Program for October 16, 2011 Madison Middle School Auditorium
Toccata Marziale (1924) Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958)
Toccata Marziale was British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams’ second work for band, pursuant to his English Folk Song Suite. The title indicates that it is a technical piece in the manner of various keyboard toccatas by Frescobaldi, Bach, and others, and that it is of the sort to be played at a military occasion. It was premiered in 1924 by the band of the Royal Military School of Music at a national exhibition. Regarding this work, conductor and scholar Frederick Fennell has written, “A great rhythmic vigor…permeates the whole score, propelling the strong contrapuntal lines throughout the vividly clear harmonic textures.”
Amazing Grace (1779) John Newton (1725–1807), arr. (1994) by Frank Ticheli
John Newton was a decidedly unreligious British sailor who, after experiencing a life-threatening storm, reconsidered his theology, left the sea, married, and joined the clergy. He began to write hymns for his prayer meetings, one of which was Amazing Grace. Composer Frank Ticheli received a commission from then-Director of Bands at Michigan State University, John Whitwell, to arrange the hymn in memory of Whitwell’s father. Madison Community Band member Cheryl Jackson played in the band at Michigan State at time the work was premiered.
Americans We (1928) Henry Fillmore (1881–1956)
Henry Fillmore was a member of a music publishing family in Cincinnati, but he was an independent sort and regularly ran afoul of his parents’ approval. Biographer Paul Bierley noted “Fillmore’s zest for life is evident across all of his marches.” Fillmore’s Americans We was premiered as part of his professional band’s concert series at the Cincinnati Zoo. It has been referred to as one of “that great triad of marches that are the basis of our patriotic inspiration.” The other two are Bagley’s National Emblem and Sousa’s Stars and Stripes Forever.
Chester Overture for Band (1957) William Schuman (1910–1992)
William Schuman grew up playing baseball and writing pop songs. He eventually turned to classical music and became the director of Schirmer Publications, served as the President of the Julliard School of Music, and guided the development of the Lincoln Center. Chester Overture for Band is a theme and variations on an American Revolutionary War hymn tune, and it is an extended version of the third movement of Schuman’s orchestral work entitled “New England Triptych.” The song by William Billings that is the source material was a protest against British tyranny, second only to Yankee Doodle in popularity. The first verse reads, “Let tyrants shake their iron rod, And Slav'ry clank her galling chains, We fear them not, we trust in God, New England's God forever reigns.” The title is the name of a town, and it is unrelated to the meaning of the text (but this was the convention for naming tunes in that day). The work has ties to Kentucky in that it was first performed by the University of Louisville Band.
Broadway Spectacular! arr. by John Higgins
Hello Dolly! (1963) by Jerry Herman
What I Did for Love (1975) by Marvin Hamlisch
Sunrise, Sunset (1964) by Jerry Bock
Tomorrow (1977) by Charles Strouse
Mame (1966) by Jerry Herman
Arranger John Higgins has assembled several of the most enduring songs from Broadway. In Hello Dolly, from the musical of the same name, the lead character, Dolly Levi Gallagher, is heartily welcomed to the most expensive restaurant in New York. What I Did For Love, from “A Chorus Line,” speaks to unrepentant, passion-driven motivations. The best-known ballad from “Fiddler on the Roof” is Sunrise, Sunset, during which lead character Tevye waxes nostalgic about the impending wedding of his daughter and his memories of her seemingly recent childhood. From “Annie” comes the optimistic Tomorrow, which the runaway, but hopeful, orphan sang to her new friend, the dog Sandy. Lastly, Mame is a tribute to a character who embodied the Bohemian way of thinking. Mame believed that one should enjoy all life has to offer, and that pretense has no value.
Toccata Marziale was British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams’ second work for band, pursuant to his English Folk Song Suite. The title indicates that it is a technical piece in the manner of various keyboard toccatas by Frescobaldi, Bach, and others, and that it is of the sort to be played at a military occasion. It was premiered in 1924 by the band of the Royal Military School of Music at a national exhibition. Regarding this work, conductor and scholar Frederick Fennell has written, “A great rhythmic vigor…permeates the whole score, propelling the strong contrapuntal lines throughout the vividly clear harmonic textures.”
Amazing Grace (1779) John Newton (1725–1807), arr. (1994) by Frank Ticheli
John Newton was a decidedly unreligious British sailor who, after experiencing a life-threatening storm, reconsidered his theology, left the sea, married, and joined the clergy. He began to write hymns for his prayer meetings, one of which was Amazing Grace. Composer Frank Ticheli received a commission from then-Director of Bands at Michigan State University, John Whitwell, to arrange the hymn in memory of Whitwell’s father. Madison Community Band member Cheryl Jackson played in the band at Michigan State at time the work was premiered.
Americans We (1928) Henry Fillmore (1881–1956)
Henry Fillmore was a member of a music publishing family in Cincinnati, but he was an independent sort and regularly ran afoul of his parents’ approval. Biographer Paul Bierley noted “Fillmore’s zest for life is evident across all of his marches.” Fillmore’s Americans We was premiered as part of his professional band’s concert series at the Cincinnati Zoo. It has been referred to as one of “that great triad of marches that are the basis of our patriotic inspiration.” The other two are Bagley’s National Emblem and Sousa’s Stars and Stripes Forever.
Chester Overture for Band (1957) William Schuman (1910–1992)
William Schuman grew up playing baseball and writing pop songs. He eventually turned to classical music and became the director of Schirmer Publications, served as the President of the Julliard School of Music, and guided the development of the Lincoln Center. Chester Overture for Band is a theme and variations on an American Revolutionary War hymn tune, and it is an extended version of the third movement of Schuman’s orchestral work entitled “New England Triptych.” The song by William Billings that is the source material was a protest against British tyranny, second only to Yankee Doodle in popularity. The first verse reads, “Let tyrants shake their iron rod, And Slav'ry clank her galling chains, We fear them not, we trust in God, New England's God forever reigns.” The title is the name of a town, and it is unrelated to the meaning of the text (but this was the convention for naming tunes in that day). The work has ties to Kentucky in that it was first performed by the University of Louisville Band.
Broadway Spectacular! arr. by John Higgins
Hello Dolly! (1963) by Jerry Herman
What I Did for Love (1975) by Marvin Hamlisch
Sunrise, Sunset (1964) by Jerry Bock
Tomorrow (1977) by Charles Strouse
Mame (1966) by Jerry Herman
Arranger John Higgins has assembled several of the most enduring songs from Broadway. In Hello Dolly, from the musical of the same name, the lead character, Dolly Levi Gallagher, is heartily welcomed to the most expensive restaurant in New York. What I Did For Love, from “A Chorus Line,” speaks to unrepentant, passion-driven motivations. The best-known ballad from “Fiddler on the Roof” is Sunrise, Sunset, during which lead character Tevye waxes nostalgic about the impending wedding of his daughter and his memories of her seemingly recent childhood. From “Annie” comes the optimistic Tomorrow, which the runaway, but hopeful, orphan sang to her new friend, the dog Sandy. Lastly, Mame is a tribute to a character who embodied the Bohemian way of thinking. Mame believed that one should enjoy all life has to offer, and that pretense has no value.
