Conducting Composers

Question 1

Warren Benson

Answer 1

The Leaves are Falling

The piece is considered to be a statement following the assassination of John F. Kennedy and has a lot of exposed playing as well as two melodies that eventually come together to form the epic climax of the piece.

Question 2

Aaron Copland

Answer 2

Emblems

This is a piece that was created to showcase his best qualities as a composer, as he was known to experiment with many different genres and compositional styles. This work features elements such as, triadic passages, jazz elements, polytolnality, polymeters, and jazz waltzes.

Question 3

Ingolf Dahl

Answer 3

Sinfonetta

This is a three movement work where elements of each movement correspond with each other. The outer movements are based on a six note set which are Ab, Eb, C, G, D, and A which is the most obvious during the introduction of the third movement. The second movement uses a different pitch basis and lighter scoring, setting it apart from the outer movements.

Question 4

Percy Grainger

Answer 4

Lincolnshire Posy

This is a 6 movement piece which is based off of folk songs gathered by Grainger and Lucy Broadwood. The way the movements are performed is solely based on not just how the songs sounded but how he remembers them as they were sung to him. It also employs many complex compositional techniques such as irregular meter, countermelodies that slip in and out of context and melodies that slip in and out of phrase.

Question 5

Karel Husa

Answer 5

Music for Prague, 1968

The three main ideas based around this piece are the Hussite War Hymn which is never played in its entirety and presented in the timpani in the beginning of the first movement, the sounds of bells signifying the call of victory and distress, and three chords that are played very softly under the piccolo solo at the beginning of the piece.

Question 6

Gustav Holst

Answer 6

First Suite in Eb

This piece uses many characteristics Holst employed in his music including, obscure time signatures, polytonality, and ostinato. His interest in folk songs helped him develop a style that many of his fellow composers found ingenious.

Question 7

Florent Schmitt

Answer 7

Dionysiaques

Known as one of the more difficult pieces because of the shifting time signatures and complex rhythms. The original orchestration called for some less known instruments such as, sarrusophone, pedal clarinets, double basses and bass saxophone.

Question 8

Joseph Schwanter

Answer 8

…and the mountains rising nowhere

This piece uses percussion as the main feature and contains 10 sections and within the 10 sections are 6 motives that are all presented within the first 35 seconds of the piece. In this piece there are also many aleatoric passages and uses of “free time”.