Washington Wind Symphony presents ‘Don’t Try This at Home!’
$18 ($13 youth/senior)
Ottorino Respighi — Huntingtower: Ballad for Band
Darius Milhaud — Suite Française
Gustav Holst — First Suite in E-flat major for Military Band, Op. 28, No. 1
Florent Schmitt — Dionysiaques
Percy Grainger — Lincolnshire Posy
Tchaikovsky – Dance of the Jesters
Respighi – Huntingtower: Ballad for Band
Milhaud – Suite Francaise
Holst – First Suite in E Flat for Military Band
Schmitt – Dionysiaques
Grainger – Lincolnshire Posy
There’s no reason to be alarmed by our concert theme — let us explain. During the first half of the 20th century, some of the world’s most famous composers wrote music for professional military bands. Since they were writing for professionals, they pulled no punches. "Don't Try This at Home!" is a play on the kind of stunts we see on TV — acts of great danger that should not be attempted by anyone other than trained professionals. In this concert, we’ll take on a challenging variety of music that can only be successfully navigated by highly skilled musicians.
Sit back in the safety and comfort of the Kirkland Performance Center while Dr. Ed Powell deftly guides the band through these classic — yet sometimes perilous — selections, including:
Dance of the Jesters — When he composed this uplifting, energetic dance for the ballet The Snow Maidens, Peter Tchaikovsky used popular Russian folk dances for inspiration. It was originally transcribed for a Russian military band.
Huntingtower: Ballad for Band — Huntingtower is a castle in Scotland that was a frequent refuge of composer Otto Respighi. His regal, four-movement tone poem was commissioned in honor of John Philip Sousa and premiered by the U.S. Marine Band in 1932.
Suite Francaise — Each of the five movements of Darius Milhaud’s suite are named after French Provinces where Americans joined forces with the French underground to fight the Germans for the liberation of France.
First Suite in E Flat for Military Band — Whether or not it’s your first time hearing Gustav Holst’s famous 14-note theme, you’re sure to be humming this catchy melody long after the concert ends. The finale is a light march in which Holst highlights the low brass section, having been a performing trombonist himself.
Dionysiaques — A well-traveled composer, Florent Schmitt takes listeners on a colorful, aural journey filled with exciting contrasts and climaxes. Schmitt named the piece to honor the mythological Dionysus, the god of wine, ritual madness and ecstasy.
Lincolnshire Posy — In this fan favorite, composer Percy Grainger’s six movement masterpiece portrays English folk songs, recalling their melodies from his childhood. Listen for the delightful — yet tricky — irregular rhythms and “free time” bars, where the conductor and musicians must interpret the score without the benefit of a marked meter.
All in all, we think you’ll find this music to be as beautiful to listen to as it is challenging to play, so don’t miss your chance to join us in the safety and comfort of the Kirkland Performance Center. We promise that no instruments will be harmed in this performance.