Marina Nebro: Arts and Culture

Symphonic Wind Ensemble and QC String Ensemble Harvest Concert

Again, I would like to apologize for the tardiness of this post. Being absent-minded, I forgot to take a program from the concert, and had to wait for someone to give me a list of the various pieces performed before commencing my review. I would also like to start off saying that I am part of the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, but due to joining the group late in the semester, was not able to perform with them for this concert. There may be a slightly heavier focus on this group, then, because of my familiarity with the repertoire.

QC String Ensemble

Preludio for String Orchestra ……… Paul Whear
Molly on the Shore ……… Percy Grainger
Bethena, A Concert Waltz ……… Scott Joplin
Concerto Polonis ……… Georg Philipp Telemann

Symphonic Wind Ensemble

Masque ……… W. Francis McBeth
Danse Bacchanale ……… Camille Saint-Saens
Pagan Dances ……… James Barnes
I. Ritual
II. Mystics
III. The Master of the Sword
Toccata and Fugue in D Minor (BWV 565) ……… J.S. Bach 

To follow the order of the concert, let’s start off with the selection of music for the String Ensemble, directed by Jane Lindamood. Having looked at the program quickly, I saw that there was a piece by Percy Grainger, the same Percy Grainger who composed Lincolnshire Posy, one of my favorite pieces from High School band with Mr. Joseph Rutkowski. To quote Wikipedia, Grainger “played a prominent role in the revival of interest in British folk music in the early years of the 20th century.” It’s not hard to tell when you’re listening to any one of his pieces. There is a very strong folk-dance feel to the music, one that takes the listener back to the fields, and to the simple life of English peasantry. Molly on the Shore was probably my favorite selection of the entire concert for this reason. I am quite a lover of English country music – wouldn’t you guess, a CD of English Country Dances was actually my alarm this morning! The funny thing about the String Ensemble is that the group is extremely small. Whenever I hear the word ensemble, I do think of a smaller group, but the Wind Ensemble is far from small, so the size really took me by surprise. Though there were fewer musicians, they were still able to create a powerful sound.

Now, on to the Wind Ensemble! Kristin Mozeiko, the director of the ensemble, selected extremely difficult music. Not only are the notes hard to play – at least for me! – but some of the music is difficult to listen to, Pagan Dances being a prime example. Bach’s Toccata and Fugue (and maybe Danse Bacchanale) are exceptions to the fact that Masque and Pagan Dances are fairly unknown pieces – at least to a general audience, and to me. Pagan Dances is split into three different movements. The first movement, Ritual, can be described as mysterious yet majestic. The horns start us off, with a fanfare of sorts. But then, the music tones down, with a mysterious clarinet and oboe line, that almost remind me of a snake charmer. But then it’s as if the snake broke the charmer’s spell and has run loose on the bazaar and is wreaking havoc! The clarinet and oboe line goes crazy. The movement ends with an outburst after a calm – what do you think happened in the story? I think the second movement, Mystics, is the coolest one by far. It starts off in the percussion section, with bells, xylophones, and chimes. The quietness is so tranquil that it is hypnotizing. The flute is added with a mellow, yet still mysterious, line. Again, these are pagan dances, so there must be an air of mystery. In any piece with three movements, the second one is usually the slow one, and Barnes follows suit. The last movement, The Master of the Sword, is a very rhythmic piece, depicting a dance before going off to war perhaps. What I love about Pagan Dances is that James Barnes really does create a picture in the listener’s head. The music illustrates a scene of pagan rituals, mystics, and fighters.

I could continue on and describe all of the pieces, but I think what I’ve said paints a good picture of how the music picked by Mozeiko is all very filled with emotion and vibrancy. It’s hard to listen to these obscure compositions without a picture in your head. I will give you some advice. Whenever you go to a concert with obscure names on the program, try to come up with a story beforehand. This way, you will never be lost.

Symphonic Wind Ensemble and QC String Ensemble Harvest Concert
Thursday, November 8, 2012
6:15 PM
LeFrak Concert Hall, Aaron Copland School of Music

Marina B. Nebro