The U.S. Army Concert Band Scenes Statues · President’s Cup Concert Band Festival; an invitation...

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The U.S. Army Concert Band

Scenes &Statues

LINER NOTESSFC Brian E. Archer Recording Engineer1LT Richard K. Henebry ProducerSGM Gerard J. Amoury Assistant ProducerMs. Jennifer S. Maly Graphic DesignSSG Victoria D. Chamberlin PhotographyReleased: December 2016

COL Timothy J. Holtan Leader and CommanderCSM Daniel R. Smith Enlisted Leader1LT Richard K. Henebry Officer in ChargeSGM Gerard J. Amoury Concert Band Element LeaderSSG Eric J. Seay Project ManagerMSG David T. Brown Liner Notes

PRODUCTION TEAM

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The U.S. Army Concert Band | Scenes & Statues | Liner Notes

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Testament of FreedomRandall Thompsonarr. John Corleywith The U.S. Army Chorus

The “Testament of Freedom” is a four-movement work for men’s chorus and piano composed in 1943 by Randall Thompson. It was premiered on April 13, 1943, by the Virginia Glee Club under the direction of Stephen Tuttle with the composer serving as pianist. Thompson later created orchestrations for orchestra and mixed chorus for publication in 1944.

The piece was written while Thompson was teaching at the University of Virginia. This work was composed in celebration of the bicentennial of the birth of the university’s founder, Thomas Jefferson. Consequently, the text for the work was taken from Jefferson’s writings. Although it was meant as an occasional work, the piece was soon seen as an opportunity to project an uplifting message about the United States in wartime. The premiere was recorded by CBS and quickly broadcast nationwide. It was also transmitted by shortwave radio over the Office of War Information (OWI) network to Allied servicemen stationed in Europe.

On April 14, 1945, it was performed by Serge Koussevitzky and the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall as part of a concert in memory of Franklin D. Roosevelt, who had died two days earlier. The piece continues to be popular and is performed frequently by men’s and mixed choruses alike.

The first of the piece’s four movements is similar in style to a hymn. It opens with a five-note instrumental invocation meant to rhythmically spell out the name: Thomas Jefferson. The melody used in the movement reappears in various forms throughout the rest of the piece. The second movement is slower in nature, and resembles a dirge. Numerous writers, including Virgil Thompson, commented on its resemblance to Eastern Orthodox chant. The third movement is a scherzo, while the fourth recapitulates themes heard in the other movements. The work ends with a return of the initial melody and text. This recording is a truncated version of the work, which features most of the first and fourth movements.

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Three Washington StatuesWorld Premiere RecordingPhilip Sparke

Philip Sparke’s Three Washington Statues was commissioned for the inaugural President’s Cup Concert Band Festival; an invitation only, adjudicated festival for high school wind ensembles. The work was premiered at the Hylton Performing Arts Center, Manassas, VA, on April 10, 2015.

Washington, DC, contains some of the world’s most iconic monuments, memorials and statues, especially in and around the spectacular National Mall. Composer Philip Sparke chose three of these as inspiration for this piece.

1. The Lincoln MemorialSituated at the west end of the National Mall, the majestic Lincoln Memorial is in the form of a Greek Doric temple. Designed by Henry Bacon, it houses Daniel Chester French’s 1920 statue of Abraham Lincoln, which depicts a pensive Lincoln seated on a throne-like chair. The music contrasts the static grandeur of the monument with the constant movement of the 3 million visitors it attracts every year.

2. The Martin Luther King, Jr., MemorialOne of Washington’s newest statues, having opened in 2011, is the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. This memorial is located close to the Lincoln Memorial, on which steps he gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963. Chinese sculptor Lei Yixin chose this speech as his inspiration, referencing the line “With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope.” It depicts the civil rights leader standing resolutely and half-hewn out of a block of granite which projects powerfully from between two other large boulders. The mood of the music is in part reverent, but also reflects the strength of character depicted by this powerful statue.

3. Duke Ellington “Encore”Composer, pianist and bandleader Duke Ellington was born in Washington, DC, in 1899. Ellington’s music career began at the legendary Howard Theatre, located in the northern suburbs of the city. Opening in 1910, the theatre has had a checkered history. It closed in 1970 and reopened in 1973, only to close again seven years later. Following a $29-million restoration, it reopened again in 2012, when the elaborate Zachary Oxman statue of Ellington, entitled “Encore,” was erected outside the theater. This movement provides a taste of the style, flare, and power that made Ellington one of the most influential American composers of the 20th century.

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Frederick’s Black Devils(March of the First Special Service Force)World Premiere RecordingSGM (Ret.) Paul A. Murtha

During World War II, Winston Churchill initiated the formation of Special Force Commando Units that would prove critical in changing the course of the war. The First Special Service Force was a joint U.S. and Canadian force, which was initially intended to assault Norway. Led by their intrepid leader, Colonel Robert T. Frederick, the First Special Service Force was among the most famous of these units, and is the forerunner of today’s U.S. Special Forces. Due to their ferocious nature and blackened faces for night raids, the fearful Germans gave them the nickname “The Black Devils.” In 2013 they were selected to receive the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest honor the U.S. government can bestow. Frederick’s Black Devils is a stirring concert march that pays tribute to this legendary unit. It was premiered for the 42 attending members of the unit just prior to the presentation of the Congressional Gold Medal on February 3, 2015.

Highlights from “Frozen”Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert LopezChristophe Beck, Frode Fjellheim and Christine Hals (Vuelie)arr. MSG Michael Brownwith The U.S. Army Voices and soloists

Inspired by a Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale “The Snow Queen,” the animated film “Frozen” was released in November 2013. This film tells the story of fearless Princess Anna who sets off on an epic journey to find her estranged sister, Queen Elsa, whose icy powers have frozen the kingdom in eternal winter. With the help of a mountain man, his reindeer, and a snowman, Anna goes on an adventure of a lifetime. The songs from this film have become a certified cultural phenomenon. Some children have watched this movie so many times that they can recite every lyric by heart and are prone to burst into singing them again and again at every opportunity, much to the distress of parents and teachers everywhere. When asked about the unparalleled success of the film, one of the actors was quite surprised saying, “I did not know that people would just not ‘let it go.’”

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Collusion: Tuba ConcertoWorld Premiere RecordingRob Teehanfeaturing Patrick Sheridan, tuba

Composer Rob Teehan told tuba soloist Patrick Sheridan that, as a solo instrument, the tuba has a lot more to say than what the current repertoire has to give. After spending an afternoon eating lunch and brainstorming on the possibilities of expanding the solo voice of the tuba, Rob and Pat decided to create a work that would bring together jazz and funk Sousaphone, soulful gospel, and blistering technical displays to showcase Pat’s extraordinary talents as a world class tuba virtuoso. Rob stated that “Collusion will challenge tuba players and bands alike to push beyond their training and become global musical citizens.” Also, he says simply, “It rocks.” The work was premiered at the 33rd annual Tuba-Euphonium Workshop at Brucker Hall in February 2016. Its three movements are titled:

I. Illusion: Epic

II. Elision: Amen

III. Collision: Funk

Go the DistanceAlan Menkenarr. MSG Michael Brownwith The U.S. Army Voicesfeaturing MSG Colin Eaton, tenor

“Go the Distance” is a song from Disney’s 1997 animated feature film, “Hercules.” It was written by composer Alan Menken and lyricist David Zippel, and originally recorded by American actor Roger Bart in his film role as the singing voice of Hercules. American singer-songwriter Michael Bolton recorded a pop version of the song for the film’s end credits. In the Spanish version, the song is performed by Hercules voicer Ricky Martin, both in the movie and in the credits. This version is included on Martin’s album Vuelve.

In the film, “Go the Distance” is sung by Hercules, a 15- year old boy who possesses tremendous strength who is finding it increasingly hard to fit in with his peers. The song serves as Hercules’s prayer to the gods on Olympus to help him find where he truly belongs. His prayers are answered, as he is revealed to be the long-lost son of Zeus, king of the gods. Hercules learns that he must become a true hero in order to rejoin his father on Mount Olympus. The number is later reprised when Hercules sets off on his quest to become a true hero, proclaiming that he wants to “go the distance” in order to prove himself.

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Virginia ScenesWorld Premiere RecordingSFC James Kazik

Virginia Scenes is a three-movement work depicting scenes one might see while either living in or traveling through the Commonwealth of Virginia. It was written for and premiered at the second President’s Cup High School Invitational Concert Band Festival, on April 1, 2016, at the Hylton Performing Arts Center, Manassas, VA. The first movement depicts a visit to one of Virginia’s many historic battlefields. One can imagine the fierce fighting, the bugle calls echoing in the distance, the shadows of a conflict in which so many gave their lives. The second movement depicts a trip down a river in a kayak, the paddle strokes through the water past scenes of wildlife. The serenity is jostled briefly by a trip over some rapids and punctuated by exhilarating musical passages as the movement’s close takes us to the shoreline. The final movement, simply titled “95” is a sardonic take on the often relentless traffic congestion travelers have to contend with who brave the infamous I-95 corridor.

Iron Majors MarchWorld Premiere RecordingMAJ J. Scott McKenzie

Army Bandmaster Major J. Scott McKenzie shares the following about his composition: “Iron Majors is a term to describe the worker bees attached to a General’s staff. A staff of Colonels typically advise a Commanding General, but it’s the Majors that collect information, conduct research, analyze data, and provide everything the Colonels need in order to give the best advice to the General.”

This march is crafted as an homage to the traditional marches of the 19th and 20th centuries, but there are a few nods to the inspiration behind the piece. Listen closely to the second strain and you will hear flutes, oboes, and piccolo quote “The Mad Major,” a march written by British composer Kenneth J. Alford in 1921. Major McKenzie also encourages the listener to pay attention during the second time through the trio melody as the euphoniums, bassoons, and saxophones play what he refers to as a “busy obbligato” as a way to pay tribute to the “middle managers” of the band.

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Let Freedom RingBarry Manilow, Bruce Sussman, and Jack Feldmanarr. SGM (Ret.) Beth Houghwith The U.S. Army Voicesfeaturing SSG Pamela Terry and SSG Brendan Curran

Barry Manilow has a soft spot for patriotic tunes throughout his storied career. In an interview, Manilow stated plainly, “Freedom is really who we are.” referring to the precious nature of the American spirit. With that, he shared that he has always had a special appreciation for traditional patriotic songs like “America the Beautiful” and “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.” “I think most of them started out as poems and then they put them to music. These traditional songs are poetry and they have more depth to them like a poem would than pop songs.” On September 17, 1987, he appeared in the star-studded CBS special “We The People 200: The Constitutional Gala.” This national celebration was taped at the Philadelphia Civic Center in Philadelphia, PA, where he debuted his personal anthem “Let Freedom Ring.”

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