TIM REYNISH WEBSITE

APRIL 2007

All we can do is to make things better for the next generation

This was advice I received from Robert H Reynolds back in 2003 when I was touring major USA universities on a Churchill Fellowship to investigate wind band training and repertoire. Nearly quarter of a century later, we are in possession of a vast amount of music on disc and published, but in some ways we are no further forward in selecting the best to feature in our programmes. One major problem is the lack of criticism of our concerts in the national and international press. 

Recently the US Marine Band gave the world premiere of a new work by David Chaitkin, and I have searched the web fruitlessly for any mention of this. In Tokyo, the first composition competition run by the Tokyo Kosei did not award a first prize, but gave a second and two thirds. Again I have searched the net for information about the composers and their works again fruitlessly. In London Thoughts Scribbled in a Blank Wall by Adam Gorb, scored for choir, organ and brass quintet received its premiere, a wonderful work ignored by the press, while in Stuttgart the Police Band of Baden Wurttemberg premiered a new work by Stephen Melillo, both apparently with no press review. However, at the same conference Bläserphilharmonie Heilbronn gave the world premiere of a WASBE Germany commission, Sinfonietta, by Axel Ruoff, repeating the concert a week later where it was reviewed thus:

Grandiose Premiere Beim Deutschen Bläserforum in Stuttgart Anfang März uraufgeführt, erlebt die Sinfonietta von Axel Ruoff im Beisein des 1957 in Stuttgart geborenen Komponisten eine grandiose Premiere in Heilbronn. Aus dem steten Drängen von Bass und Flügel entwickelt sich ein vielfarbiges Klangbild mit wechselnden Solisten. Es scheint, als sprächen die Instrumente miteinander, wenn die Musiker hoch konzentriert unter Langes wachsam formendem Dirigat eine Klangexplosion nach der anderen zünden. Aufwühlend bis zum Schluss, wird der finale harmonische Akkord zum erlösenden Atemzug. Das ist überwältigend und weist den Klangkörper einmal mehr als Garanten für anspruchsvolle Bläsermusik aus.

Any information about the Chaitkin or the Kosei Competition will be gratefully along with news of any premieres of international importance from 2005-2007 for my presentation at WASBE. Works at any level will be welcome, scores and discs will be placed in the WASBE library for the Conference. Meanwhile, it occurred to me that we, that is WASBE, CBDNA, NBA, ABA, BASBWE, CBA, JBA and everyone else, might usefully collaborate on line with a monthly review by senior members of our organisations of concerts, discs and new music. This would be a way of disseminating information about the non-commercial side of our activities.

AMATEUR MUSIC IN NORWAY

The results are out for the Norwegian Wind Band contest held in Trondheim 23-24 March. In the Elite division first prize went to Dragefjellets Musikkorps Bergen conducted by Gary Petersen with the Ingolf Dahl Sinfonietta and Florent Schmitt Dionysiaques, while second place went to Lillestrom Musikkorps conducted by Trond Myhne in the Schmitt and Dana Wilson’s Piece of Mind.

Division 1 was won by a performance of Bert Appermont’s Symphony no 1, Giglamesh played by Sande Musikkorps Vestfold conducted by Helkge Haukas, while in second place was a performance of four movements of Maslanka’s A Child’s Garden of Dreams with the Sandefjord Ungdomskorps conducted by Odd Terje Lysebo.

Other programmes included MacMillan’s Sowetan Spring, Thommesen’s Stabsarabesk, Waespi’s Symphonic Variations, Graham’s Harrison’s Dream, Hindemith Konzertmusik, Blue Shades and Sunrise at Angel Gate, a huge range of major works at all levels.

COMPACT DISC MONTH

AMERICAN GOTHAM

Already I am four months behind with my New Year’s Resolution to catalogue all my compact discs and then review them as they hit my desk. But today in mid-March I am inspired to make a start with a great disc conducted by WASBE member Mike Christianson with the Gotham Wind Symphony, only available through the Gothamwindsymphony website.

Mike describes the CD:

This is our Americana – the version where we celebrate New York as the important cultural font it is, the version where we recognise jazz as the great artistic contribution it is (within every wind ensemble is a jazz band – literally).

It’s a great repertoire, opening with a work by the incomparable Thad Jones, commissioned by Mike’s father and his North Dakota High School, ending with a four movement saxophone concerto with New York saxophonist Dave Pietro as soloist in a work written for Ridgewood High School, New Jersey in 1999. Two commissions from the ensemble are sandwiched, a seven and a half minute ramble demonstrating the expanding palette and the furthering of tradition, and a concerto for jazz band and wind orchestra featuring La Guardia High School of Music & Art Jazz Orchestra as solo group.

DISTILLED IN KENTUCKY

Jazz is the predominant influence in my second CD catalogued today of premieres from the Bluegrass State. One reason for my love of Kentucky is the chance to hear the DoJo Big Band on the last Monday of each month, stars from the faculties of Kentucky Universities led by the great Vince DiMartino and the maverick Miles Osland, Director of Jazz Studies and Professor of Saxophone at University of Kentucky, Lexington. Cody Birdwell I first heard in the world premiere of Adam Gorb’s gently jazzy Downtown Diversions for Trombone, for me the best trombone concerto with wind band accompaniment. Since then he has premiered two great jazz concerti by Mike Mower, the Flute Concerto and the Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Wind Orchestra featured here along with the world premiere of a concerto for saxophone quartet and wind by Bob Mintzer, premiered in Washington by Leonard Slatkin and the NSO and transcribed for wind by Rick Hirsch. Standard repertoire by Mackey, Daugherty and Lindroth complete the CD which is published by Mark Custom records on 6739-MCD.

JAZZ & THE WIND ENSEMBLE

A year ago I enthused about two other works incorporating jazz idiom, Spirit of Freedom by Chris Brubeck and Adam Gorb’s Adrenaline City. Adam’s new work has just been published by Studio Music and I believe it is recorded by the RNCM under Clark Rundell, but I have yet to hear the recording. Chris’s piece is more substantial, both should enter the repertoire and I shall feature them in my talk on premieres of the last two years ion the WASBE Conference.

VERDI UND DIE BANDA

CD number three I purchased in the State Opera in Stuttgart following an incredible concert by the wind, brass and percussion of the State Opera Orchestra, augmented, in a programme of Verdi, Bellini, Donizetti and Rossini. Their first CD under the Director of Music Gabriele Ferro, includes transcriptions from Oberto, Nabucco, Macbeth, Rigoletto, La Traviata and La Forza del Destino and is available on ACD 6013-3.

WIND BAND CONFERENCES

During April I shall review the Second German Wind Band Forum held in Stuttgart in early March, and the CBDNA Conference held in Ann Arbor in late March, both with some terrific concerts. Every Conference features several interesting pieces, and if you are seeking out interesting repertoire, browse the web for details of the two summer Conferences.

BASBWE GOES TO SCOTLAND

28 June – 1 July 2007 Conference in Glasgow

Early Bird Booking closes May 1

For information go to the BASBWE Conference Site

WASBE GOES TO IRELAND

8 – 14 July 2007 Conference in Killarney

For information go to the WASBE Conference Site