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You're listening to music by Don give us brought to you each week by the national educational radio network and this is Daniel is to tell you something about the music we're going to hear on this the sixth broadcast of our series I've scheduled three scores of patriotic nature. Not that there's any special reason to have a patriotic program but it did seem like a good combination of music. And besides it does it's good every now and then to reaffirm our faith in our country not in any super flag waving way of course but in the dignity and pride in freedom and the privilege of living in a free land. Our first music will be taken from my Star-Spangled Symphony and the movement we're going to hear is the second subtitled prayer and him for a solemn occasion the solemn occasion of course relates to that day in time when with dedicated resolution our forefathers declared their independence and determination to be forever free. B.
Prayer and him for a solemn occasion the second movement of my Star-Spangled Symphony has been the opening number on this the sixth program of music by Don give us. Next we'll hear work from narrator and band with Dr. Martin Broder head of the speech department of Kansas State Teacher's College as our narrator and with Mr. Mouser Nixon conducting the Kansas State Teacher's College band.
The title of the work is ceremony of Allegiance and perhaps a word or so of explanation about the score might be interesting to you. It was commissioned by Mr. Nixon for a band aid at Kansas State Teacher's College. And I went out to employers to do the first performance. Now for those of you who are not familiar with the term band day this means that four or five thousand high school youngsters representing 100 or so bands assembled on the football field between halves of a football game and simultaneously play a program for the football fans. I was a little worried about the whole affair because frankly I had never conducted a for 5000 peace organization before but. Performance went off beautifully and I will always remember the event not only because it was my first world premiere with that many players but because of what happened to my arm for in the rather forceful beats one gives to contact 5000 players. I conducted so hard that I apparently tore a ligament in my left elbow and believe it or not spent about five days in a hospital
afterwards complete with Operation All of which just might prove that this business of conducting as a hazardous occupation especially an upper bracket multitude of performers. However in recalling the day and in remembering the fact that Mr Nixon's suggestion for a new composition produced the music you're about to hear it was all worth it for I was led to write a work for narrator and band based upon writings from the Constitution the Declaration of Independence and the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag and in the performance we're here now. Malvern Nixon and Dr. Martin Bruder have recorded the music especially for this broadcast series. The ceremony of Allegiance. The people of the United States you know ordered to form a
more perfect Union establish Justice domestic Tranquility provide for the common defense promote the general Welfare and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity do ordain and establish this Constitution of the United States of America. We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights. These are every day in the pursuit of happiness. And for the support of this declaration. With a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence we mutually pledge to
each other. Fortune. To the republic. With liberty justice for all. Dr. Martin Ritter was the narrator as Malvern Nixon conducted the Kansas State Teacher's
College band in this special performance of ceremony of Allegiance. Music by Don give us continues now as we hear baritone soloist Melvin Dacres the Texas Christian University acapella choir and symphonic band and a performance of this is our America. Thanksgiving was. A whole me. TV nothing
to eat. Fish. Residents and snow to do that is the shortest way one to speak. There is a free country. Nobody. You want to. Eat Meat. OK.
Yes. OK. OK OK. OK OK.
The this week a week or am. I an OS owner. Will the United States. Why.
Right.
Think.
Eat. Eat eat eat. Yeah. OK. I am. Can. Say I was. Now I am. Can my liberty and the pursuit I mean.
Yeah there's a story. Oh. Was. This the USA. Yeah yeah OK yeah. You say that. I am OK. Yes. We can. Yeah OK. Yeah. Yeah I am yeah.
This is one of 180 millions for everyone in America. Here we just. Bring. You this week.
So. With this performance of this is our America by the Texas Christian University acapella choir and symphonic band with Melvin because his baritone soloist we have come to the end of our sixth broadcast in music by Don give us earlier we heard Dr. Martin Bruder as narrator in Malvern Nixon's performance with the Kansas State Teacher's College band ceremony of Allegiance and the slow movement from my Star-Spangled symphony hymn and prayer for a solemn occasion. It has been in a sense a time to express and music our deepest affection and respect for our native land. And I hope you join me with the pride of being part of this great country. Next week I'll be back to bring you several symphonic movements as well as part of my second woodwind quintet. Future programs will present such familiar scores as symphony five and a
half five acre pond. The Alamo will end on one program will take up the subject of American opera copious illustrations from several operas that I have thus far managed to write. As a matter of fact we're going to do that program is broadcast number 13 and I can hardly wait for that show to come along so that we can all let down our collective long hair and try to talk about opera as if it were an old and familiar friend instead of some mystical God that dwells up on Mount Olympus. Any opinions you care to express on the subject of opera I'd be most happy to get it. As a matter of fact your opinions or questions relative to my music will be most welcome. And I'll try to answer them. Some of you have written to ask me if I maintain a regular schedule of writing every day. The answer is no at least not physically. But I think that most creative people are constantly in the process of creation or at least thinking about it. And so from that standpoint the answer would have to be yes. And sometimes people ask me if a composer can make a living from his music. My answer is always yes he
can if you don't mind living that way. Seriously though in spite of the hackneyed wheezes about composers in garrets there are ways of earning a living from the manuscript. I am alone. As for me I've been lucky because I not only can make a living from music I can also make a life and of the two. The latter is more rewarding. Music by Don Gillis is produced for the national educational radio network by Riverdale productions and is directed by Keith Donaldson. This is done give us saying thank you for listening and goodbye until next time. This is the national educational radio network.
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Series
The Music of Don Gillis II
Episode
Prayer and Hymn for Solemn Occasion and more
Contributing Organization
University of Maryland (College Park, Maryland)
AAPB ID
cpb-aacip/500-2r3p0k7v
If you have more information about this item than what is given here, or if you have concerns about this record, we want to know! Contact us, indicating the AAPB ID (cpb-aacip/500-2r3p0k7v).
Description
Episode Description
This program features performances of the following Gillis compositions: Prayer and Hymn for Solemn Occasion; and Ceremony of Allegiance.
Series Description
This series features the works of Don Gillis; hosted by the composer himself. Most of the performances are conducted by the composer.
Broadcast Date
1965-10-08
Topics
Music
Media type
Sound
Duration
00:29:43
Credits
Composer: Gillis, Don, 1912-1978
Host: Gillis, Don, 1912-1978
AAPB Contributor Holdings
University of Maryland
Identifier: 65-36-6 (National Association of Educational Broadcasters)
Format: 1/4 inch audio tape
Duration: 00:29:26
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Citations
Chicago: “The Music of Don Gillis II; Prayer and Hymn for Solemn Occasion and more,” 1965-10-08, University of Maryland, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC, accessed March 29, 2024, http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-500-2r3p0k7v.
MLA: “The Music of Don Gillis II; Prayer and Hymn for Solemn Occasion and more.” 1965-10-08. University of Maryland, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Web. March 29, 2024. <http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-500-2r3p0k7v>.
APA: The Music of Don Gillis II; Prayer and Hymn for Solemn Occasion and more. Boston, MA: University of Maryland, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-500-2r3p0k7v