Synopsis
American composer Jennifer Higdon is used to having her new works premiered by some of this country’s major orchestras. The Philadelphia Orchestra, for example, gave the premiere performance of her Concerto for Orchestra in 2002.
The following year, another Higdon work, Rhythm Stand for wind band, premiered in Philadelphia. Now, if Higdon’s Concerto for Orchestra was composed for the virtuoso members of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Rhythm Stand was intended for amateur musicians — middle-school students, to be precise, and its premiere was given by the kids of the Baldi Middle School Band, led by Sandra Dylan.
Rhythm Stand was commissioned by the American Composers Forum for their BandQuest series of new scores, all written by leading composers, but intended for young performers.
Higdon explained the title of her new piece as follows: “Composing is merely the job of combining interesting sounds into interesting patterns. And interesting patterns create cool rhythms. So ... I’m making a stand for rhythm … rhythm is everywhere … ever listened to the tires of a car running across pavement, or a train on railroad tracks? Because music can be any kind of sound arranged into an interesting pattern, I added sounds that you normally wouldn’t hear coming from band instruments, sounds created out of ordinary things that might be nearby … like music stands and pencils, for example … And some performers in this piece get even more basic … they snap their fingers.”
Music Played in Today's Program
Jennifer Higdon (b. 1962): Rhythm Stand; University of Minnesota Symphonic Band; Craig Kirchoff, conductor; Hal Leonard (full score, parts and CD) HL-04002285
On This Day
Births
1799 - French opera composer Jacques-François-Fromental-Elie Halévy, in Paris
1822 - German composer Joseph Joachim Raff, in Lachen, near Zürich
1888 - French composer and member of Les Six, Louis Durey, in Paris
1922 - German-born American composer Margaret Buechner, in Hannover
1928 - Scottish composer Thea Musgrave, in Edinburgh
Deaths
1840 - Italian composer and violinist Nicollo Paganini, 57, in Nice
Premieres
1899 - Ravel: Shéhérazade (Fairy Overture), at a Societe Nationale Concert at the Salle du Nouveau-Thèâtre in Paris
1906 - Mahler: Symphony No. 6, in Essen, with the composer conducting
1947 - Martinu: Symphony No. 5, in Prague
1976 - Dello Joio: Colonial Variants for orchestra, in Philadelphia
1981 - Bernstein: Halil for Flute and Orchestra, in Tel Aviv, with the Israel Philharmonic conducted by the composer, with Jean-Pierre Rampal the soloist
1995 - Libby Larsen: Ring of Fire for orchestra, by the Charlotte Symphony (North Carolina), Peter McCoppin conducting
2001 - Saariaho: Song for Betty, dedicated to 80-year old music patron Betty Freeman, by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Esa-Pekka Salonen conducting. See May 25 & 26 as well.
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About Composers Datebook®
Host John Birge presents a daily snapshot of composers past and present, with timely information, intriguing musical events and appropriate, accessible music related to each.
He has been hosting, producing and performing classical music for more than 25 years. Since 1997, he has been hosting on Minnesota Public Radio's Classical Music Service. He played French horn for the Cincinnati Symphony and Pops Orchestra and performed with them on their centennial tour of Europe in 1995. He was trained at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Eastman School of Music and Interlochen Arts Academy.