Glinka arr. Childs Overture Ruslan and Ludmilla
Mikhail Glinka is considered to be the father of modern Russian music. His nationalistic, Russian style was a seminal influence on all Russian composers who followed, from Rimsky-Korsakov to Tchaikovsky to Stravinsky. After the immediate success of A Life for the Tsar in 1836 the Director of the Imperial Theatre in St. Petersburg suggested that Glinka adapt Pushkin’s epic poem, Ruslan and Ludmilla, as his next opera. The poem tells of the abduction of Ludmilla by an evil sorcerer, The sorcerer is eventually vanquished by Ruslan, who rescues Ludmilla and wins her hand in marriage. Alas the Opera is seldom performed today but the exciting virtuoso overture is often used as a curtain raiser. Ruslan and Ludmilla was written in 1842. It was arranged for brass band by Dr Robert Childs, the NYBBGB’s Director of Artistic Planning for the Cory band in 2009.
Kelly Marie Murphy Into the Darkness They Go, The Wise and the Lovely
Kelly-Marie Murphy was born on a NATO base in Sardinia, Italy, and grew up on Canadian Armed Forces bases all across Canada. She began her studies in composition at the University of Calgary with William Jordan and Allan Bell, and later received a Ph.D. in composition from the University of Leeds, England, where she studied with Philip Wilby. Her music has been widely performed but her musical voice is very well known on the Canadian music scene. Into the Darkness They Go, The Wise and the Lovely is dedicated to the memory of Bramwell Tovey whom she worked with on many occasions when he was the Artistic Director of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. Bramwell Tovey was also an inspirational Artistic Director of the NYBBGB from 2006-2020.
Jack Yagerline Open World
Jack Yagerline is an American composer whose music spans a wide variety of styles. Jack has collaborated with numerous ensembles, most recently with the James Madison University Percussion Ensemble and the Invicta Saxophone Quartet, and the James Madison University Wind Symphony. Jack was the winner of the James Madison University Wind Ensemble Competition for his piece “Distant Mountains”. Jack was runner-up in the NYBBGB Composition Competition with The Open World.The Open World is an exciting work for brass band that is inspired by open world video games such as “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim”, “The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion”,
“The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild”, and “Super Mario Odyssey”. Open World depicts the open world game experience through music. While there is no “end” to
an open world game, the player eventually is able to complete the overarching quest that has been with them since the beginning and as such triumphed over the open world.
Gordon Langford Rhapsody for Trombone soloist Scott Hartman
Gordon Langford was English and born in London on 11 th May 1930 and died in 2017. He was a prolific composer and arranger of brass band music. He is also well known for his choral and orchestral music, winning an Ivor Novello award for best light music composition for his March from the Colour Suite written in 1971. Langford literally wrote hundreds of concert pieces for the music publisher and recording company Chandos. Rhapsody for Trombone is one of the products born out of this fruitful collaboration. Originally written for Don Lusher tonight it’s performed by our guest soloist Scott Hartman.
Respighi arr. Snell Pines of Rome
Ottorino Respighi was an Italian composer, violinist, teacher, and musicologist and one of the leading Italian composers of the early 20th century. His composition, Pines of Rome, is a tone poem in four movements for orchestra and was completed in 1924. It is the second of his three tone poems about Rome, following Fontane di Roma and preceding Festivals of Rome. Each movement depicts a setting in the city with pine trees, specifically those in the Villa Borghese gardens, near a catacomb, on the Janiculum Hill, and along the Appian Way. The premiere was held at the Teatro Augusteo in Rome on 14 December 1924, with Bernardino Molinari conducting the Augusteo Orchestra , and the piece was published by Casa Ricordi in 1925. This superb arrangement for brass band was made by Howard Snell former principal trumpet of the London Symphony Orchestra and conductor of the Britannia Building Society Band.
1. Pini di Villa Borghese (The Pines of the Villa Borghese)
2. Pini presso una Catacomba (Pines Near a Catacomb)
3. Pini del Gianicola (The Pines of the Janiculum)
4. Pini della Via Appia (The Pines of the Appian Way)
-INTERVAL-
Daniel Hall Dieu Et Mon Droit (World Première)
The second part of the programme starts in Wales with music by Daniel Hall, winner of the NYBBGB’s Composition Competition. Daniel graduated from the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, Cardiff. He is a multi-award-winning composer & arranger whose works have been performed by some of the country’s leading ensembles, including the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Orchestra of Opera North and the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. Dieu et Mon Droit (God and My Right) is a concert opener written to honour the passing of Queen Elizabeth II and the coronation of the new regent, King Charles III. The title is the motto of the British monarchy, appearing on the Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom. The French saying implies that the monarch has a divine right to rule over the United Kingdom.
Arthur Pryor Thoughts of Love
Trombone soloist Scott Hartman
Arthur Pryor (1869-1942) was an American trombone soloist with the famous John Phillip Sousa Band. He wrote Thoughts of Love in the early 1900s and it’s been a popular standard in the trombone solo repertoire since then. This lovely 20th Century work has the charm of a Strauss Waltz and the virtuosic dazzle that Pryor was well known for. A great way to show off our star guest soloist Scott Hartmann in tonight’s concert.
Leoncallavo On with the Motley
Trombone soloist Scott Hartman
Ruggero Leoncavallo was an Italian opera composer and librettist. Although he produced numerous operas and other songs throughout his career it is his opera Pagliacci that remained his lasting contribution. Vesti La Giubba (Put on the costume) more commonly known as On With The Motley is sung at the conclusion of the first act of Pagliacci, when Canio discovers his wife’s infidelity, but must nevertheless prepare for his performance as Pagliaccio the clown because “the
show must go on”.
William Himes Evergreen (World premiere)
William Himes is a well-known American wind orchestra composer. He has arranged this beautiful ballad for trombone ensemble. Evergreen is taken from the 1976 film A Star is Born featuring legendary American singer Barbara Streisand.
Peter Graham Windows of the World
The grand finale to tonight’s concert encapsulates the essence of Sarah Ioannides’ themed programme ‘Music from around the World’. It’s composed by Scottish composer Peter Graham and is titled Windows of the World. The work provides solo opportunities for several principal players. The composer takes us first to Latin America, then to Japan and onwards to Saharan Africa. We get a gentle reprieve via a nostalgic hint of the British Isles before we land in the melting pot of all styles, the USA. In this final section the driving swing section is abruptly stopped, and a drum cadenza leads us back into the opening Latin American music.
Programme notes: Dr Robert Childs
