Program Notes

SOMETHING’S COMING – Saturday, September 11, 2010

Nabucco Overture ………………………………………….. Giuseppe Verdi

Verdi's opera Nabucco (short for Nebuchadnezzar) was first performed in 1842.  It is set to an Italian libretto by Temistocle Solera.  In the plot, Babylonian King Nabucco (Nebuchadnezzar) conquers and exiles the Hebrews from their homeland. It was an extraordinarily important work for Verdi, helping him establish a reputable name as a composer on the international stage. The most famous excerpt from the opera is Va, Pensario ("Fly, thought"), also known as the Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves.

Wiener Blut ………………………………………………….. Johan Strauss, Jr.

Wiener Blut, or "Viennese Blood," is a waltz written by Strauss to commemorate the wedding of Archduchess Gisela Louise Maria and Prince Leopold of Bavaria. In an 1872 letter to his mother, Emperor Franz Josef remarked that he secured the match between his daughter and Prince Leopold because the prince was one of the few available Catholic princes he felt deserved Gisela as a wife. The piece was performed the first time at a festival ball held in Vienna at the famous Musikverein. This 1873 premiere was important for Strauss, as it was the first time the Vienna Philharmonic had ever performed his music, having previously deemed Strauss a composer of only light "pops" music.

Hungarian Dances Nos. 5,6 ………………………… Johannes Brahms

Completed in 1869, Brahms' Hungarian Dances are based on Hungarian folk dance songs. The most famous of the 21 different pieces is No. 5 in F# minor (G minor for the orchestral version), which is loosely based on a melody by Hungarian composer Kéler Béla that Brahms mistook for a traditional folk song. The songs comprise some of Brahms' most popular works.

Carousel Waltz ……………………………….………………Richard Rodgers

"Carousel Waltz" is a musical number from the musical Carousel.   It was an early product of  Rodgers and Hammerstein.  There have been many revivals, as well as film and TV adaptations of the musical. As one of the first musicals to ever carry out a tragic plot, it is said that Rodgers and Hammerstein considered Carousel their favorite collaboration.  Indeed, Time magazine named the it the Best Musical of the 20th Century. 

West Side Story Suite …………………………………… Leonard Bernstein/arr. Mason

The famous, much-loved American version of Romeo and Juliet has captured the hearts and minds of audiences since its premiere on Broadway in 1957. The music is largely responsible for the musical's popularity; people are sure to recognize melodies, such as "I Feel Pretty," "Maria," "America," and "Tonight".  Composed by Leonard Bernstein with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, the West Side Story soundtrack topped Billboard charts for 54 weeks when it debuted. The film was also immensely popular, receiving ten Academy Awards - more than any other musical film.
 
Lady Be Good ………………………………...............…… George Gershwin

The Gershwin brothers wrote this popular jazz standard, which made its 1924 debut in a Broadway show of the same name, starring Fred and Adele Astaire. Ella Fitzgerald recorded one of the more popular versions of the song in 1947.

Nature Boy ………………………………............………. ... Eden Ahbez

Nat King Cole recorded, "Nature Boy," that told a fantasy of a "strange enchanted boy" "who wandered very far" only to learn that "the greatest gift was just to love and be loved in return" in 1948.  Cole recognized the underlying Yiddish melody in the song the tune and added it to his repertoire, since he was looking for a Jewish song to add to his act.

Summertime ………………………………............………. George Gershwin

George Gershwin composed "Summertime" for the musical Porgy and Bess in 1935. Since then, it has become a popular jazz standard, performed by everybody from Perry Como and John Coltrane to Janis Joplin.

Body and Soul ………………………….................……..Heyman/Sour/Eyton/Green

"Body and Soul" is a jazz standard of enormous popularity, written by Edward Heyman, Robert Sour, Frank Eyton and Johnny Green in 1930. Two of the most famous recordings of the piece are by Coleman Hawkins and John Coltrane.

I Got Rhythm ………………………….........……………… George Gershwin

A lighthearted jazz favorite, "I Got Rhythm" was written by George Gershwin, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin, in 1930. Its chord progression, aptly named "rhythm changes," became the foundation for countless other tunes.

 Sound of Fish Dreaming Suite  …………………. Randy Sabien
   Westward Across the Prairie
    The Sound of Fish Dreaming
    Big Horn Balloon

Inspired by the awesome natural surroundings, Randy composed these pieces while an artist-in-residence in Crested Butte, Colorado.  After recording them with the band, Randy started hearing them as symphonic pieces and hired different arrangers for each movement.  “Westward Across the Prairie” expresses his mood driving from Wisconsin and encountering Crested Butte for the first time.  His log cabin looked over a pool filled with trout that would swim out from beneath snow-covered banks to eat and then swim back and hide.  On frigid, still winter mornings, a hot air balloon would drift around the town, often landing behind the school where Randy was teaching.

Sunday Song ………………………………………….. Randy Sabien

Randy wrote this piece for his first album, “In a Fog.”  The score indicates the piece is dedicated to the late Johnny Frigo.  On the album the piece featured the late Mr. Frigo on violin.  This arrangement highlights the string section.
 
Sweet Georgia Brown ………………………………… Bernie/Pinkard

Known by many as the theme song for the Harlem Globetrotters, the jazz standard "Sweet Georgia Brown" was written in 1925 by Ben Bernie and Maceo Pinkard, with lyrics by Kenneth Casey. The song became a five-week No. 1 Billboard hit for Ben Bernie and his Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra.

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