Concert Report #2 My second concert I attended was located at the Fowler Center Thursday, November 4, 2010. The Arkansas State University Wind Ensemble played several works, which gave to the title “Folksongs and War Songs”. Timothy Oliver was the main conductor and there was a guest conductor also, Dan Patterson. A classmate and I arrived to the Fowler Center on time and got settled, but neither one of knew what to expect really since we didn’t have a very sturdy musical background. Everyone on stage were playing their instruments all the same time and didn’t sound very graceful, but we came to the conclusion all the performers were practicing before show time. The lights began to dim and show began. The first piece was Divertimento for Band by Vincent Persichetti. It was composed of several different movements including the prologue, song, dance, burlesque, soliloquy, and finally march. The song and dance movements I recognized from class and put two and two together and learned that the soliloquy began the soloist concert. I enjoyed the performance, but was probably not my favorite. Heroes, Lost and Fallen by David R. Gillingham was the second piece and the one I enjoyed the most. I took pleasure in this piece because before the performance started, Mr. Patterson explained a little bit how this concert was derived. Heroes, Lost and Fallen was dedicated as a Vietnam Memorial. This piece was very different and had many different sounds. He told the audience to listen carefully because there were quotes from the Star Spangled Banner and the Vietnamese National Anthem, which I had no clue what sounded like, but it kept me on the edge of my seat trying to pick out the sounds. The section started slowly but then progressed from a slow “March to War” then climaxing to express war. There were several members of the ensemble moving back and forth across the stage to play several different instruments, including the gong. One can hear the change from good to bad and concluding with good emerging to conquer the evil. I enjoyed this because I know several people who had to endure the conflict in Vietnam. Mr. Oliver gave a spill about Mr. Paterson, who he studied under while in school. He explained all the accomplishments Mr. Paterson has achieved and that he was his main mentor while gradually progressing with his musical career. The Handel in the Strand was originally composed by Percy Grainger. My preferred part from this piece was the piano performance. I have always enjoyed the sound of a piano and it has always intrigued me that someone can move their hands across the keys so swiftly. The fourth piece of music was Walking Tune, which was inspired by old British folk tunes. From the composer above, Grainger, Larry Daehn was able to arrange this concert. The wind instruments really stood out. The melody of the music accompanied Grainger’s walking feet throughout his three day’s walk through Scotland. This was also a very beautiful piece that was very peaceful to one’s ears. This orchestra piece involved the piccolo, flutes, oboes, English horn, clarinets, bassoons and contrabassoons, horns, trumpets, the trombone, tuba and double-bass. The guest conductor, Dan Peterson, conducted this piece and also Handel in the Strand. The last piece was also one of Percy Grainger’s works of music and is said to be one of his most important transcriptions of folk songs. Lincolnshire Posy had six movements, Lisbon, Horkstow Grange, Rufford Park Poachers, The Brisk Young Sailor, Lord Melbourne, and The Lost Lady Found, all “musical wildflowers”. The first movement was very short with the use of trumpets and horns. Horkstow Grange was slow and repetitive. Rufford Park Poachers began with clarinets I believe, and then would shift suddenly. There was one part that stood out, which was the saxophone solo. The Brisk Yound Sailor seemed to used the whole band, which was played with a very fast melody. Lord Melbourne seemed to me to be in the war song group. And finally The Lost Lady Found was also very faced paced, which would have helped me follow if I had known the lyrics. Overall, I believe the ASU Wind Ensemble did a great job. I really enjoy wind instruments, which helped me stay a little more focused. It was also more interesting since at the time we were beginning to learn about nationalism, war songs, and folksongs in the classroom so I had something to relate too. The melodies were all dramatic and somewhat fast paced and hardly ever seemed boring.