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DePaul University Wind Ensemble
Donald DeRoche, conductor
Concerto for Bass Trombone and Wind Ensemble
Tuba and bass trombone soloists who wish to perform with wind groups do not have a large, established repertoire from which to choose. In addition, there are not many recordings of that repertoire that can serve as models for aspiring soloists. I was, therefore, especially enthusiastic when Floyd Cooley and Charlie Vernon proposed a recording of solos with wind accompanimnt. The program presented here is standard repertoire, which we hope will inspire wind conductors to invite more of our “friends in low places” to perform as soloists. It was certainly exciting for me, and the members of my wind ensemble, to work with these two wonderful musicians. We hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed putting this together.
Ralph Vaughan-Williams (1872-1958) is considered by many to be the outstanding English composer of his generation, and perhaps the greatest since Purcell. He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, and at the Royal College of Music, London, where he studied composition with Parry and Sanford, in addition to his work on organ and piano. He also studied composition with Max Bruch and Maurice Ravel, and earned a Doctorate in Music from Cambridge in 1901.
Early in his professional career he developed what would become a life-long interest in folk music. At the turn of the century he was among the very first to travel into the countryside to collect folk songs and carols from country singers. Folk songs found their way into his orchestral music and operas, and his English Folk Song Suite for wind band remains one of the classics of that genre.
In his later years, Vaughan-Williams continued to seek ways to expand the palette of instrument sounds to be used in his composition. Among his experiments were two works for soloists, a harmonica romance and the Concerto for Basstuba. Far from being quirky, the concerto is a beautifully wrought work that utilizes the tuba's full harmonic and expressive ranges. The composer's love of song is particularly evident in the Romanza movement, which has been transcribed for use by euphonium, bassoon, cello and piano.
Concerto for Bass Trombone and Wind Ensemble
Eric Ewazen, born in 1954 in Cleveland, Ohio, studied composition with Samuel Adler, Milton Babbitt, Warren Benson, Gunther Schuller and Joseph Schwantner at the Eastman School of Music, Tanglewood, and The Juilliard School. He has been a member of the faculty of The Juilliard School since 1980.
Mr. Ewazen's works have been commissioned and performed by chamber ensembles, orchestras and soloists worldwide, and recently he has been composing a great deal for winds. The current season (2000-2001), has seen the premiere of Legacy, which is a symphony for wind ensemble, the Concerto for Tenor Trombone and Orchestra, a concerto for brass quintet and orchestra entitled Shadowcatcher, and a Concerto for Trumpet, Trombone and Orchestra.
Eric Ewazen offers these thoughts on the work recorded here:
“The Concerto for Bass Trombone and Wind Ensemble began life as a sonata for tuba and piano. On the suggestion of Warren Deck of the New York Philharmonic, I turned it into a concerto for tuba or bass trombone and orchestra, for the Low Brass Competition at The Juilliard School in 1997. It was subsequently arranged for wind ensemble by Virginia Allen, my friend and colleague at The Juilliard School.
The work is constructed along the lines of a traditional classical concerto, with an energetic first movement in sonata allegro form, a slow second movement, which is soulful and lyrical, and a rousing third movement in a rondo form. The only difference is that a cadenza, which normally appears at the end of a first movement in the classical period concerto, here appears as a finale to the third movement.
I have had the genuine pleasure of working with Charles Vernon over the years, and his wonderful musicality and amazing virtuosity are inspirations to me as a composer. Having heard an extraordinary performance of this work by Charlie and the DePaul University Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Donald DeRoche, I am delighted that their interpretation of the Concerto is now recorded for posterity!”
Edward Gregson (born 1945) is one of Britain's most versatile composers, whose music has been performed, broadcast, and recorded worldwide. He was a prize winning composition student at the Royal Academy of Music from 1963-67. Among his early successes was his popular Brass Quintet, which was followed by commissions for orchestral, chamber, instrumental and choral music, as well as music for theatre, film and television. He is well known for his works for wind instruments including two brass quintets, an Oboe Sonata (1965) a Trumpet Concerto (1983), Sonata for Four Trombones (1984), and a number of works for brass and wind bands.
A noted conductor of contemporary music, Edward Gregson has also held numerous academic posts, including Professor of Music at Goldsmith's College, University of London, visiting teacher and conductor at the Royal Academy of Music, and Principal of the Royal Northern College of Music.
In the score, Gregson writes the following note to the conductor:
“The Concerto is in three movements, following the usual quick-slow-quick pattern: Allegro deciso, Lento e mesto, Allegro giocoso. The first is a sonata form shell with two contrasting themes, the first rhythmic in character, the second lyrical. There is reference made in the development section to the opening theme of Vaughan-Williams' Tuba Concerto, but only in passing. The second movement unfolds a long cantabile melody for the soloist, which contrasts to a ritornello idea, which is announced three times in the accompaniment. The last movement is a rondo form, alternating the main theme with two episodes. The first of these is a broad sweeping tune, the second is jazz-like in style. After a short cadenza, reference is made to the opening of the Concerto, and the work ends with a triumphal flourish.”
Concerto No. 1 for Horn, Op. 11
Richard Strauss (1864-1949) was born into a well-to-do, musical family and displayed a musical gift of his own at an early age. His father, Franz Strauss, was the principal horn player in the Bavarian Court Orchestra, and was quick to recognize and encourage Richard's gift for composition. His mother was a member of the Pschorr family, well-known for beer brewing, and she used her wealth to help support Richard early in his career. Before his 20th birthday he had received performances of his music under the batons of Hans von Bülow and Hermann Levi, two of the best-known conductors at the time. Included among these early compositions were the Serenade, Op. 7 for winds; the Suite in B Flat, Op. 4 for winds; and the Concerto No. 1 for Horn, Op. 11. For the next 60 years Strauss was one of the major figures in European music, composing a remarkable string of tone poems, opera, choral pieces, and Leider. At the end of his life, Strauss again returned to the medium of winds, composing the Sonatina No. 1 in F (1943) and the Symphony for Wind Instruments (1945).
Opus 11 dates from 1882-83, when Richard was 18 years old. It is not surprising that the young Richard chose to write for the horn. That instrument was, after all, heard daily in his household. It is likely that the Concerto was written as a tribute to the father he respected and who had such a great influence on the composer's musical development. The work, performed without pause between movements, shows the understanding of the horn and of wind playing that his father's influence brought to bear. From the dramatic opening fanfare, through the beautiful, lyrical Andante, to the lively Finale, the Strauss who would write the later tone poems is evident. The Concerto No. 1 was first performed at Meiningen, with that orchestra's first hornist, Gustav Leinhos, as soloist, and with von Bülow conducting.
Donald DeRoche is the chairman of the Performance Studies department at the DePaul University School of Music in Chicago. He earned degrees in music education and performance at the University of Illinois, and a Ph.D. in music education at Northwestern University. Prior to joining the faculty at DePaul, he spent three years as clarinetist with the U.S. Army Band in Washington, D.C.; two years as principal clarinetist with the Victoria (Canada) Symphony Orchestra; and six years as director of bands at Willowbrook High School in Villa Park, Illinois. In 1972 he was the guest principal clarinetist with the Alaska Festival of Music and has appeared as soloist with the Czech, Arcturus and Vancouver string quartets. In 1979 he became conductor of the DePaul Wind Ensemble, which has performed under his direction in Austria, Russia, Estonia, Poland, Ireland, and Hungary. In addition, the DePaul Wind Ensemble has been invited to perform for meetings of the College Band Director's National Association (1984 & 1992), the Music Educator's National Conference (1984), and the Illinois Music Educator's Association (1988 & 1992).
Floyd O. Cooley is an internationally known tubist who is one of the most skillful and adventuresome tuba players currently playing. He has appeared throughout the U.S., Europe, New Zealand, Australia, and Japan, as soloist and clinician, giving master classes, and as a member of the San Francisco Symphony.
Mr. Cooley received a Performer's Certificate from Indiana University in 1969, where he studied with William Bell. In addition, he has studied with Mstislav Rostropovich, Jacob Krachmalnick, Mark Lifschey, and regularly with Arnold Jacobs between 1973-1998.
Mr. Cooley joined the San Francisco Symphony in 1969, at the time the youngest tuba player in any major orchestra in the United States. With that orchestra he twice performed as soloist, under the batons of Seiji Ozawa and Jahja Ling. He has commissioned works by Earl Zindars and Richard Felciano, and has recorded two solo albums, The Romantic Tuba on Crystal Records and A Schumann Fantasy on Summit Records. During the 1992-1993 season, he served as the tubist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. A performer at the Aspen Festival in the summers of 1968 and 1969, he has been a participant at the Grand Teton Music Festival since 1975.
Floyd is a musician of extremely varied activities and interests. He founded the San Francisco Tuba quartet, and as part of the Visiting Artist Series in the Quad Cities of Iowa and Illinois, he played in schools and factories to over 15,000 people. He has also performed with the 49ers Jazz Band and Perry's Turkey Bowl Pep Band. No matter what activity, Floyd has been praised for his sensitive playing, mellow tone and singing melodic line. The San Francisco Chronicle wrote, “the sheer beauty of tone and technical accuracy were amazing. The effect was operatically vocal.”
After 32 years of orchestral playing Floyd retired from the San Francisco Symphony in 2001 to pursue a teaching and solo career. Prior to leaving the San Francisco Symphony, Floyd taught at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Stanford University and DePaul University. Currently he serves as the Brass Department Coordinator at DePaul University where he also teaches tuba and brass related courses.
Charles Vernon joined the Chicago Symphony in 1986 as bass trombonist, coming from the Philadelphia orchestra, where he had served in that same position since 1981. Prior to that he held identical posts with the Baltimore symphony (1971-80) and the San Francisco Symphony (1980-81).
A native of Asheville, North Carolina, Vernon attended Brevard College and Georgia State University. His principal teachers were Edward Kleinhammer (bass trombone) and Arnold Jacobs (tuba), both former members of the Chicago Symphony. He has been on the faculties of Catholic University and the Brevard Music Center, and also has taught at the Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts and the Curtis Institute of Music. He currently is on the faculty of DePaul University.
A clinician for the Selmer Instrument Company and a frequent guest artist for the International Trombone Association, he has made numerous appearances as a soloist throughout the world. In April, 1991 Vernon gave the world premiere of Ellen Taaffe Zwilich's Concerto for Bass Trombone, which was commissioned by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for its centennial. In addition, the following were written for Vernon: Frank Seikmann's Concerto for Bass Trombone; Norman Bolter's Of Mountains, Lakes and Trees for bass, tenor and alto trombone and orchestra; and Charles Knox's Concerto for Trombonist for tenor, alto and bass trombones.
Producers: Jay Friedman for Mr. Cooley; Julie Deroche for Mr. Vernon.
Engineers: Steve Lewis for Mr. Cooley; Thomas Miller for Mr. Vernon.
Editing: Don Gates for Mr. Cooley; Donald DeRoche, Thomas Miller, Louis Kholodovsky for Mr. Vernon.
Mastering: Dan Steinman, Thomas Miller, Donald DeRoche
Recorded in the DePaul University Concert Hall between May 1998 and February 2001.
Photograph of Donald DeRoche by Mary Claire.
Vaughan-Williams Concerto for Bass Tuba published by Oxford University Press. Ewazen Concerto for Bass Trombone and Wind Ensemble published by Southern Music Co. Gregson Concerto for Tuba and Band published by Novello. Strauss Concerto No. 1 for Horn published by Ludwig Music.
Cover Art: William H. Johnson (1901-1970): Blind Musicians (a.k.a. “Street Musicians”), ca. 1940-45. Copyright Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC/Art Resource, NY
Cover Design:Bates Miyamoto Design
3 Rondo alla Tedesca [3:10]
Concerto for Bass Trombone and Wind Ensemble
4 Andante con moto [5:46]
5 Andante espressivo [7:56]
Charles Vernon, bass trombone
Concerto No. 1 for Horn, Op. 11
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