Concert Program

Little Fugue was written in G minor for organ, an instrument on which Bach was a virtuoso. In a fugue, a short melody or phrase is introduced by one part and successively taken up by others and developed through interweaving. Early editors of Bach's work included “little” in the title to distinguish this piece from the later “Great Fantasia and Fugue in G minor” which is longer. It may also refer to the fact that “Little Fugue” is uncharacteristically not coupled with a preceding prelude.

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) is the most famous of a large German family of performers and composers who lived during the late Baroque period...His music is revered for its technical command, artistic beauty, and intellectual depth.

-Program note from palatineconcertband.org

As a member of, and musical arranger for the Eighth U.S. Army Band, John Barnes Chance served in Seoul, South Korea, during the Korean War. It was during this time that he became familiar with a traditional Korean folk song called Arirang. Chance explains, “The tune is not as simple as it sounds, and my fascination with it during the intervening years led to its eventual use as the theme for this set of variations”.

Arirang is a tune based on the pentatonic scale, and it can be dated back to the 18th century as a song of love and heartbreak. It was utilized in the 20th century as a resistance anthem during the Japanese occupation of Korea, when the singing of patriotic songs, including the national anthem, was criminalized. Chance’s set of variations, written for concert band in 1965, begins by presenting the Arirang theme, and proceeds to develop it through five variations. The piece alternates between fast and slow variations, with the final variation being marked “Con Islancio” (“with impetuousness”), and it uses a variety of time signatures and rhythmic motives to alter the theme. Chance maintains the Eastern influence of the original tune through his use of the pentatonic scale, as well as prominent use of distinct percussion instruments, such as temple blocks, cymbals, and a gong.

The piece was awarded the Ostwald Award in 1966 by the American Bandmasters Association.

- Program note adapted from Baylor University Symphonic Band concert program, 15 September 2022 (windrep.org)

Carol of the Bells is a popular Christmas carol composed by Mykola Leontovych in 1904 with lyrics by Peter J. Wilhousky. The song is based on a folk chant known in Ukrainian as Shchedryk. It was associated with the coming new year, which, in pre-Christian Ukraine, was originally celebrated with the coming of spring in April. (This explains why the original Ukrainian text speaks about a swallow returning and lambs being born.)

The melody was introduced to Western audiences by the Ukrainian National Chorus during its concert tour of Europe and the Americas, where it premiered in the United States on October 5, 1921, at Carnegie Hall.

- Program note from Wikipedia

This exiting take on the traditioanl classic is a great addition to any Christmas concert. The syncopated rhythms in the auxilary percussion parts ad a bit of fun to a tune that is such a familiar part of the holidays.

- Program note from the arranger.

The title La Madre de los gatos (The Mother of the Cats) refers to the nickname given to Mrs. Verda Shine by her colleagues at Bryd Middle School in Duncanville, Texas. Along with her fondness for cats, Mrs. Shine earned her nickname for her commitment to the nurturing and support of both staff and students.

As the Spanish language suggests, this composition reflects a Spanish style of music, the paso doble. All of the expected musical conventions are present, including fanfare gestures, Spanish style melodies, and a dramatic accelerando at the end.

A Hanukkah Festival is a medley of three traditional Hanukkah songs, Sevivon, Maoz Tzur, and Hanukkah. Sevivon has a dramatic melody and is written with a variety of accompaniment leading to a brief, but impressive, clarinet cadenza that leads into Maoz Tzur. This traditional piece is scored with full, rich voicings along with the beautiful melody. Hanukkah is the festival of lights and the last section of the piece. It is a bright playful march with an exciting conclusion.

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!, also known as Let It Snow, is a song written by lyricist Sammy Cahn and composer Jule Styne in July 1945. It was written in Hollywood, California, during a heat wave as Cahn and Styne imagined cooler conditions.

Here Comes Santa Claus ("Right Down Santa Claus Lane") is a Christmas song originally written and performed by Gene Autry, with music composed by Oakley Haldeman. Autry's original recording was a top-10 hit on the pop and country charts; the song would go on to be covered many times in the subsequent decades.

Autry got the idea for the song after riding his horse in the 1946 Santa Claus Lane Parade (now the Hollywood Christmas Parade) in Los Angeles, during which crowds of spectators chanted, "Here comes Santa Claus". This inspired him to write a song that Haldeman set to music.

Orpheus in the Underworld is a comic operetta composed by Jacques Offenbach. The operetta is an irreverent parody and scathing satire on Gluck and his Orfeo ed Euridice, and culminates in the risqué 'Galop infernal' which is famous outside classical circles as the music for the can-can (to the extent that the tune is widely, but erroneously, called 'can-can'). This 'Galop' shocked some in the audience at the premiere.The overture made prominent use of the operetta's best music, most obviously the concluding can-can. This overture rapidly gained popularity on its own account, and it remains a favourite piece for orchestral concerts.

- Program note by Jacco Nefs - (windrep.org)

Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a song written by Johnny Marks based on the 1939 story Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer published by the Montgomery Ward Company. Gene Autry's recording hit No. 1 on the U.S. charts the week of Christmas 1949.

Set in a jazzy medium swing style, Luther Henderson created an unforgettable setting of Rudolph for the Canadian Brass. Michael Brown's skillful adaptation for concert band maintains the clever scoring devices and "shtick" of the original.

A versatile composer and arranger, Van der Roost is represented by works for wind band, brass quintet, orchestra, choir, chamber ensemble, piano, and guitar. His compositions have been performed on radio and television and recorded in over 35 countries. This suite of four gypsy dances was written in 1987. While having the definitive sound of authentic folk dances, the themes and melodies are all original. The dances alternate from bright and colorful to tranquil and melancholic, moods typical of gypsy music. Lying to the south and east of the Danube, the Puszta is the great Hungarian plain or prairie country that was home to nomadic shepherds and fierce horsemen. The region is noted as the original home of the celebrated Lipizzaner stallions.

- Program note by Marcie Phelan for the Ridgewood (NJ) Concert Band (windrep.org)

A Christmas Festival, composed in 1950, is a concert overture built upon traditional Christmas songs. Originally recorded by the Boston Pops, it is the Christmas medley that sets the standard for all others. Anderson has encompassed the joy, celebration, and solemnity of Christmas in his arrangements of Joy To The World • Deck the Halls • God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen • Good King Wenceslas • Hark! The Herald Angels Sing • The First Noel • Silent Night • Jingle Bells and O Come, All Ye Faithful.

- Program note from Walnut Creek (Calif.) Concert Band concert program, 1 December 2015 (windrep.org)