Search results for: 'darmiento insights'

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with Piano and originally for Flute 

In 1978, the United States Coast Guard Band made a special recording with some of our soloists and chamber ensembles. Our flute soloist performed the Flute Concertino, Op. 107, written by French composer Cécile Chaminade in 1902. The soloist played brilliantly, but even without such a fine rendition it would have been clear that the Concertino was a great work. In the years since then I often found myself playing the main theme by ear during practice sessions  just for the pleasure of it.

This arrangement was a project I have considered for many years, and once I had some free time I eagerly spent the energy to figure out how to adapt it most appropriately for euphonium. The first decision was whether to use the original key. My philosophy is to think what key Chaminade would have used had she written for euphonium. It is playable in the original D major key, but that would have put it a minor third lower in the euphonium range. To my ears, that caused it to seem "tubby" in too many places, so I opted for F major.

I chose to slightly modify a few of the technical passages so they fit the nature of the euphonium. This allows for a more fluid performance that will sound more natural on a large, mellow, brass instrument.

As with my arrangement many years ago of Schubert's "Arpeggione" Sonata, some musicians might question why I chose to devote so much work to a piece originally written for a very different instrument. The reason is that I want to help ambitious euphoniumists develop their musical skills to a deeper level. One can hear great flute virtuosos perform this piece with much emotion and musical insight. Those recordings can help guide our musical growth as we dig into the beauty and challenge of the Concertino. We brass players should not listen only to other brass players. It is very healthy for musical growth to hear, and to emulate, fine artists on other instruments. (For example, one of the first things I noticed in preparation is that I needed to break out of "metronome" mode and be more free with the ebb and flow of the musical lines.)

I hope when you play this, the music will warm your heart and inspire your performances.

Notes by David Werden

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A new look at fundamental practice presented by Adam Frey. The Game of Practice features extensive background and understanding into how to organize your practice around a player's strengths and weaknesses. The overall guidance, work sheets, and concepts on setting goals and monitoring progress will help create a greater sense of awareness, progress and achievement. This 100 page book features insightful approaches to building your skills of Breathing, Buzzing, Articulation, Flexibility, and Technique!

Another amazing aspect of The Game of Practice involves its use of videos with QR Codes, "Tech Tips" and "Tool Tips" that educate players about how to measure their progress with various technology and tools. Finally, scattered throughout are "Tips from the Top." These commentaries feature wisdom and humor from Adam Frey's 20 year career as a soloist and teacher.

A portion of all sales of The Game of Practice will be donated to help fund the Earle Louder Fellowships from the Euphonium Foundation.

 

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Dedicated to bassoonist Arnold Irchai. The structure of this exciting work is highly symbolic in that it was inspired by the details of the visions of the priest Ezekiel while living with the Jewish exiles in Babylon. Ezekiel saw a powerful, glowing, and complex entity appear in the sky out of a “great cloud.” He believed it to be an appearance of God: “Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.” (Ezekiel 1:5 KJV) The formal scheme of The Heavens Awaken is programmatic in the sense that the sequence of events described in the vision is musically represented in a general way. The serene opening gradually becomes mysterious and gives way to a series of passages that serve as an ominous portent to the arrival of the airborne object. The 4 string instruments, each with 4 strings, 4 tuning pegs, and human-like body shape symbolize the 4 “creatures” of the vision. The bassoon represents the “voice” of what Ezekiel believes is God. It should be noted that many people also have interpreted his vision as a sighting of a UFO, described with the insights and vocabulary of the day. “This significant new addition to the bassoon and string quartet literature is a “must for the advanced bassoonist!” Learn More

B-FLAT CLARINET (DOUBLING ON B-FLAT BASS CLARINET)

ALTO SAXOPHONE (DOUBLING ON SOPRANO SAXOPHONE AND BARITONE SAXOPHONE)

Hook, Line, and Sinker was influenced by my abiding interest in three distinct musical styles: contemporary classical, be-bop jazz, and punk rock. However, as my compositional research into these specific genres began to develop and expand, I wanted to take my personal work beyond an imitation of a critical musical study and past the final aural perception of the audience. In an attempt to convey to the performers the underlying extra-musical philosophy or "attitude" I desire in a given musical passage, I included the use of expressive analogues within the written score. Using the aforementioned musical styles, I instruct the trio to perform one passage "Antisocial, a la Sex Pistols," while in another section, I indicate that the music should sound like "a blend of Hendrix and Dolphy." In both cases, the overall "attitude" of the performance is just as important, or even more important, than the immeasurability of a perfect performance. In addition, I hope this use of expressive direction will introduce a few performers to unfamiliar musical territories, and possibly provide them with some insight into my personal influences and musical intentions. Notes by the composer, William Price (wpricecomposer@gmail.com)

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Narrator, Flute/Piccolo/Alto Flute, and 4 Percussion: "A powerful, dramatic depiction of life in our time. Provocative, at times mystical, and occasionally humorous, this work addresses an eclectic range of subjects such as taxes, neglected children, team mascots, and the information glut. “The tenor of Buss’ social commentary is somewhere between the witty jeering of Mark Twain and the pithy insights of Sinclair Lewis. In his free verse one finds provocation without violence and intense anger without profanity.” - The Tampa Tribune.

The sophisticated music of MODERN TIMES transports the poetry into the dramatic and colorful sound world of the flute and percussion ensemble. The result is a unique and fresh view of the culture(s) in which we live. “The writing is mature and fresh, yet is within reach of a solid college ensemble.” - George Frock, Percussive Notes Magazine “This work is well-paced, colorful and accessible to audiences not familiar with complex percussion literature.This is truly one of the finest works in our idiom.” Robert McCormick, Florida Percussive News.

The 8 movements of MODERN TIMES may be performed individually or in smaller groupings depending upon time limitations. This piece is a “must!” (30’) Grade V. Recorded on the Capstone Records CD HOWARD J. BUSS:MODERN TIMES. I. Info Glut, II. Night Tide, III. The Hunt, V. Five Question Interlude, V. The Asphalt Blanket, VI. To a Neglected Child, VII. Giggles!?!, VIII. Modern Times. Percussion distribution: Perc. 1: Xylophone, lion roar, tam-tam, vibraslap, 2 suspended cymbals, Chinese bell tree and bongos; Perc.2: Marimba, snare drum, bass drum, 2 anvils (metal pipes may be substituted), glass jug or jars (to be broken for the sonic effect), conga drum, wind chimes and triangle; Perc. 3: Vibes, roto toms, tambourine, tam-tam, police whistle, shaker, duck call; Perc. 4: Orchestra bells, timpani (4), agogo bells, 2 suspended cymbals, hi-hat, wind chimes, wood block, frog croak (may be imitated vocally), boing box effect (a flexitone may be substituted), triangle and guiro. " Learn More

Tuba solo with Trombone Quintet

For many centuries, large stone figures have brought up more questions than answers about life of the ancient times that they were created. Monolith for Bass Trombone explores and in some cases fantasizes one of those theories. In the piece, the Bass Trombone represents the large mysterious figure and gives up insight to what it has seen over its many centuries of standing watch over the area. The piece is written as a six-part Arch-Rondo Form.

At the beginning of the piece the accompaniment creates a dark mysterious mood depicting a foggy jungle evening. The soloist enters with short melodies that weave in and out of the ominous texture created by the trombone quintet. It is as if you can see the large figure peeking through the breaks in the forest’s canopy above you. As this develops the melody starts to come through the texture as more and more of the Monolith reveals itself. When the Monolith is found its discoverers immediately look it upon as deity of some sort. The second section erupts with an energetic dance depicting a wild bacchanalian worship festival. The worship of this false idol has gotten out of hand. As the debauchery continues the soloist declares it’s frustration of being idolized and is unable to change the fate that has befallen him. At this point hard times have fallen upon the worshippers. The Monolith is witnessing the worshippers pray and beg their idol for salvation. The slow third section is an empathetic mourning for the worshippers as they start to die off from hunger and disease. As conditions worsen the worshippers start to doubt the power of their idol and start a riot. This fourth section is the same energetic dance as the bacchanalia, but it has darker overtones as the Monolith watches helplessly as the people riot and the conflict essentially rips their community apart. The fifth section leaves the Monolith in the middle of sea of carnage. The soloist weaves in and out of the 54 ostinato created by the trombone accompaniment as a lamentation of the people who once stood on the now burnt and bloody earth before him. Nightfall comes and just as it began the piece ends with the opening texture as the Monolith is standing watch, bathed by moonlight, as it has done for centuries only to be discovered and start the cycle all over again.

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with Piano

“For many centuries, large stone figures have brought up more questions than answers about the life of the ancient times in which they were created. Monolith for bass trombone explores and in some cases fantasizes one of those theories. In the piece, the bass trombone represents the large mysterious figure and gives insight to what it has seen over its many centuries of standing watch.”

This piece was commissioned by and dedicated to Jose Leonardo Leon to be premiered at the 2013 National Trombone Week festival in Aguascalientes, Mexico.

– Alejandro Guardia Jr.

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8 Tbns; solo in first Tbn part Learn More

unaccompanied. Presto; Moderato Espressivo; Allegro Giocoso; Andante Cantabile; Allegro Energico Learn More

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