Symphonic Band Essay

On the 23rd of April, 2013, as I entered the Studley Theater in New Paltz, I felt excited to see numerous people looking for seats where they could watch the concert comfortably. The symphonic band is quite popular in this region and I was expecting to be blown away with their beautiful performances and great skill. Although I was excited, I focused on the program as I tried my best to clear my mind to make listening more effective. One of the composers of the chosen songs is Jaime Texidor, a Catalan musician and composer from Spain. He directed two bands: the Banda de Musica Primitiva in Carlet and the Banda del Círculo Instructivo Musical in Manises, Valencia. He studied music in his hometown which is why most of his compositions portrayed Spanish dances and marches. (Rehrig, William H. The Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music. Volume 2 & 3. Integrity Press, 1991 & 1996). The second song in the program is composed by James Barnes, an American composer who studied music at the University of Kansas. He was awarded the American Bandmasters Association Ostwald Award twice for his great works particularly with contemporary wind band music. (James Barnes, School of Music, University of Kansas, music.ku.edu). Ralph Vaughan Williams, composer of the 3-movement piece features in this concert, is an English composer who is deeply fascinated with folk songs and tunes. This interest is very much obvious in his compositions. (Heffer, Simon (2000). Vaughan Williams London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson). The concert also features compositions from American composers Alfred Reed, with his composition which was based on a poem, and Jerry Bilik, whose featured composition revolved around the American Civil War.
The first song in the program is Amparito Roca, composed by Catalan musician Jaime Texidor and performed by the Symphonic Band. It is said that the song was written for a girl, with the same name, who was one of his piano students. This is a pasodoble, a kind of song made for dancing and bullfights. The song’s dynamics are heart-pounding with evident contrasts, making the song exciting to listen to. The song is very energetic, with fast and moderate tempos being played alternately. The melody of the song is full of energy and quite extravagant in a way. It is reminiscent of the movements of the matadors in bullfights. The wind instruments played beautifully together, while percussionists James O’Hara, Zachary Alexander, Chris Early and timpanist Dennis Jones kept refreshing the excitement I feel while listening to the song. Structured like a pasodoble, which is commonly played when the bullfighter enters the ring and right before it goes for the kill, the Amparito Roca portrays climaxes in some parts. It is a lively and catchy song that makes me want to dance or march around. The band looked like they enjoyed playing it.
The second song is Autumn Soliloquy, composed by American composer James Barnes. The song was performed by the Symphonic Band with oboe soloist David Scott Kirshner. The song is a total contrast of the first song which was lively and energetic. This James Barnes composition was calm and tranquil. There were minimal contrasts since most parts are slow and soft. The song’s melody is dramatic and very romantic. This is a great song for slow dancing or for relieving stress. Listening to the song is very relaxing and comforting, but not at all boring. The oboe solo stands out from the wind accompaniment, which complemented the solo in all the right places without overpowering it.
I am glad to have attended such a beautiful concert. The acoustics of the venue has perfectly enhanced the quality of the music being played. At first, the stage looked too simple to me but, as soon as the band played, it did not matter anymore. The audience were very quiet during the performances but the applause was like thunder after every song. The band consisted of very talented musicians whom I definitely admire because of how skilled they are despite their young age. I know how much patience and determination is required to be able to play that beautifully. They played with so much power and emotion that it made me feel special, as if the band was playing music especially for me. When the concert came to an end, I felt like I wanted to hear them play again and again. They played very well and I believe that the composers would be proud of them if only they could only see them perform today.
The Symphonic Band played some of the most popular songs of the composers it featured. It can be difficult to appreciate classical music unless you are quite familiar with the elements within it. Having learned about musical elements, I truly appreciate that there are still young people who love and enjoy playing beautiful music with traditional instruments. It is a good thing that schools and universities exert great effort in organizing these types of concerts to revive the classics and to entertain enthusiasts and new listeners as well. It feels great to sit down and get lost in the music playing live right before my eyes. I feel so alive after every concert I attend. Now I believe that music is truly an essential part of life.