North Georgia Winds
Program Order:
Symphony No. 1 The Lord of the Rings, Mvt. 1 "Gandalf" - Johan de Meij
Esprit de Corps - Robert Jager
Panoramic Landscapes - Tyler S. Grant
Pacific Grooves - Tyler S. Grant
Festive Overture - Dimitri Shostakovich
Prelude, Siciliano, and Rondo - Arnold, arr. John Paynter
Havanna Nights - Randall D. Standridge
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On the Podium for The North Georgia Winds
Conductor Mr. Matthew Fuller
Associate Conductor Mr. Dion Muldrow
Guest Conductor Mr. Tyler Grant
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Program Notes
Symphony No. 1 The Lord of the Rings, Mvt. 1 "Gandalf" - Johan de Meij
De Meij’s first symphony, The Lord of the Rings, is based on the trilogy of the same name by J. R. R. Tolkien that has fascinated and inspired millions of readers since its publication in 1955. De Meij’s symphony consists of five separate movements, each illustrating a personage or an important episode from Tolkien’s masterpiece.
The first movement is a musical portrait of the wizard Gandalf, one of the principal characters of the trilogy. His wise and noble personality is expressed by a stately motif which is used in a different form in movements IV and V. The sudden opening of the Allegro vivace is indicative of the unpredictability of the grey wizard, followed by a wild ride on his beautiful horse “Shadowfax.”
-U.S. Marine Band concert program, 25 February 2018
Esprit de Corps - Robert Jager
Based on The Marines' Hymn, this work is a kind of fantasy-march, as well as a tribute to the United States Marine Band, which group had commissioned the work. Full of energy and drama, the composition has its solemn moments and its lighter moments (for example, the quasi-waltz in the middle of the piece). The composer intends that this work should display the fervor and virtuosity of the Marine Band and the musical spirit and integrity of its conductor, Colonel John R. Bourgeois, for whom the initial tempo marking, "Tempo di Bourgeois," is named. Colonel John Bourgeois is a dramatic, spirited conductor who reflects the excitement of the music being played. When a tempo is supposed to be "bright" he makes sure it is exactly that. Because the tempo of Esprit de Corps is to be very bright, the marking just had to be "Tempo di Bourgeois!"
- provided by the Wind Repertory Project
Panoramic Landscapes - Tyler S. Grant
Since my early childhood, nature has been a major part of my life. Whether it be hiking in the woods, camping in the mountains, or sitting by a lake, I have always found that “the great outdoors” provides me with a tremendous amount of inspiration. Panoramic Landscapes is a musical depiction the awe-inspiring scenery that I find myself surrounded by on a regular basis.
Originally scored for brass and percussion, this work was performed by members of the Dallas Wind Symphony and the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra as a winning composition in the DWS’s “Call for Fanfares” competition. While still remaining true to the original, I have expanded the thematic material in a way that exhibits greater harmonic color and stunning panoramic imagery.
- program note by composer
Pacific Grooves - Tyler S. Grant
Pacific Grooves was commissioned by J. Tyler Farrell and the Palisades Charter High School Bands (California) in honor of their 60th anniversary. I was excited at the opportunity to write a work for such a special occasion and had several end goals that I wanted the piece to achieve. First of all, the work was meant to be a celebration of the past, present, and future of Pali High and the incredible student body that has shaped its culture. This work also seeks to portray the Pacific Palisades and neighboring areas while keeping the idea of a “celebration” central to the work.
Beginning with a mysterious sunrise over the Santa Monica Mountains, the work quickly transitions to an electric and vibrant dance that immediately transports the listener to scenes along the Pacific Coast Highway and Sunset Boulevard. The work is based on several motifs that are woven throughout the many featured styles. This is intended to paint a colorful portrait of this incredible part of the West Coast.
- program note by composer
Festive Overture - Dimitri Shostakovich
The gestation of Shostakovich’s Festive Overture has been subject to several different theories. One author claims that it was originally written in 1947, but was suppressed by Shostakovich along with many of his compositions created during this repressive period of Soviet history. Others believe that the celebratory quality of the overture displays Shostakovich’s relief at the death of Josef Stalin (in 1953), whose regime had twice censored the composer and his music. Most probably, the work was commissioned for a gathering at the Bolshoi Theater in November of 1954, celebrating the 37th anniversary of the October Revolution. The conductor, Vasili Nebolsin, realized that he had no appropriate piece to open the high-profile concert. He approached Shostakovich, who was at the time a musical consultant at the Bolshoi. The composer set to work, and the overture was completed in three days, the individual pages of the score being taken by the courier before the ink had dried to copyists waiting at the theater to create the orchestra parts. Although written in haste, the overture has proved to be one of Shostakovich’s most frequently performed works.
- from University of North Carolina, Greensboro, Wind Ensemble concert program, 19 November 2015
Prelude, Siciliano, and Rondo - Arnold, arr. John Paynter
Born to a family of shoemakers in 1917, British composer Malcolm Arnold became a sought-after composer and trumpet performer before his twenty-fifth birthday. Arnold completed his Little Suite for Brass in 1963, adding to the competitive repertoire of British-style brass bands. Consisting of three short contrasting movements, the piece is used to this day as a “test piece” in various brass band competitions – providing a single work that all competing bands are required to perform. This suite was transcribed for full concert band in 1979 and given the name Prelude, Siciliano and Rondo showcasing John P. Paynter’s considerable skill as a transcriber as well as his apparent disapproval of the Oxford comma.
- Program Note by Christopher M. Nelson for Indiana University All-Campus Band concert program, April 2023
Havanna Nights - Randall D. Standridge
My musical tastes are wildly eclectic. One moment, you might find me enjoying Beethoven’s symphonies and the other you might find me head-banging to Iron Maiden. I have never been a musical snob, and I value and love the entire array of sounds, rhythms, and textures that the world of music, in all its forms, has to offer.
One genre I have a particular affection for is mambo. Being introduced to the style when I was in high school, I was enchanted with the melodies, rhythms, and excitement that it generates. As I dug more deeply into the style, I was introduced to the work of Yma Sumac, Tito Puente, Pérez Prado, and others. I was absolutely enchanted.
Havana Nights is a concert work for wind ensemble, but it was also conceived as a short ballet. The action takes place in the mambo clubs of Havana as our heroine (Havanna) dances her way through the night life. She encounters another young dancer and the two begin a flirtatious, seductive conversation through the art of movement. As the ballet comes to a close, Havanna casts one final, gleeful look at her would-be suitor before escaping into the night.
This work was commissioned by District 10 of the Ohio Music Educators Association for their 2018 District 10 OMEA Honor Band. I would like to thank them for trusting my creativity and allowing me to create something “entirely else” for wind ensemble. Thank you for letting me use my musical voice.
Also, this work is dedicated to one of my composition professors, Dr. Tom O’Connor. I absolutely could not have done any of this without your guidance, advice, and encouragement. I am forever in your debt.
Peace, Love, and Music.
- program note by composer
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