Angels of Light

Eugene Migliaro Corporon, Conductor
Frank Ticheli, Distinguished Visiting Composer+
Fred Hamilton, Electric Guitarº
Ashley Voelkel, Soprano^
Reverand Monsignor Don Fischer, Emcee
LSWO Youth Winds, Dr. Bradley Kent, Conductor
LSWO Brass Quintet*

Program

The Star-Spangled Banner, Arr. by John Philip Sousa (1854-1932)
Suite from ”Mass”*, Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990)
Chaos Theoryº, James Bonney (b. 1971)
Aurora Awakes, John Mackey (b. 1973)

Debut of the LSWO Youth Winds, Dr. Bradley Kent, conductor
Nitro, Frank Ticheli (b. 1958)
Ave Maria, Franz Biebl (1906-2001)

The Lone Star Wind Orchestra and the LSWO Youth Winds, Frank Ticheli, conductor
Angels in the Architecture^+, Frank Ticheli
Amen!+, Frank Ticheli

Program Notes

Suite from “Mass” (1971/2007)
Leonard Bernstein
Arr. by Michael Sweeney

Suite from “Mass” is an arrangement for symphonic winds and brass quintet of Bernstein’s Mass, a theatrical work written for the opening of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. on September 8, 1971. The original 90-minute composition, subtitled “A Theater Piece for Singers, Players, and Dancers,” reflects an interest Bernstein (though Jewish) had developed with the Roman Catholic faith. Bernstein’s Mass mixes the text of the Liturgy of the Roman Mass with other texts by Bernstein and librettist Stephen Schwarz. Its original instrumentation calls for a cast of nearly two-hundred performers, to include two orchestras, two choruses, boys choir, ballet company and cast, a marching band, and rock combo. Viewed by some as blasphemous and by others as politically subversive, Mass uses an eclectic mix of musical styles to reflect the turmoil of the era. This setting by Michael Sweeney, commissioned by the Canadian Brass and the Eastman Wind Ensemble, focuses on a select number of movements, often using the brass quintet to represent the vocal lines found in the original.

Chaos Theory (2000)
James Bonney

Chaos Theory is a concerto for electric guitar and wind orchestra, commissioned by the University of Nevada Las Vegas Wind Orchestra and premiered May 30, 2000, Thomas G. Leslie conducting. This three-movement piece includes numerous improvisational sections, which afford the soloist a great deal of freedom for interpretation (herein lies the “Chaos”). Bonney says of his work:

“In this piece, I wanted to fuse progressive/hard rock intensity with classical sophistication. I wanted to blur the line between something precise and mathematical and something primal and visceral. And I wanted to pay homage to some of my musical influences: Rush, Beethoven, Metallica, J.S. Bach, Led Zeppelin, Shostakovich, Iron Maiden, Igor Stravinsky, King Crimson, George Lynch, Augustin Barrios-Mangore, John Petrucci (Dream Theatre), Frank Zappa, Anton Webern, and Steve Vai.”

Aurora Awakes (2009)
John Mackey

Aurora – the Roman goddess of the dawn – is a mythological figure frequently associated with beauty and light. Also known as Eos (her Greek analogue), Aurora would rise each morning and stream across the sky, heralding the coming of her brother Sol, the sun. Though she is herself among the lesser deities of Roman and Greek mythologies, her cultural influence has persevered, most notably in the naming of the vibrant flashes of light that occur in Arctic and Antarctic regions– the Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis. Aurora Awakes is, thus, a piece about the heralding of the coming of light. Built in two substantial sections, the piece moves over the course of eleven minutes from a place of remarkable stillness to an unbridled explosion of energy – from darkness to light, placid grey to startling rainbows of color. Aurora Awakes was awarded the 2009 American Bandmasters Association/Ostwald Award as well as the National Bandmasters Association William D. Revelli Award.

Nitro (2006)
Frank Ticheli

Nitro is one of three fanfares commissioned specifically for the 50th anniversary season of the Northshore Concert Band (Evanston, Illinois). Described by Ticheli as an “energy-charged three-minute whirlwind,” Nitro received its premiere performance by the Northshore Concert Band, Mallory Thompson, music director, on April 9, 2006. Ticheli offers:

“Nitrogen is the most abundant component of the Earth’s atmosphere (78 percent by volume), and is present in the tissues of every living thing. It is the fifth most abundant element in the universe, created by the fusion deep within stars; it has recently been detected in interstellar space. The sheer prevalence of nitrogen in all of nature, and infinite range of compounds it is part of––life-giving, emerging, healing, cleansing, explosive––all appealed to me, and served as the inspiration for my music.”

Ave Maria (1964)
Franz Biebl
Arr. by Robert Cameron

Franz Biebl was organist, choirmaster and teacher near Munich, Germany. It was common for companies, factories, police and fire departments to sponsor an employees’ choir, which often would participate in choral competitions and festivals with other similar choirs. One particular fireman who had sung for Biebl, asked him to compose something for his fireman’s choir for such an occasion. The result was the Ave Maria originally written for double male choir. Each verse is intoned by a solo chant line that tells the story of the annunciation. The source of the text is the Angelus liturgy recited every morning, noon and evening in the Catholic Church (except during Paschal time, when the Regina Coeli is substituted). It is cued by the ringing of the “Angelus” bell, sometimes referred to as the “Peace Bell.” This arrangement was made by Robert Cameron.

Angels in the Architecture (2008)
Frank Ticheli

Angels in the Architecture was commissioned by Kingway International and premiered at the Sydney Opera House on July 6, 2008, featuring a large ensemble of students from Australia and the United States. According to Ticheli, the piece conveys the dramatic conflict between the two extremes of divine and evil. He was inspired by at least three specific sources for the piece. The Sydney Opera House itself was a source with its halo-shaped acoustical ornaments hanging directly above the performance stage. The title of the piece can be found in the lyrics of Ticheli’s favorite songwriter, Paul Simon. In the song “You Can Call Me Al”, the lyrics state: “He sees angels in the architecture/Spinning in infinity/He says Amen! and Hallelujah!” The third source is the following quote by Thomas Merton, a twentieth-century Catholic mystic and writer: “The peculiar grace of a Shaker chair is due to the fact that it was built by someone capable of believing that an angel might come and sit on it.” Angels in the Architecture begins with a single voice singing a nineteenth-century Shaker song, “Angel of Light.” Ticheli says of the work:

“This “angel” (represented by the singer) frames the work, surrounding it with a protective wall of light and establishing the divine. Other representations of light – played by instruments rather than sung – include an ancient Hebrew song of peace (“Hevenu Shalom Aleichem”), and the well-known 16th-century Genevan Psalter, “Old Hundredth”. These three borrowed songs, despite their differing religious origins, are meant to transcend any one religion, representing the more universal human ideals of peace, hope, and love. An original chorale, appearing twice in the work, represents my own personal expression of these aspirations. In opposition, turbulent, fast-paced music appears as a symbol of darkness, death, and spiritual doubt. Twice during the musical drama, these shadows sneak in almost unnoticeably, slowly obscuring, and eventually obliterating the light altogether. The darkness prevails for long stretches of time, but the light eventually returns, inextinguishable, more powerful than before. The alternation of these opposing forces creates, in effect, a kind of five-part rondo form (light-darkness-light-darkness-light). Just as Charles Ives did more than a century ago, Angels in the Architecture poses the unanswered question of existence. It ends as it began: the angel reappears with the same comforting works. But deep below, a final shadow reappears — distantly, ominously.”

Amen! (2009)
Frank Ticheli

Amen! takes on an upbeat, somewhat bluesy gospel style, suggesting an impassioned preacher sharing some bit of good news. After an introductory “call to order,” our preacher (depicted by the clarinet section) gives us the main tune over a series of simple, bopping quarter-note chords. Later, the full ensemble bursts out in a fit of joy — the choir and congregation have joined in, dancing and shouting in full agreement. The good news is driven home in the concluding coda over a series of plagal (“Amen’) chord progressions, and one final joyful shout. Ticheli offers the following:

I composed Amen! as a retirement gift to my lifelong friend, Tracy McElroy, in celebration of his lifelong achievements after thirty years of teaching instrumental music in Texas public schools. Back in the 70s in Richardson, Tracy and I played trumpet together in the Berkner High School Band, forging a close friendship that lasts to this day. Tracy’s teaching to generations of young people instilled in them not only his deep love of music, but his values of personal discipline and teamwork. His life’s work epitomizes the contributions of thousands of music educators in this country whose gifts to our society are enormous, perhaps incalculable.