Albaro Suarez
Introduction to Music (FA)
Gustav Holst
Many people think that Gustav Holst only wrote for the orchestra. Yet although he was a masterful orchestrator, Holst also wrote many amazing pieces for choir, a few operas, and even some ballets.
Ballet (or Choral Ballet)
· The Lure (1921)
In 1921, Holst was commissioned to write a piece without much notice for a dance company in Chicago. The scenario for the commission is by Alice Barney, in which a candle flame "is shining brilliantly." The story continues with the Flame entrancing powerless moths in the room except for the most beautiful moth, named Folia. Her indifference to him makes the Flame radiate even stronger with desire, until even Folia is burned by his fire. The scene ends with the Flame being snuffed, proving that there are even greater powers abound.
· The Golden Goose Op. 45 No.1 (1926)
· The Morning of the Year Op. 45 No.2 (1926-27)
This piece is published by Oxford.
· In the Bleak Midwinter
"In the Bleak Midwinter" is a Christmas carol based on a poem by the English poet Christina Rossetti written before 1872 in response to a request from the magazine Scribner's Monthly for a Christmas poem.
Full Orchestra
A Winter Idyll (1897)
Walt Whitman Op. 7 (1899)
- Country Gardens
- Constant Billy
- Trunkles
- Morris Off
- Set II: Rigs o' Marlow
- Bluff King Hal
- How d'ye do, sir?
- Shepherd's Hey
- The Blue-eyed Stranger
I listened to these compositions and it really they really caught my attention on how many different string instruments were used in each notes, I really thought I wouldn’t have fun with this assignment but I learned a lot about Mr. holst and the different musical compositions he wrote.
http://www.google.com/#hl=en&q=in+the+bleak+midwinter&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAGOovnz8BQMDAy8HsxKnfq6-gYVZVkZFU45jqGJpoMKv78nbC37Gmmy8MrUMAEo9TpkqAAAA&sa=X&ei=xrF_UKmCMaTEigKe-oH4Aw&sqi=2&ved=0CCUQvBsoAzAA&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=cd238efcd5bfa751&bpcl=35466521&biw=1366&bih=667
· Holst among friends book.
· http://www.classiccat.net/holst_g_von/biography.php
Second Suite in F by Gustav Holst
0:13-0:36 This piece starts with the tuba playing then followed by the clarinets ascending. The trumpets then start in and play an order of notes in an ascending and descending fashion, followed by a crescendo by the rest of the orchestra. The introducing theme starts out happy and proud with a quickening tempo. The flutes than start in and play the same melody as the rest of the instruments. Then the clarinets come in and start playing the melody of the introducing theme with the same tempo and timbre.
0:36-1:00 The clarinets, trumpets, and flutes all play as the main melody is reintroduced increasing in tempo. The theme is still uplifting and maintains a cheerful tone. Until the orchestra decrescendos while playing descending notes, while the trumpets maintain a high note. The orchestra plays softly until they stop and a solo by the tuba comes in.
1:00-2:00 The tuba plays a solo and then the flutes and trumpets come in, the bass clarinets, trombones, French horns, and bassoons comes in while the percussion plays softly accompanying the players. The melody is still quite similar and keeps an uplifting feeling. The tempo is still about the same pace but does fluctuate between slow and fast.
2:00- 3:30 The tempo changes quickly as the clarinets start to play in staccato style. The mood of the piece changes as the saxophones and bassoons come in and play take the melody of the clarinets. Next the flutes come in and take on the same melody of the prior instruments. The tempo seems to be quickening and the notes played are fairly constant with the ones at the beginning ascending and descending in fashion. The orchestra starts to become louder and crescendo as the rest of the instruments start to play. The orchestra plays the same melody as before and the mood becomes uplifting again. The brass section now plays with sudden trills and ascending notes. With a sudden force the whole orchestra plays until the flutes take over and play the same melody. The tempo starts to increase in speed as the percussion joins the flutes. The orchestra again makes a sudden crescendo playing the familiar melody, the cymbals are then played.
3:30-4:38 The tuba then comes in and plays a solo, the tempo slows down and the tone of the song goes a little more somber. The tempo slowly increases as the tuba plays and then the rest of the orchestra begins to play with a loud crescendo. The orchestra returns to the familiar melody and the main theme is reintroduced. The tempo picks up and the brass section plays until the tempo slows down and a solo by an oboe comes in. The clarinets follow with a quickened pace reestablishing the main melody.
4:38- 5:58 The tempo slows down while the string section plays. The flutes come in and combine with the string section. The notes are sustained longer and this gives the song a more powerful feeling. The second movement starts in the song and a new melody is introduced. The notes go ascending to descending and the notes slowly crescendo. The clarinets come in and play a solo, the notes are softer and the mood of the piece changes. The violins come in forcibly and play with the trumpets as the song crescendos. The tone has changed and become more dramatic, the melody continues.
6:00- 7:39 The tempo becomes slower and the violins change pace as the flutes come in. The flutes play until the bassoon and clarinets come in. The flutes and trumpets play with each other, slowly the tempo increases and the French horns start to play. The melody rises as the notes go higher and higher. The tone of the piece is still up lifting but here is where another theme is introduced.
7:39- 8:50 The rest of the orchestra come in and the music gets louder and the tempo changes from fast to slow and all the instruments play. The violin begins on higher pitch as the drums play in the background. The French horns play in unison with the trumpets and trombones as the melody slowly crescendos. The song gradually gets louder as the rest of the orchestra begins to play. The fourth movement begins and the saxophones and oboes play quietly.
8:50- 10:05 The orchestra suddenly gets loud as the tempo increases many of the same notes the first movement are played again. The flutes and oboes then start to play softly as the rest of the orchestra quiets down. The violins slowly raise the tempo and the dynamics change from soft to hard. The saxophones play in harmony with the trumpets and the saxophones play d sending notes while the trumpets notes ascend.
10:05- 11:00 the flutes play with the clarinets. The clarinets maintain a different melody then the flutes. The flutes play many trills while the saxophones begin playing. The song crescendos and the strings play the melody while the trumpets play their own. The timpani’s are hit along with the symbols in moderation.
11:00- 11:56 the orchestra gets quiet as the tubas play, an oboe is heard in the background as the tempo drops and the song becomes distant. An oboe suddenly plays low notes that quickly ascend to the end.
Introduction to Music (FA)
Gustav Holst
Many people think that Gustav Holst only wrote for the orchestra. Yet although he was a masterful orchestrator, Holst also wrote many amazing pieces for choir, a few operas, and even some ballets.
Ballet (or Choral Ballet)
· The Lure (1921)
In 1921, Holst was commissioned to write a piece without much notice for a dance company in Chicago. The scenario for the commission is by Alice Barney, in which a candle flame "is shining brilliantly." The story continues with the Flame entrancing powerless moths in the room except for the most beautiful moth, named Folia. Her indifference to him makes the Flame radiate even stronger with desire, until even Folia is burned by his fire. The scene ends with the Flame being snuffed, proving that there are even greater powers abound.
· The Golden Goose Op. 45 No.1 (1926)
· The Morning of the Year Op. 45 No.2 (1926-27)
This piece is published by Oxford.
· In the Bleak Midwinter
"In the Bleak Midwinter" is a Christmas carol based on a poem by the English poet Christina Rossetti written before 1872 in response to a request from the magazine Scribner's Monthly for a Christmas poem.
Full Orchestra
A Winter Idyll (1897)
Walt Whitman Op. 7 (1899)
- Country Gardens
- Constant Billy
- Trunkles
- Morris Off
- Set II: Rigs o' Marlow
- Bluff King Hal
- How d'ye do, sir?
- Shepherd's Hey
- The Blue-eyed Stranger
I listened to these compositions and it really they really caught my attention on how many different string instruments were used in each notes, I really thought I wouldn’t have fun with this assignment but I learned a lot about Mr. holst and the different musical compositions he wrote.
http://www.google.com/#hl=en&q=in+the+bleak+midwinter&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAGOovnz8BQMDAy8HsxKnfq6-gYVZVkZFU45jqGJpoMKv78nbC37Gmmy8MrUMAEo9TpkqAAAA&sa=X&ei=xrF_UKmCMaTEigKe-oH4Aw&sqi=2&ved=0CCUQvBsoAzAA&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=cd238efcd5bfa751&bpcl=35466521&biw=1366&bih=667
· Holst among friends book.
· http://www.classiccat.net/holst_g_von/biography.php
Second Suite in F by Gustav Holst
0:13-0:36 This piece starts with the tuba playing then followed by the clarinets ascending. The trumpets then start in and play an order of notes in an ascending and descending fashion, followed by a crescendo by the rest of the orchestra. The introducing theme starts out happy and proud with a quickening tempo. The flutes than start in and play the same melody as the rest of the instruments. Then the clarinets come in and start playing the melody of the introducing theme with the same tempo and timbre.
0:36-1:00 The clarinets, trumpets, and flutes all play as the main melody is reintroduced increasing in tempo. The theme is still uplifting and maintains a cheerful tone. Until the orchestra decrescendos while playing descending notes, while the trumpets maintain a high note. The orchestra plays softly until they stop and a solo by the tuba comes in.
1:00-2:00 The tuba plays a solo and then the flutes and trumpets come in, the bass clarinets, trombones, French horns, and bassoons comes in while the percussion plays softly accompanying the players. The melody is still quite similar and keeps an uplifting feeling. The tempo is still about the same pace but does fluctuate between slow and fast.
2:00- 3:30 The tempo changes quickly as the clarinets start to play in staccato style. The mood of the piece changes as the saxophones and bassoons come in and play take the melody of the clarinets. Next the flutes come in and take on the same melody of the prior instruments. The tempo seems to be quickening and the notes played are fairly constant with the ones at the beginning ascending and descending in fashion. The orchestra starts to become louder and crescendo as the rest of the instruments start to play. The orchestra plays the same melody as before and the mood becomes uplifting again. The brass section now plays with sudden trills and ascending notes. With a sudden force the whole orchestra plays until the flutes take over and play the same melody. The tempo starts to increase in speed as the percussion joins the flutes. The orchestra again makes a sudden crescendo playing the familiar melody, the cymbals are then played.
3:30-4:38 The tuba then comes in and plays a solo, the tempo slows down and the tone of the song goes a little more somber. The tempo slowly increases as the tuba plays and then the rest of the orchestra begins to play with a loud crescendo. The orchestra returns to the familiar melody and the main theme is reintroduced. The tempo picks up and the brass section plays until the tempo slows down and a solo by an oboe comes in. The clarinets follow with a quickened pace reestablishing the main melody.
4:38- 5:58 The tempo slows down while the string section plays. The flutes come in and combine with the string section. The notes are sustained longer and this gives the song a more powerful feeling. The second movement starts in the song and a new melody is introduced. The notes go ascending to descending and the notes slowly crescendo. The clarinets come in and play a solo, the notes are softer and the mood of the piece changes. The violins come in forcibly and play with the trumpets as the song crescendos. The tone has changed and become more dramatic, the melody continues.
6:00- 7:39 The tempo becomes slower and the violins change pace as the flutes come in. The flutes play until the bassoon and clarinets come in. The flutes and trumpets play with each other, slowly the tempo increases and the French horns start to play. The melody rises as the notes go higher and higher. The tone of the piece is still up lifting but here is where another theme is introduced.
7:39- 8:50 The rest of the orchestra come in and the music gets louder and the tempo changes from fast to slow and all the instruments play. The violin begins on higher pitch as the drums play in the background. The French horns play in unison with the trumpets and trombones as the melody slowly crescendos. The song gradually gets louder as the rest of the orchestra begins to play. The fourth movement begins and the saxophones and oboes play quietly.
8:50- 10:05 The orchestra suddenly gets loud as the tempo increases many of the same notes the first movement are played again. The flutes and oboes then start to play softly as the rest of the orchestra quiets down. The violins slowly raise the tempo and the dynamics change from soft to hard. The saxophones play in harmony with the trumpets and the saxophones play d sending notes while the trumpets notes ascend.
10:05- 11:00 the flutes play with the clarinets. The clarinets maintain a different melody then the flutes. The flutes play many trills while the saxophones begin playing. The song crescendos and the strings play the melody while the trumpets play their own. The timpani’s are hit along with the symbols in moderation.
11:00- 11:56 the orchestra gets quiet as the tubas play, an oboe is heard in the background as the tempo drops and the song becomes distant. An oboe suddenly plays low notes that quickly ascend to the end.