AN EXAMINATION OF WORKS FOR WIND BAND: THEY LED MY LORD AWAY ARRANGED BY FRED J. ALLEN, ENGLISH FOLK SONG SUITE BY RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS, VARIATION OVERTURE BY CLIFTON WILLIAMS, DANCE OF THE ROSE MAIDENS BY ARAM KHACHATURIAN, ARRANGED BY JAMES TRUSCELLO, PRELUDE AND RONDO BY DAVID R. HOLSINGER, AND VALDRES MARSJ BY JOHANNES HANSSEN, ARRANGED BY LORAS J. SCHISSEL BY CHRIS R. VanGILDER B.S.E., Missouri Southern State University, 1990 A REPORT Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree: MASTER OF MUSIC Department of Music College of Arts and Sciences KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY Manhattan, Kansas 2007 Approved By: ____________________ Major Professor Dr. Frank Tracz ABSTRACT The following document is research and analysis from the comprehensive examination question based on the Graduate Conducting Recital of Chris R. VanGilder. The recital, performed by the Arkansas City High School Concert Band, was given in two parts at the Arkansas City High School Auditorium. Part one, presenting the two pieces They Led My Lord Away as arranged by Fred J. Allen and English Folk Song Suite by Ralph Vaughan Williams was given on April 12th, 2007 at 7:00pm. Part two, presenting the four pieces Variation Overture by Clifton Williams, Dance of the Rose Maidens as arranged by James Truscello, Prelude and Rondo by David Holsinger and Valdres Marsj as arranged by Loras J. Schissel was given on May 15th, 2007 at 7:00pm. The document contains theoretical and historical analysis, and outlines the procedures of planning and performing the graduate conducting recital. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction 1 - 9 a. Purpose 1 b. Performance Information 1 c. Music Examined 1 - 2 d. Format of Analysis 2 e. Performance Ensemble 3 f. Personnel 4 g. Personal Teaching Theory 5 h. Personal Learning Theory 6 i. Literature 6 - 8 j. Rehearsals 8 - 9 2. They Led My Lord Away 10 - 16 a. Composer 10 - 11 b. Composition 11 c. Historical Perspective 11 d. Technical Considerations 11 - 12 e. Stylistic Considerations 12 f. Musical Elements 12 - 13 g. Form and Structure 12 - 14 h. Suggested Listening 14 i. Tracz Analysis 15 - 16 3. English Folk Song Suite 17 - 43 a. Composer 17 - 18 b. Composition 18 - 19 c. Historical Perspective 19 - 20 d. Technical Considerations 20 - 21 e. Stylistic Considerations 21 f. Musical Elements 22 g. Form and Structure 22 - 25 h. Suggested Listening 25 i. Tracz Analysis 26 - 43 4. Variation Overture 44 - 59 a. Composer 44 b. Composition 45 c. Historical Perspective 45 d. Technical Considerations 45 - 46 e. Stylistic Considerations 46 f. Musical Elements 46 - 47 g. Form and Structure 47 - 49 h. Suggested Listening 49 i. Tracz Analysis 50 - 59 5. Dance of the Rose Maidens 60 - 69 a. Composer 60 - 61 b. Composition 61 - 62 iii c. Historical Perspective 62 d. Technical Considerations 62 - 63 e. Stylistic Considerations 63 f. Musical Elements 63 - 64 g. Form and Structure 64 - 65 h. Suggested Listening 65 i. Tracz Analysis 66 - 69 6. Prelude and Rondo 70 - 93 a. Composer 70 - 71 b. Composition 72 c. Historical Perspective 72 d. Technical Considerations 72 - 73 e. Stylistic Considerations 73 f. Musical Elements 73 - 74 g. Form and Structure 74 - 77 h. Suggested Listening 77 i. Tracz Analysis 78 - 93 7. Valdres Marsj 94 - 106 a. Composer 94 b. Composition 95 c. Historical Perspective 95 d. Technical Considerations 96 e. Stylistic Considerations 96 - 97 f. Musical Elements 97 g. Form and Structure 97 - 99 h. Suggested Listening 99 i. Tracz Analysis 100 - 149 8. Rehearsal Plans 150 - 151 9. Conclusions and Acknowledgements 152 - 153 10. Bibliography/Resources 156 – 157 iv Chapter One: Introduction Purpose The purpose of this document is a scholarly examination of literature for wind band selected for performance on two concerts. This document provides details of the process of a music educator and wind band conductor in the selection, research and analysis of selected literature and the plans for teaching students with the literature. Performance Information This conducting recital was given in two parts. The first part occurred on Thursday April 12th, 2007 in the Arkansas City High School Auditorium, Arkansas City, Kansas. Personnel for this performance were the full instrumentation of the Arkansas City High School Concert Band. The two pieces performed on this concert included in this report were They Led My Lord Away and English Folk Song Suite. In addition to the concert band, this concert included performances by ten small ensembles and the Arkansas City High School Jazz Band; those works are not included in this document. The second part of the conducting recital occurred on Tuesday, May 15th, 2007 also in the Arkansas City High School Auditorium and also using the Arkansas City High School Concert Band. The pieces performed on this concert that are included in this document were Variation Overture, Dance of the Rose Maidens, Prelude and Rondo, and Valdres. In addition, the Arkansas City High School Jazz Band performed on this concert, but those works are not included in this document. Music Examined The music is presented in this document in the order that it was performed, with the first concert listed first. For the first concert the Concert Band opened with They Led 1 My Lord Away arranged by Fred J. Allen and then performed all three movements of the English Folk Song Suite by Ralph Vaughan Williams. For the second concert the Concert Band performed in this order: Variation Overture by Clifton Williams, Dance of the Rose Maidens by Aram Khachaturian, arranged by James Truscello, Prelude and Rondo by David Holsinger, and the march Valdres by Johannes Hanssen, arranged by Loras J. Schissel. Format of Analyses Each piece in this document has been analyzed using the Miles/Blocher method as found the series of books Teaching Music Through Performance in Band. The first eight units of the Miles/Blocher method are used, unit nine has been removed and replaced with a comprehensive bibliography found at the end of the document. Following unit eight of each Miles/Blocher analysis is the Tracz format analysis as discussed in conducting class. The format is as follows: Unit I: Composer Unit II: Composition Unit III: Historical Perspective Unit IV: Technical Considerations Unit V: Stylistic Considerations Unit VI: Musical Elements Unit VII: Form and Structure Unit VIII: Suggested Listening Tracz Method 2 Performance Ensemble I am very proud of the Arkansas City High School Band. We have accomplished much together. High ratings at marching and concert contests are a result of the dedication and hard work of my students and most importantly their enjoyment in making music. During the fall semester this ensemble also serves as the marching band. Normally concert band rehearsals begin in November, however, this year we performed at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tennessee and therefore continued marching rehearsals throughout the first semester. As a result of this, we spent more time on fundamental techniques in spring rehearsals than I normally would have found necessary. This year’s band features 106 members in grades 9 through 12. Instrument balance is fairly good, a little heavy in the flute and percussion sections and a little short in trombones and bassoons but otherwise a pretty good balance. We have a fairly good mix of grade levels in nearly every section and quality leadership throughout the band. I feel comfortable in selecting most music in the grade IV level and many from the grade V list as well. 3 Recital Personnel Arkansas City High School Concert Band Flute Clarinet Alto Sax Trumpet Elly Adamson Jaleesa Abington Daniel Byers Josh Camp Cheyenne Beach William Anderson Robert Duren Paul Chavez Paige Bower Drew Bennett Morgan Reese Corbett Dalton Ashley Carter Melanie Bruce Shantel Pankey James Harper Anna Flickinger Christina Foreman Melissa Snider Taylor Hatfield Kelsey Ford Bethany Gardner Ariel Splechter Garrett Johns Melissa Hailings Andrea Harris Alex Stewart Conner Kendrick Ashley Hall Brianna Herndon Karlye Sturd Luis Lara Alyssa Hunt Shawna Johnson Griffith Young Michael Martin Meagan Jarboe Maria King Cassie Marquez Nikayla Jordan Siera Lungren Tenor Sax Josh Metzinger Tori Long Courtney Oakley Ashley Anderson Gershon Pattar Kylee Martinez Melissa Pappan Robert Hutson Kyle Pullins Tavo Matamoros Corey Reece Octavio Matamoros Tanner Seidel Kylie McDonald Elizabeth Ripperda Jon Wallace Taylore McNickle Valerie White Bari Sax Joey White Katie Phillips Codi Larmer Charlotte Wilson Nikkee Roberts Eb Clarinet Brian Massey Amanda Young Shelby Scott Tim Hewitt Emily Walker Euphonium F Horn Bass Clarinet DJ Herren Lynlea Bartlett Piccolo Travis Bailey Chris Hall Shelby Scott Mikayla Beauchamp Trombone Joshua Phillips Chelbie James Teall Culbertson David Rippe Oboe Eddie Mendoza Ryan Cells Amanda Bilyeu Steve Ford Tuba Hilary Schafer Bassoon Lindsey Pond Devin Metzinger Rebecca Wise Sara Julian Macey Reese Mitch Wright Percussion Brittani Alexander Chelsea Befort Jacob Head Allyn Hill Seth Horton Tristan James Jeremiah Johnson Michael Kahm Nicholas Kahm Justin Linden Dustin McGowan Xander Munoz Bryson Pond Ryan Skiles Michael Sturd Andy Waggoner Molly Warren 4 I have enclosed my personal teaching theory and my personal learning theory in this document as I feel that it is important that the reader understand my overall goals as a teacher. Personal Teaching Theory I believe that students are in band to play an instrument and that music rehearsals should involve as much playing and as little talking as possible, however, I feel that developing a complete musician is important and that the ultimate goal of a music teacher is to have students that are involved in music, in some form, for life. The art of making music should be the most important aspect of any music class, not just doing what it takes to get to the next performance. I also believe that the teacher should select literature that exposes students to great masterworks and a wide variety of genre and time periods throughout the four years of high school. The teacher should challenge the students to reach their maximum performance potential, while also using the national music standards as a guide to incorporate history, culture, cross-curricular content, critical listening, writing, composing and improvisation into every class. The teacher’s task is to use a multitude of teaching approaches to attempt to reach every student. He should continue to learn and grow as a player, a conductor and a teacher and bring that knowledge to his classroom. The teacher must make available learning opportunities outside the focus of traditional performances, such as trips, guest artists, guest conductors, clinics, honor groups, small ensembles, solos, pep band, marching band, jazz band and community service. The focus of the program should always be on the students and not the teacher. 5 Personal Learning Theory I believe that students learn to be musicians by rehearsing, performing, composing, improvising and critiquing music, and I believe that through music learning students gain skills and concepts that can be used throughout their lives in every situation, not just music. They should be actively involved in all aspects of the learning process. It is important to learn sequentially, in a safe environment that is focused on music. Because every student is unique and learns differently, it is important to use a variety of teaching strategies. Students need the opportunity to discover new concepts of music; however, they need to have a solid foundation in fundamental techniques. Development of a sense of pride and ownership in the organization is vital to the learning process and the students must have repeated opportunities to experience success. The ultimate goal is for the students to become life-long consumers of music, whether they continue to perform, or be a supporter of the arts. Literature Selecting performance literature is a difficult yet highly important part of a band teacher’s job. Unlike most other curricular courses that have a text book which is used year after year by the teacher, the band class uses music as its curriculum and the same music cannot be used year after year as the students spend four years in the class. The band instructor must select music that meets various needs of his ensemble. When selecting music for my ensemble I keep several factors in mind. First, it is a goal of mine to insure that during the four years that a student is in my band program that he or she is exposed to great composers and masterworks of the wind band field. To 6