forward to hearing that at the 3rd annual Columbia Festival of Winds on 3/6/2011. Also for that event, you’ll want to be ready with Sousa’s Washington Post March, which will be our massed piece at the end of the afternoon.
TRANSFORMATIONS – October 17, 2010
This concert looks at music that somehow experiences change in the course of a piece. Obviously this would be true of a theme and variation (Variants) or what amounts to a Gilbert & Sullivan mashup (Pineapple Poll). But change is in the air as Holsinger gives a melody his treatment (On an American Spiritual), Ticheli puts cataclysm in music (Vesuvius), and most subtly as John Barnes Chance lets his swan song unfold (Elegy).
On an American Spiritual – David Holsinger (for tubist and arranger Elizabeth Laberge)
Variants on a Medieval Tune – Norman Dello Joio
Vesuvius – Frank Ticheli (for chemistry whiz and multi-sax player Jason Pflueger)
Pineapple Poll – Sir Arthur Sullivan, arr. Charles Mackerras (for CUWE president and trumpet-trombone-sax player Paul Lerner)