American Muse

Interview with Maestro Silas Huff, Director of Orchestras at Washburn University in Lawrence, Kansas. We discuss opening school and rehearsing a full orchestra during COVID-19 and the unknown epic life of Horatio Parker, one of the so called Boston 6.

- In this episode we will look at George Whitefield Chadwick, a member of the so called Boston 6, and dubbed by John Phillip Sousa as the “Pride of New England”. We will hear parts of his single movement work _Aphrodite_ , and find out how closely the music ties to the mythical figure herself. Also, we will explore Chadwick’s time as student, teacher, then president of the New England Conservatory of music.

###Composer

- George Whitefield Chadwick’s life spans an interesting series of world historical events and societal shifting inventions. I’m quoting from Bill Faucett’s biography on Chadwick, as he puts it very articulately: 

“Born in 1854, just a few years before the first volley of the Civil War, he lived to see the devastation of the Great War and the turmoil wrought by the onset of the Great Depression.” “Chadwick also watched as technology improved—and sometimes invaded—his life via electricity, the phonograph and the gramophone, the telephone, and the motion picture. He traveled widely—first by horse cart and train, then by steamship and automobile, and eventually by air—in the United States and abroad. Chadwick’s travels enabled his presence at many of the age’s most consequential musical events…” 

Can you even imagine? Living and being so highly productive before electricity, the car, and the telephone? I know there are many others that did this, but it is a heavy concept to take in.

- So Chadwick, born in Massachusetts, studied piano for a little bit at the New England Conservatory in Boston, then with an eye toward studying in Europe, as did most musicians at the time, he took a teaching position at the Michigan Conservatory of Olivet College to earn and save money. After 3 years, he went to Germany and studied piano and organ at the Munich Conservatory. After 2 years there, in 1879, seemingly ready to come back to the US anyway, Chadwick was invited to conduct his own _Rip Van Winkle_ Overture at Boston’s Handel and Haydn Society Triennial Festival. So, he packed up and came back to Boston for good. Then, over nearly a decade, Chadwick held various church organ positions, conducted orchestras, managed festivals, and composed more and larger pieces. In 1897, though reticent at first to accept the position, Chadwick became director of the New England Conservatory of Music. (as a side note, this is very similar to how William Schuman became director of Juilliard, after declining the position multiple times) Though the position took up much of his time, Chadwick continued to teach composition and compose a great deal himself. He was even commissioned to write for Connecticut’s Norfolk Music Festival, for which among other pieces he composed _Aphrodite_, the piece we will discuss shortly. 

- Chadwick’s composition portfolio is large and eclectic. Piano and organ works, chamber music, orchestral, concerti, choral and stage pieces. He worked a great deal between that and his position at NEC. The ONLY thing that slowed him down was his health. First, it was Rheumatism, which made him lose some teeth and degraded his eyesight. That led to gout, which gave him a lot of chronic pain. But what did him in was a heart condition. Because he consistently wrote in his diary throughout his life, we have a clear though sobering account of the days leading up to his death. For example, on December 27, 1930 he writes “Paderewski dinner and concert,” “Had a heart attack and could not go.” Just like that! As if it was a minor inconvenience!

###Culture

- Our piece today is _Aphrodite_, written in 1911, Chadwick actually wrote this long, one movement work in a single month! The piece itself is quite hefty orchestrationally as well, notably calling for triple woodwinds, 4 horns, 4 trumpets, off-stage trumpets, both harp and celesta, and field drums.

- As I mentioned, Chadwick wrote this piece for the Norfolk Festival. To put the Norfolk Festival performance into perspective, June of 1912, this was only 6 weeks after the sinking of the Titanic! Even Chadwick remarked “\[it] has so overshadowed all other affairs that I could not get into any mood to write.”

###Back story and anecdote of piece

- Apparently, the impetus for this work was born from Chadwick’s fascination with the marble bust of Aphrodite herself at the Museum of Fine Art in Boston. Though the work is entirely instrumental, Chadwick worked out a translation of ancient Greek poetry to accompany the score:

In a dim vision of the long ago

Wandering by a far-off Grecian shore

Where streaming moonlight shone on golden sands

And melting stars dissolved in silver seas,

I humbly knelt at Aphrodite’s shrine

Imploring her with many a fervid prayer

To tell the secret of her beauty’s power

And the depths of the ocean whence she sprang.

At last the wave-born goddess raised her hand

And smiling said: “O mortal youth, behold!”

Then all these mysteries passed before mine eyes.

- Intriguingly, while the vast majority of Chadwick’s work is Romantic, Germanic, structured in form, this piece is, obviously, highly programmatic. While it is one movement, he designates titled sections: Moonlight on the sea, Storm, Requiem, The Lovers, Children Playing, Approach of a Great Army and Hymn to Aphrodite, Moonlight scene partly repeated, and Finale. A thematic strain is persistent throughout, instead of a formal rotation.

###Analysis of piece

Now let’s hear the piece itself. This 2002 NAXOS recording is of the Nashville Symphony conducted by Kenneth Schermerhorn. On a side note, because of the pandemic, the Nashville Symphony was forced to cancel their entire 2020-2021 season. This is of course grave news for the organization, the musicians, and their audience. I truly hope that the situation turns around for the Nashville Symphony and they get back to making music as quickly as is possible for everyone’s safety.

- A very melancholy beginning, the solo viola plays a variation of the Aphrodite motive that will persist throughout the piece. Accompanied by clarinets, the short phrase ends on a deceptive and un-resolving chord, followed by an ominous statement by the timpani.

- After this repeats, building suspense, the texture settles in, an undulating figure in the strings, while the English horn plays the Aphrodite motive.

- Though this section expands and builds, it is never harsh, never erupts. Not only does the activity remain relatively calm, the melody itself is rarely presented with a bright instrument, like oboe or flute, and even when it is it’s combined with clarinet or English horn to mitigate the brighter timbre of the instrument. This is a keen insight of orchestration on the part of Chadwick

- Eventually this transitions to a raucous Storm section, heavy on the low brass and percussion.

- Having built up a substantial amount of tension, Chadwick opens up directly into the Requiem. Immediately, the simple theme is accompanied by quick running chromatic scales in the lower register, swelling over and over.

- Having released a great deal of the opening tension during the requiem, Chadwick enters “The Lovers” section. This opens with a violin and horn duet that develops an intimate melodic line, likely signifying the lovers themselves.

- After this opening, the lyrical line is developed to a fulfilling crest, and in Wagnerian style opens into a lightness and quicker tempo only to arrive at yet another, greater, fuller moment of bliss.

- Following a very light, waltz-like section meant to be the “Children Playing”, Chadwick then makes use of offstage drums and trumpets to introduce the extended march of an approaching “Great Army”. The march builds up and as the army arrives, a grand Maestoso gives way, presenting a “Hymn to Aphrodite”.

- When the drama finally plays out, Chadwick reprises the “Moonlight” theme from the opening, but this time with a bit more brightness. At last, he brilliantly allows the undulating accompaniment to organically expand, adding broader and larger swelling wind chords over the top, as if breathing in sweet relief to the end.

###Outro

- Chadwick was often accused, notably by his own colleague Horatio Parker, for being technical, craftsman like. Honestly, I don’t hear what they hear. I find my self more engaged in this music every time I hear it. On top of that, Chadwick partly has a lot to do with the fact that in my own conservatory training I was offered and even at times encouraged to enrich myself with traditions other than just that of Europe. Do not get me wrong, I can play Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Mahler, etc. ALL DAY LONG. Though, I am thankful to people like Chadwick who encouraged American teachers, performers, and composers to believe in their own set of traditions, skills, instincts. Now, we have a mix of everything. What could be better?

Music:

'Aphrodite'

By: George Whitefiled Chadwick

Performed by: Kenneth Schermerhorn, Nashville Symphony Orchestra

Courtesy of Naxos of America, Inc.

- In this episode of American Muse we will hear the first symphony by Roy Harris, titled for the year it was written 1933. We will discuss the odd man Harris was, his nomadic nature, and an interesting story about he, his wife, and her name... stay tuned for that. (Play opening 10 seconds)

###Composer

- Roy Harris, or LeRoy as is his full first name, born in Oklahoma, but quickly moved to southern California. Studied with Arthur Farwell at UC Berkeley. Had his first orchestral piece premiered at Eastman by Howard Hanson (that’s about the best promotion you could ask for right out of the gate!). Then met a guy named Aaron Copland who suggested he go to Paris and study with another composer named Nadia Boulanger. It’s hard to go wrong after starting a career with names like that on your resume. Oh, but let’s add one more shall we?? After returning to the US, Harris eventually meets Serge Koussevitzky, another career maker at the time, who then premiered and recorded Harris’ _Symphony 1933_ , and THAT became the first commercially recorded American symphony.

- Another thing to know about this man is that he could NOT sit still for very long. In chronological order, he taught at Juilliard, Westminster, Cornell, Stanford, Colorado College, University of Utah, Peabody College for Teachers in Nashville, Pennsylvania College for Women, Southern Illinois University, Indiana University, the Inter-American University in Puerto Rico, UCLA, and finally Cal State University, Los Angeles. And that’s just the university positions!

- Harris had a massive composition portfolio, and while he covered most of the bases—vocal, chamber, ballet, concertos, etc.—his main focus was clearly on the symphonic form. Harris numbered 13 symphonies (although, out of superstition, he numbered the last 14 to avoid the number 13), plus the _Three Symphonic Essays_, _American Portrait_, _Our Heritage_ (which he apparently only finished one movement for), a Symphony for High School Orchestra, _American Symphony_ for jazz band, Choral Symphony for chorus and orchestra, and the _Walt Whitman Symphony_ for solo baritone, chorus and orchestra. Oh! Also a _Symphony for Voices_, an entirely a cappella work. So, I’d say, he was hooked on the symphony.

- Now, though there is STILL time left for this to happen to me… I have never had the honor of being properly called a genius (uh, by anyone other than my mother…). Roy Harris, on the other hand, did have this dubious fortune. Paraphrasing a famous quote of Robert Schumann praising the talents of an up and coming Frédéric Chopin, one Arthur Farwell said of Roy Harris, quote “Gentlemen, a genius—but keep your hats on!” Later, the equally great Walter Piston would counter by complimenting Harris for quote “surviving the trying experience of having been hailed as a genius.” It would seem that Roy Harris had a strong effect on critics and contemporaries alike. One possible reason the label of genius did not effect Harris negatively was his ability to stay so presently in the moment, maintaining an intense focus on the matter at hand. Certainly an aspect that reveals itself in his compositions, and a characteristic that makes for long days and short years.

- Ok, one strange story I need to tell you is about he and his second wife. In 1936, Harris married Beula Duffey. Duffey was already on her way to a spectacular career as a pianist, having been hailed as a prodigy in Canada, and then as the youngest faculty member at Juilliard. The interesting part is that Harris convinced her to changer her FIRST name to Johana, after the great Johan Sebastian Bach! From what I could find, this was welcomed and uncontentious. It seems to have been a business and career decision as much as anything else. I just can’t quite imagine starting that conversation: “Darling, I love you, I love everything about you… it’s just, your name… I don’t like it, and no one else will either. Instead, let’s name you after a VERY dead male composer. What do you say??”

- It turns out that at first Harris only numbered the symphonies that used the traditional symphonic orchestra. But, then he wrote the _Abraham Lincoln Symphony_ for piano, percussion, and brass, and numbered it the 10th, so that tradition ended.

- Harris’ approach to the various aspects of symphonic composition is articulated nicely by a biographer of his, Dan Stehman. He says quote “Formal procedures… he employs in the symphonies are virtually the same as in his miscellaneous orchestral and band works, and his chamber compositions, for that matter. Acquaintance with all of Harris’ works in the genre reveals that his most consistent view appears to have been of the symphony as a work of greater seriousness, emotional variety, intensity of expression, and length than was the norm for him. Though… the elements which went into their creation were formed and treated quite similarly to those employed in other works, the materials of the symphonies are sometimes greater in number, richer in complexity, and accorded a more elaborate development. with especially prominent use of the various types of motivic working out… Occasionally ideas recur in a thematic sense within a symphony… thus providing more of a sense of large scale unity than one finds… in the miscellaneous pieces. … \[T]he quality of the ideas in the symphonies, particularly the long melodies, is sometimes more distinctive than that found elsewhere in Harris’s oevre.

- So, Symphony 1933, Symphony No. 1, pieced together from bits he had already composed. Yet it isn’t necessary to know that to enjoy the work. The initiation of this piece came about, as I mentioned earlier, via Aaron Copland introducing Harris to Koussevitzky, who was at the time not only the music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, he premiered works by so many American composers he was basically a career maker. According to Harris’ memory, Koussevitzky said “Copland told me you are the American Mussorgsky. You must write for me a big symphony from the West. I will play.” Excuse my Russian accent, but that’s a pretty cool endorsement from someone that, at the time, was likely destined to make your career, right?

- Now to the symphony itself. These excerpts were performed by the Louisville Orchestra under the direction of Jorge Mester.

- Symphony 1933 is in 3 movements: Allegro, Andante, and Maestoso; nothing special there. What Harris does from the very beginning is establish a rhythmic theme, one that is both inherently contrasting, alternating triplets against 8ths, but is presented as triumphant and at times aggressive. At the very opening the timpani presents the rhythm and the winds furiously wind through the melodic material that will be developed, followed by a brass variation. (Play opening 45 seconds)

- The middle section of this movement shows characteristic melodic writing by Harris, using a soaring string line supported by regularly interjected rhythmic motives reminiscent of the opening energy beneath.

- In the final section, where the opening material returns, Harris shows his ability to play with layers and space. In this excerpt string and timpani punctuate a heavy rhythmic figure, the woodwinds play a sustained, menacing melodic line in unison, and the brass begin a fugal conversation over the top. The effect is powerful!

- In the second movement, Harris’ lush melodic writing is fully featured. Another aspect is the harmonic writing, that is in some ways key to the uniquely American sound that is starting develop. Here, Harris uses a tightly dense harmonic accompaniment that moves rhythmically in sync with the moldy, and has many surprising chromatic twists as it moves along.

- The last movement, while not overwhelming in energy, is constantly building interest and tension. In fact, Harris does this with a motive based only on 3 notes! Throughout out the movement he morphs those 3 notes in so many fashions you likely would not notice without it being pointed out, and that’s the point! 

- Here is the very opening with the 3 note motive

- Another version with a considerable amount of variation and energy this time, and more and more rhythmic complexity as it goes along

- In a moment of calmness, Harris varies the motive in a much more horizontal, lyrical fashion.

- Finally, Harris falls into repetitive mode to build up some energy.

- This piece is easy to listen to and take in. It is not very long, but packs quite a mental punch. Though it was his first symphony, Harris does show compositional growth and maturity here. It is more than worth your time to listen to and enjoy. I can almost guarantee you’ve rarely heard another piece like it.

Music:

Symphony No. 1 '1933'

By: Roy Harris

Performed By: The Louisville Orchestra, Jorge Mester

Interview with Grammy Award Winning Conductor JoAnn Falletta!

Introducing the American Muse Podcast!

Hello! My name is Grant Gilman. I am a conductor, violinist, and author, based in Atlanta, Georgia. I grew up the son of 2 violinists, who both went to Eastman and became professionals. Beyond that, I have a pretty typical musician story. I was bitten by the music bug very young, and despite everyone, including my parents, constantly reminding me there is no money in classical music, I couldn’t do anything else.

I remember playing in youth orchestra and constantly breaking my bow hair. It is not unusual to break a hair every once in a while, but I did it regularly. I realized that I wanted to play my part AND the winds AND the percussion all at once, that’s why I was pressing so hard. I knew, even then, that my place was on the podium. That’s where I could be a part of all the sounds at once. Then my high school orchestra director let me conduct both my own composition and Elgar’s famous Enigma Variations, both in concert. Well, that was it, no going back. I was going to be a conductor, for better or worse.

So, I went to the Peabody Conservatory of Music, studied violin with Martin Beaver, former 1st violin of the Tokyo String Quartet, Misha Rosenker, and Pamela Frank, world renowned soloist and chamber player. It just so happened that one of the best conducting programs in the world is ALSO at Peabody, so I stayed for my Masters degree, and got to study with Gustav Meier (rest in peace, my friend) and Markand Thakar.

After playing and conducting in various positions all over the country, I decided to get my doctorate. That took me to the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, or CCM as we call it, and I studied under Mark Gibson.

Now, it just so happens I married up! My wife, Kim, is a fantastic horn player. After 10 years playing under JoAnn Falletta in the Virginia Symphony, she won 2nd horn with the Atlanta Symphony, under the baton of Robert Spano. So, after having grown up in south Texas, I now live in another very hot and humid area of the country. But, Atlanta is great!

When I was still quite young, I would actually listen to my mother’s collection of vinyl records. No, this is not a joke. She had tons of them! One that I found was so striking because I had never heard of the composer, and certainly not the piece, but the music blew me away EVERY time I listened to it. The conductor was Leonard Bernstein, leading the strings of the New York Philharmonic. The piece was Symphony No. 5 by William Schuman. And that is where my journey began.

I never lost that sound from my mind, the optimism, boldness, complex, driving rhythmic movement, dense and engaging harmonic support. Until that moment I knew only the most prevailing composers of history. Now I had another world to discover.

So I’m starting a podcast! The title is “American Muse”, in honor of William Schuman, which is what he titled his 10th and final symphony. This podcast is for all of those people, like my young self, that have never heard of these American orchestral composers from the 19th and 20th centuries. I want to find and share hidden and lesser-known gems that will brighten your day and bring depth to your world, as only art and music can do.

Now of course our team will need help! You can expect to hear a collection of extraordinary guests that are experts in this field. I will be interviewing them, asking them some pointed questions that we think you will find not only entertaining but also very educational. And the first guest will be none other than JoAnn Falletta!

Beyond that, we want you to be as involved as possible. We want to know if you have a composer or piece you would like us to feature. We love finding new pieces!

Also, we want to know if you have a guest to propose I interview. Like the composers themselves, the experts in this niche can be just quite elusive.

Furthermore, If you are an educator and have an idea, something that would tie in with your curriculum that would be of benefit to you, please reach out to us. We plan to dedicate an episode each season toward educating young musicians and students.

Thanks for listening to my short introduction, and I hope you are as excited as we are! The show will be available anywhere you get your podcasts already, a video version will be on YouTube, and you can also find links and show notes on my website grantgilman.com/americanmusepodcast. Feel free to contact us with thoughts or ideas at [email protected].