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William Wallace
Not to be confused with the Scottish composer William Wallace (1860-1940), this William Wallace is a man of our time. His works, widely performed and broadcast, have been recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra, the Warsaw Chamber Orchestra, the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, and, in the Czech Republic, the Janacek Philharmonic and Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic Orchestras. He studied with Leroy Robertson at the University of Utah and Egon Wellesz and Edmund Rubbra at the University of Oxford. He has taught at both Rutgers University and Canada's McMaster University. He holds both U.S. and Canadian citizenship and lives in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
Concerto No. 2 for Piano and Orchestra
A unique introduction — a fugue — kicks off this work. “Brisk and snappy, but very traditional” (as the score specifies), and in simple 4/4, it nevertheless suggests in its first measures all the thematic material that the concerto incorporates. (It also suggests the conservative approach, heard throughout, to melody and harmony.) Following the fugue's climax, the piano, percussively supported, makes its entrance in the lively 5/8 meter that characterizes a significant portion of the concerto. The concerto's structure is traditional in its three-movement, fast-slow-fast scheme. The middle movement is the expected gentler of the three; some listeners even find in it a certain “pop” quality. The last movement serves really as a continuation of the first. After the cadenza, the opening fugue returns, this time with the piano, and a rousing finish ensues.
Dance Suite for Orchestra
In the modern sense a “suite” might simply consist of an unspecified number of (probably relatively short and informal) pieces that form a whole. In the Baroque sense the suite is a collectin of dances (intended, incidentally, simply to be heard rather than danced to). The Wallace suite is a modernized version of the Baroque sort, although it incorporates a somewhat anomalous minuet and tarantella. (Its allemande and courante, however, are regular features.) The tarantella, a hot dance of Italian origin, makes a rapid conclusion.
Symphonic Variations
Like Introduction and Passacaglia, Symphonic Variations embodies a succession of different ways of elaborating upon a repeated musical idea. Here the repeated musical idea is a segment of melody (appearing initially in the bass but sometimes “migrating” to the treble), which means that we have a passacaglia. A unique feature, however, is the hidden connection this melody bears with the one serving the great passacaglia that concludes the Brahms' Fourth Symphony, a connection that becomes manifest at one point, where, as a variation, Wallace quotes Brahms' melody literally — an event that the attentive listener will discern. Otherwise, the Wallace/Brahms variations differ radically.
Giga!
Giga!, of course, is a jig — a fast, amusing, lively dance in triple meter (usually 6/8), Baroque in origin. These days we seem to associate the jig largely with Ireland. This one sounds Irish for sure.
Introduction and Passacaglia
Pretty much what the name implies. The Introduction is stately and chordal, in contrast with the rest of the piece, and has a theme of its own. A climax leads to the passacaglia itself, whose theme is, to many, reminiscent of a passage in Handel's Messiah (although in general outline it is really a piece of musical “common property,” occurring as it does in many guises throughout recent musical history). A sort of coda in which the themes combine concludes the work. As a whole, the sound is extremely traditional (and easy on the ears) throughout.
Epilogue for String Orchestra
Originally a composition for string quartet, Epilogue is now most frequently performed in the present string orchestra version. It serves well as a gentle and lyrical conclusion.
Olga Dudnik
Olga Dudnik was born in the Ukraine into a family of professional musicians. Her first education was in the Special School for Gifted Children. She won her first contest at 16 which led her into the heart of Soviet musical activity.
Since 1993, when she settled permanently in London, her recitals and appearances as soloist with orchestra have won her international recognition. As a scholarship winner of the Queen Elizabeth competition, the Queen Mother sponsored her studies at the Royal College of Music. Her numerous competition prizes range georgraphically from London to Hong Kong.
Kirk Trevor
Kirk Trevor was born and educated in England. He trained at London's Guildhall School of Music where he graduated cum laude in cello performance and conducting. He was a conducting student of the late Sir Adrian Boult and Vilem Tausky. He is the music director of the Knoxville Symphony and the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra and has served as associate conductor of the Charlotte Symhony and as the Exxon Arts Endowment Conductor with the Dallas Symphony. In 1990, Trevor was recognized as one of America's outstanding young conductors, winning the American Symphony Orchestra League's Leonard Bernstein Conducting Competition. He is principal conductor of the Martinu Philharmonic in Zlin and has recorded for the Koch, Albany, Fatra, Crystal and Carlton Classics record labels with this orchestra. As a guest conductor, Trevor has appeared with more than 40 orchestras in 12 countries.
Slovak Radio Orchestra
The Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra of Bratislava, the oldest symphonic ensemble in Slovakia, was founded in 1929 through the efforts of Milos Ruppeldt and Oskar Nedbal, prominent figures in Slovak musical circles. Ondrej Lenard was appointed its conductor in 1970. Today its Chief Conductors are Charles Olivieri Monroe and Kirk Trevor. The orchestra regularly tours throughout Europe and the Far East, and is recording more and more works of new composers.
Credits
Introduction and Passacaglia - Wilson Editions (PRS-World); D.I. Music (ASCAP-USA); D.I. Music (GEMA-Germany); 1993 CAMPIONRECORDS. London Symphony Orchestra, Boris Brott, Conductor.
Epilogue for String Orchestra - Wilson Editions (PRS-World); D.I. Music (ASCAP-USA); D.I. Music (GEMA-Germany); 1993 CAMPIONRECORDS. Warsaw Chamber Orchestra, Marek Sewen, Conductor.
Dance Suite; Symphonic Variations - Wilson Editions (PRS-World); D.I. Music (ASCAP-USA); D.I. Music (GEMA-Germany); 1993 CAMPIONRECORDS.
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