Lone Star Wind Orchestra’s season opener entitled “Deep in the Heart” certainly referenced the popular Texas song, but it also held a wider significance as each work on the program showcased facets of American culture and history that lie deep in the heart of our people. It was presented in beautiful and often unexpected ways.
Our first two pieces by Morton Gould zeroed in one on of America’s biggest times of trial and triumph: World War II. Fanfare for Freedom was part of a collaborative commission by the Cincinnati Symphony for their 1942-43 season, which also produced Copland’s popular Fanfare for the Common Man. After an abrupt snare and trumpet call, the piece took off in brisk military style as the motive volleyed back and forth between woodwinds, brass, and percussion, each section eager to put their own heroic spin on the music. It particularly reminded me of the many factions of people working hard to win the war; young men on the front, builders and manufacturers, women filling new occupational roles, and the sacrifices of countless families.
Enter American Salute, one of Gould’s classics written overnight for a radio broadcast in 1943. The variations on “When Johnny Comes Marching Home,” set primarily in triplet meter took us on an emotional tour of the moods of the time, from the rich bassoon lines and articulated low brass to the flurry of woodwinds and urgency of trumpet and horn calls. In rehearsal, the musicians played the opening driving machine-gun rhythms, but feeling it wasn’t quite hitting the mark, the maestro pointed his baton and said, “It’s the beginning of World War II.” The silence that followed was an unspoken understanding of all we have ever seen and learned of that profound conflict. It came alive at the next downbeat… and thus at the concert as well.
America prides itself in mixing cultures, foreign and homegrown, old and new. Donald Grantham combined a Baroque dance style with rare instrumental sounds to create Baron Samedi’s Sarabande (and Soft Shoe). A Voodoo spirit guarding the crossroads of life and death, Baron Samedi is depicted as a tall skeletal figure in a tuxedo and top hat with a cigar in his mouth and drink in hand. He’s known for his crudeness, honesty, and penchant for partying. Grantham heavily employed the reed instruments to emulate Samedi’s nasal voice, due to the burial tradition of having cotton stuffed up his nose. Muted brass and chromatic lines provided a mysterious landscape. Sliding solos snaked through the ensemble. Late in the piece a jazz tune broke out, but the real treats came from the percussion: tiger growl, rain stick, water gong, celeste, and bowed vibes to name a few. Coins were placed under piano strings to produce otherworldly clinking tones. It was great fun to perform with Grantham as an honored guest, and the ensemble was humored in rehearsal when he offered the compliment, “You do creepy well.”
The first half closed with an array of musical styles from America and its European roots in the surprising form of a cello concerto. Friedrich Gulda was a Viennese piano soloist who came of age in the 1950s and fell in love with the creative freedom of jazz and other musical forms. Our guest soloist, Nikola Ruzevic dug into the first movement’s rock groove with gusto and played the more classical sections with grace. He smoothly transitioned to the second movement’s expressive chorale, reminiscent of Weber’s opening to Der Freischutz. An Austrian landler joyously danced in the midst. Next, Ruzevic played a virtuosic cadenza in a movement all its own, featuring climbing portamentos, ambulance mimics, whispered harmonics, clock chimes, and wailing double stops. The fourth movement touched on a refined Renaissance minuet style with a touch of pastoral cinematic melody at the center. The fifth movement began as a raucous marching band on parade. A bit of mariachi music inched in with hints of a railroad engine. Ruzevic flashed through his lines straight to the concluding fanfare and subsequent standing ovation.
Returning for the second half of the program, LSWO opened with the spirited classic Western piece, “Hoe Down” from Copland’s Rodeo, Seth Wollam conducting.
Kyle Kindred, one of Grantham’s former composition students, also graced us with his presence for the concert. We performed his Variations on a Tango, which captured the magic of traditional habanera rhythms and wrapped it in intriguing packages along the way. Piccolo introduced the main theme followed by a full statement by mallets in the percussion section. It was eventually highlighted by various soloists, chorale singing from the group, clapping, brief circus march interjections, and grand push to the end where a siren and a foreboding final statement of the rhythm awaited.
Lone Star Wind Orchestra’s co-founder, Christopher Tucker also happens to have been a student of Donald Grantham as well as a former college roommate of Kyle Kindred. He wrote Cotten’s Country for another Lone Star founder, Robert Clark and his late father who hailed from Southeast Texas. Thus his music reflects the heart of Texas, bringing us back around to the original inference of “Deep in the Heart.” Cotten’s Country cleverly manipulated a variety of motives, but more importantly delivered a huge helping of nostalgic spirit. The piece featured dancing woodwind rhythms, fanfaring brass, flowing melodies, and new takes on familiar tunes such as “Cotton Eyed Joe” and “The Streets of Laredo.” The appearances of guitar and harmonicas were also a nice surprise. The work concluded the concert with a rush of heroism and a sensation of excited satisfaction for both the audience and performers.
Lone Star Wind Orchestra was pleased to present this wonderful collection of works from “deep in our hearts.” We look forward to you joining us January 26th at the Meyerson Symphony Center for our next program entitled “Epic Tales.”
About the Author
Amy Stokes is a charter member of the Lone Star Wind Orchestra, and currently serves as horn section manager. She grew up in Memphis, TN where her father, a band director, decided she should play either horn or oboe in 6th grade band in order to earn a scholarship for college. She took naturally to horn right away and indeed received scholarships to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education. After following her husband to Dallas, she received a Master’s Degree in Music Performance from the University of North Texas, where she performed with the Wind Symphony, Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, and many chamber ensembles. She can be heard on 11 recording projects by the North Texas Wind Symphony. She has performed with various orchestras and is an active freelancer DFW in addition to having taught private instruction in Denton, Frisco, and Flower Mound. She currently teaches horn students at Coram Deo Academy in Flower Mound. Her husband Dax, is a reference librarian at North Central Texas College and serves on the board of Lone Star Wind Orchestra. They live in Corinth with their 3 children Hannah, Chloe, and Colin. She wants to thank her teachers and mentors along the way: Jennifer Kummer, Calvin Smith, Dr. Gary Sousa, Dr. Bill Scharnberg, Eugene Corporon, and David Ryan.