Wineglass, Maunders, & Farrenc!
Anna’s 1st Three x Three - Part of the composers you should know series...
It is fantastic to see the interesting and innovative symphonic programming that is happening across the country these days. Rich diversity from various perspectives offer exciting pathways for musical exploration. There are so many amazing and talented musicians out there! I am always thrilled to find my latest new “favorite composer” and then share them with you...
I am interested in compositions that feed my soul. At times, this can jus be from purely magical sounds of music and other times it may be the knowledge of a particular story or history that transcends the notes. At the end of the day, my desire is to hear music that transports me somewhere interesting. It doesn’t always have to be “pretty” or “beautiful,” but I want to hear music that offers me a reason to listen. I want to hear a point of view whether through a composer’s culture, history, or personal inspiration. My ears crave musical diversity that comes from experiencing various aspects of life including (but not limited to): race, sexual identity, region of birth, historical oppression, or blinding love. It is this kind of critical listening that I use to find and introduce compositions and composers to all of you in our Everything Conducting community.
To that end, I will continue to share a few compositions every week or so through my “Composers You Should Know.” Each week I will share three composers, three compositions, and also let you the difficulty level so that you can program them for the appropriate ensemble. It is my hope you will enjoy listening to these compositions and will share them with your friends and colleagues! Here we go:
33 minutes
This is a deceptively difficult piece and completely worth it. This would be appropriate for an excellent university and above. One can clearly hear influences of both Fanny and Felix Mendelssohn as well as Ludwig van Beethoven throughout her music.
5’15 minutes
This composition has only been performed twice, but should be performed many more times. It is a high energy composition with interesting rhythmic meter changes as well as a driving pulse. It is an orchestra as well as audience winner! Super fun! This work is appropriate for College/University/Community ensembles and above.
6 minutes
Excellent composition for a youth orchestra and above. This composition is full of energy and is fun for musicians. A few tricky brass and string parts, but overall an excellent composition with some excellent cinematic flare.
To find out more about these composers and compositions as well as other historically underrepresented composers, check out Anna’s Composer Database. It is a great place to find excellent music for a well-rounded and diverse concert program.