MWO Presents Overplayed, Play Over (Programme)

Welcome to Overplayed, Play Over by Mus'Art Wind Orchestra. The programme for the afternoon is as below. You may also access more information about MWO via the menu button. Thank you for joining us. Please leave us any feedback. Do also join our mailing list to stay updated.

Symphonic Overture
James Barnes

First Suite in Eb
Gustav Holst

Ross Roy
Jacob de Haan

Spartacus
Symphonic Tone Poem
Jan Van der Roost

~ Intermission ~

The Seventh Night of July
Tanabata
Itaru Sakai

Persis
Overture
James L. Hosay

Highlights from "Chess"
(The Musical)
Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus, Arr. Johan de Meij

Japanese Graffiti XIV A.RA.SHI
Arr. Hideaki Miura

Programme Notes

SYMPHONIC OVERTURE
James Barnes
Symphonic Overture is another fine work from the prolific pen of James Barnes. While not as challenging as his Fantasy Variations, there is enough to keep all sections busy. The work was commissioned by the United States Air Force Band to commemorate their 50th anniversary. It begins with fanfare passages in cornets, trumpets, and first trombone. After the seven bar Adagio fanfare it moves to a sprightly cut-time with the half note at 132-136. Harp and English-horn are scored along with optional cello. An English horn solo is cued in the cornet part and the essential harp glissandi could possibly be covered by synthesizer if you don't have access to a harp. It closes with a return to the fanfare section embellished by woodwind runs followed by a brilliant 28 bar Vivace finale.

FIRST SUITE IN Eb
Gustav Holst | Edited by Colin Matthews

• Chaconne
• Intermezzo
• March

Gustav Holst (1874-1934) was a British composer and teacher. After studying composition at London’s Royal College of Music, he spent the early part of his career playing trombone in an opera orchestra. It was not until the early 1900s that his career as a composer began to take off. Around this same time he acquired positions at both St. Paul’s Girls’ School and Morley College that he would hold until retirement, despite his rising star as a composer. His music was influenced by his interest in English folk songs and Hindu mysticism, late-Romantic era composers like Strauss and Delius, and avant-garde composers of his time like Stravinsky and Schoenberg. He is perhaps best known for composing The Planets, a massive orchestral suite that depicts the astrological character of each known planet. His works for wind band (two suites and a tone poem, Hammersmith) are foundational to the modern wind literature.

The First Suite is particularly important to the later development of artistic music for wind band. Holst wrote it in 1909 for an ensemble that came to define the instrumentation that bands would use for at least the next century and beyond. Oddly, it was not performed until 1920, and published a year later. Since then, the First Suite has left an indelible mark on band musicians and audiences around the world. Its appeal is in its simplicity and its artistry. While there are difficult passages and exposed solo work in many instruments, it places few extreme demands on the players, and it uses a straightforward and easily-identifiable theme throughout its 3 movements. Yet this theme is turned and pulled into many different forms, and put on an emotional roller-coaster of doubts, sweet reveries, ecstatic joy, and triumph. Truly, the impact that the First Suite still makes on those who hear it is impossible to put into words. It is a classic piece of art music that has helped to define the development of a century of wind band music.

ROSS ROY
Jacob de Haan

Jacob de Haan was commissioned to compose this concert piece by the "St. Peters Wind Symphony" from Brisbane, Australia. "Ross Roy" is the monumental late 19th century villa where St. Peters Lutheran College was founded in 1945. The villa has always remained the school symbol. In this composition, Jacob de Haan sees the "Ross Roy" as a metaphor for the years spent at school (a monument in time), where one's personality is formed. So, the opening theme the artist calls the Ross Roy theme initially has monumental characteristics.

The rhythmic motion, which strides along in the lower register and percussion at the beginning of the next section is typical of "Tempo di Marcia". This movement, accompanied by repetitions of sound, is a metaphor for the structure and discipline in school. This is the introduction to a march theme, symbolic of "passing through" the classes up to the final examinations.

Then, the Ross Roy theme is dealt with again, now in a playful, humorous variation. As if the composer is saying there should also be time for a smile in school. The same theme can be heard in major key and a slower tempo in the following section, expressing pride and self-confidence. This is also the introduction to the expressive middle section that represents love, friendship and understanding.

We then return to the march theme in a slightly altered construction. The oriental sounds, constituting the modulation to the final theme, are symbols of the diversity of cultures in the school. The characteristic final theme first sounds solemn, but turns into a festive apotheosis. It is no coincidence that the final cadence is reminiscent of the close to a traditional overture, for the school years can be considered the "overture" to the rest of one's life. The premiere of "Ross Roy" was conducted by Jacob de Haan in Brisbane, on August 22, 1997.

SPARTACUS: SYMPHONIC TONE POEM
Jan Van der Roost

Spartacus is a "Symphonic Tone Poem" with 3 joints. Each section has its own melodically materials, however: in the final movement the main theme from the second section returns in a 'grandioso’ tutti. The last bar but one recaptures the 'oriental' atmosphere of the very beginning.

The first section (= from the beginning till J) builds up a climax by repeating and accumulating some melodically and rhythmical structures. The oriental character of the melodically fragments refers to the origin of the Roman slaves.

The second section evokes the love between Spartacus and his love by giving a peaceful atmosphere. The main theme (presented the first time at letter L) has a broad and wide character and refers slightly to film music. In this part of the composition, a special attention is given to the orchestration.

The final section is more aggressive and martial and refers to the revolt of the slaves against the Roman oppressors. In the middle of this movement, an accumulation of the 12 tones symbolizes the crucifixion of the slaves: the English horn resumes partly the cadenza of the flute (at letter J), as if he wants to show again the eternal love between Spartacus and his love a very last time... The theme at the third bar of letter T is actually based on the 2nd theme of this section (which starts at the fifth bar of letter R), but has been worked out rhythmically.

THE SEVENTH NIGHT OF JULY ~ TANABATA ~
Itaru Sakai

In Japan, July the 7th is a holiday known as Tanabata, for which large celebrations are held throughout the country. The holiday is based on a legend about a young man and a young woman who are separated by the Milky Way and can only see each other once a year on this night. The Seventh Night of July is Itaru Sakai’s musical interpretation of this romantic legend. The flugel horn and euphonium solos during the middle movement represent the two main themes from the legend.

PERSIS OVERTURE
James L. Hosay

Persis (Greek word for Persia) is a fantasy-overture, which tells the story of a modern-day American man who travels back through time to the ancient Persian city of Persepolis. He begins a wild and wonderful adventure as he is suddenly surrounded by magnificent architecture, grand marble statues, and beautiful works of art in one of the earliest known cultured civilizations.

Then, he turns and sees a beautiful Persian woman in a flower-laden courtyard. She is the most beautiful woman he has ever seen in his life, and he is completely captivated by her. He carefully approaches her, and miraculously, she recognizes him as someone she had known before in another place and time. They embrace and share a brief, blissful moment together. But his presence in the royal courtyard is forbidden and he finds himself being chased by armed warriors. As he runs frantically through the corridors of the city, he reflects sadly on the romance that might have been.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE MUSICAL “CHESS”
Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus | Arr. Johan de Meij

• Quartet (A Model Of Decorum And Tranquility)
• I Know Him So Well
• Embassy Lament
• Chess
• Anthem

The composers of the musical Chess, Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus, as well as the lyricist Tim Rice had already had a very successful career before they started this huge project. Andersson and Ulvaeus had been the male singers of the popular Swedish group ABBA, whereas Ti m Rice had written the lyrics for Lloyd Webber’s musicals “Jesus Christ Superstar” and “Evita”.

The plot of the musical is situated in Merano, a small town in Northern Italy, hosting the Chess World Championships. The protagonists are the American titleholder and his Russian challenger, who are adversaries on both the sports and political level. Nowadays the subject is out of date, as Chess was conceived in 1984 when the political scene was completely different.

This might be the reason why this musical did not hold out as long as e.g. “Les Misérables” or “Cats”. But the music remained very popular and songs such as “Last Night in Bangkok”, “I Know Him So Well” and “Anthem” belong to the standard repertoire of musical classics.

JAPANESE GRAFFITI XVI ~ ARASHI MEDLEY ~
Arranged by Hideaki Miura

Medley Includes:

• A.RA.SHI
• We can make it!
• Beautiful Days
• One Love
• A Day in Our Life
• Kitto Daijobu (きっと大丈夫)
• Kaze no Mukoue (風の向こうへ)
• Happiness
• Sakura Sake (サクラ咲ケ)
• Wish
• Love So Sweet

Arashi (嵐, literally Storm) is a popular Japanese boy band consists of five members formed under the Japanese talent agency Johnny & Associates, which announced the formation of the group on November 3, 1999 in Honolulu, Hawaii

Aside from their music careers, Arashi has also appeared in dramas and movies, done radio shows, and acted as the main hosts for events. A short Fuji TV drama called V no Arashi became one of the group's first activities together as it was broadcast just about a month after the announcement of their formation in Hawaii. Although it would not be until 2010 would the group act in another drama together titled Saigo no Yakusoku, they have worked together on movies in 2002, 2004, and 2007.