Free
Livestream
Music at Butler: Butler University Wind Ensemble
November 16, 2023 @ 7:30pm
The BUWE returns from two days of touring the Midwest for our final concert of the season titled “Art Installations.” We open the program with James M. David’s work, Urban Light, inspired by an installation of the same name at the Los Angeles Museum of Modern Art. Created by conceptual art pioneer Chris Burden in 2008, the original work is an assemblage of historic streetlamps that were transplanted from various cities in California and Portland, Oregon. The tight spacing and repetitive forms interact with the famously dynamic LA sunlight transitioning to the exciting nighttime glow of the city. Primary melodic and rhythmic motives are derived from Morse code for the word “California,” creating an asymmetrical and syncopated groove that continuously builds in energy. Parallel “barre” chords reveal a classic rock/metal influence that reaches its zenith with a heavy percussion backbeat. Polyrhythmic layers and prismatic colors move over, around, and under each other, leading towards a hopefully thrilling and intense finale.
We are joined first by faculty member, Dr. Phil Pierick, for Frank Ticheli’s Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Wind Ensemble. Dr. Pierick has performed this work with the Eastman Wind Ensemble, and we are thrilled to collaborate with him on stage to give a rousing performance of this masterwork for our medium.
We close the first half with French composer Ida Gotovsky and her art music, Poem de Fue. This “poem of fire” is a brilliant two-movement work and is an under-performed cornerstone of the art music for wind ensemble. The composer writes:
Ever since the beginning of man, fire has been particularly revered. Legends on its origin abound, each one conferring upon it a sacred feature; legends making of fire a link between creature and his creator.
Thus, the Celtic tradition brings us a myth close to Zarathustra’s: During the ceremonies heralding in the new-year, men would light two hearths. The first one which had been watched and honoured (sic) all the year round would be coming to its end, while the second, according to the memorial and magic process composed by the two celestial and earthly elements, gave birth to the new Fire.
When the two glowing furnaces were blazing in all their splendour (sic), the entire village, men, flocks and herds, in a long procession passed between the two Fires: The two movements of the poem. Everyone rejoiced to have mastered this divine gift.
The second half of our program features one of the masterworks for winds in our two centuries of music. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Serenade No. 12 for winds in C minor, K. 388/384a, highlights the composer’s love for wind instruments, and showcases our brilliant faculty in a side-by-side performance with the principal players of the BUWE. We are joined by our incredible Butler University faculty: Pam Anjango, oboe, Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra; Cathryn Gross, clarinet, Indianapolis Symphony; Doug Spaniol, bassoon, Butler University; and Zach Cooper, horn, Butler University.
This performance is free and open to the public, no ticket is required.
The BUWE returns from two days of touring the Midwest for our final concert of the season titled “Art Installations.” We open the program with James M. David’s work, Urban Light, inspired by an installation of the same name at the Los Angeles Museum of Modern Art. Created by conceptual art pioneer Chris Burden in 2008, the original work is an assemblage of historic streetlamps that were transplanted from various cities in California and Portland, Oregon. The tight spacing and repetitive forms interact with the famously dynamic LA sunlight transitioning to the exciting nighttime glow of the city. Primary melodic and rhythmic motives are derived from Morse code for the word “California,” creating an asymmetrical and syncopated groove that continuously builds in energy. Parallel “barre” chords reveal a classic rock/metal influence that reaches its zenith with a heavy percussion backbeat. Polyrhythmic layers and prismatic colors move over, around, and under each other, leading towards a hopefully thrilling and intense finale.
We are joined first by faculty member, Dr. Phil Pierick, for Frank Ticheli’s Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Wind Ensemble. Dr. Pierick has performed this work with the Eastman Wind Ensemble, and we are thrilled to collaborate with him on stage to give a rousing performance of this masterwork for our medium.
We close the first half with French composer Ida Gotovsky and her art music, Poem de Fue. This “poem of fire” is a brilliant two-movement work and is an under-performed cornerstone of the art music for wind ensemble. The composer writes:
Ever since the beginning of man, fire has been particularly revered. Legends on its origin abound, each one conferring upon it a sacred feature; legends making of fire a link between creature and his creator.
Thus, the Celtic tradition brings us a myth close to Zarathustra’s: During the ceremonies heralding in the new-year, men would light two hearths. The first one which had been watched and honoured (sic) all the year round would be coming to its end, while the second, according to the memorial and magic process composed by the two celestial and earthly elements, gave birth to the new Fire.
When the two glowing furnaces were blazing in all their splendour (sic), the entire village, men, flocks and herds, in a long procession passed between the two Fires: The two movements of the poem. Everyone rejoiced to have mastered this divine gift.
The second half of our program features one of the masterworks for winds in our two centuries of music. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Serenade No. 12 for winds in C minor, K. 388/384a, highlights the composer’s love for wind instruments, and showcases our brilliant faculty in a side-by-side performance with the principal players of the BUWE. We are joined by our incredible Butler University faculty: Pam Anjango, oboe, Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra; Cathryn Gross, clarinet, Indianapolis Symphony; Doug Spaniol, bassoon, Butler University; and Zach Cooper, horn, Butler University.
This performance is free and open to the public, no ticket is required.