American composers 20th century almanac; Leslie Bassett: Easter

American composers 20th century Almanac a series of original compositions by American composers commissioned and recorded by the University of Michigan broadcasting service under a grant in aid from the National Educational Television and Radio Center in cooperation with the National Association of educational broadcasters. These compositions were written to highlight the important American holidays or seasonal observances. Today we're going to hear the first performance of Easter triptych performed by Harold Horton are with members of the University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Dr. Joseph blot. But first here is Leslie Bassett the composer with a few words about his composition. My east of cryptic font tenor voice with brass and percussion choir is a word written to convey through music. Some of the significance and meaning of the three primary days of Holy Week this work was deeply motivated and I only hope that the motivation and dedication that I felt during its composition are communicated to the listener. The first of the three movements

represent Good Friday with the increasing tensions of the crucifixion followed by the pathetically for Lauren cry of despair uttered by Christ in his last moments. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me. The listener should not expect a graphic portrayal of the events of that day. The music will present mood rather than a specific program. The second movement a lament for a Saturday is a nearly continuous tenor solo in which one of the followers of Christ expresses the dejection and despair felt by the disciples following the death of the Savior and the apparent defeat of his cause. The text has been drawn from the 30s the fifty third chapter of the prophetical book of Isaiah in which the writer seems to be describing the disillusionment of Holy Saturday. The third movement is of course for Easter Sunday and opens with a clarion

statement by percussion and brass. The text for this movement comes from the Gospel of Matthew and consists of a few words spoken by Christ before his ascension. So as you can see Christ speaks in the first and third movement and a disciple sings the middle lament. There are several external also City factors that have been deliberately employed in order to enhance meaning. The three movements and the title should immediately call up memories of altar pieces or smaller trip tickets for the home such as we all have seen the tenor voice. Traditional as the voice of Christ or of a narrator telling of Christ's life and many of the best known oratory ills of the past. It is here used in much the same way the instrumental ensemble consisting of Bright and Dark brasses may prompt us to remember some of the glorious works written for brass or mixed

ensembles during the late 16th or 17th centuries by such men as the Gabriele age shoots and so on. The Sinfonia cry of that period frequently required soloists or chorus with instrumental ensemble and presented usually a lamb and patient text. Trombones have a long and glorious history of service in the requiems serious opera and church music. Beethoven's quali simple corrals for forth from bones that were played at his funeral are one of the many examples of the Association of these noble instruments with the deepest and most profound aspects of life. This is Association has been recognized by Stravinsky and employed in his in memoriam Dylan Thomas and in the counterclaim sacrum. I have been asked to discuss my creative methods particularly those employed in the writing of the triptych First of all I think

I should say that any discussion of creative method is difficult simply because in the process of creation involves countless decisions and one cannot remember countless decisions. I shall simply have to state some of the more general concepts that were in my mind throughout the writing of this work and let the minute detail slip by. My approach to the composition of this piece has been highly intuitive rather than intellectual although I certainly would not wish to say that the intellect has played no part. I soon realized in the writing of this piece that I was frequently using chords consisting of two juxtaposed major thirds such as one built on E-flat and the other a major seventh above this on D. This particular chord served as the initial sonority of the Caroll theme that appeared early in the first movement. And became the basis for many of the melodic and harmonic choices made during the writing of the first movement.

The relationship of thirds can be felt in a tone large in a zation of the movement. And for that matter in the tonal organization of the entire composition the ending of the first movement States the third relationship in another juxtaposition this time with a minor third on even the bass E is the tonality of the first movement above which one has already heard a major third on G flat. In the second movement the minor third from the previous standing becomes the basic interval. The last movement again opens one of the juxtaposed major thirds. Here are the two thirds move in contrary motion forming a foreign old motives that might best be described as a J.S. Bach's Famed the Casey hate. However the multiverse is intended to relate to the cross rather than to block. Foreign or cross motives have taken many forms in the music of the past but can best

be described as fragments and which are a line drawn from the first note to the fourth intersects one drawn from the second to the third. We find this melodic shape in the opening of the DSE right in the late quartets of Beethoven and Bach a sort of fugue and so forth. In each case the motive seems to be intended to convey a sense of deep meaning. I'm afraid that further discussion of method will prove of little value here not too much can be said about the beauty of the King James Bible text in the Beck's best way of suffering such passages. I must admit that I cannot remember any systematic approach to this matter but simply found the sounds in the rhythms that I liked and use them. The same may be said for the orchestration. One realizes that there are many orchestra limitations in the war for brass and percussion. Yet there are many times when limitations can

be an assett. One simply must not allow any work scored for brass and percussion to become either too long or overblown and pompous. I hope that I have avoided these dangers. That was Leslie Bassett. Now Harold Hall a tenor and members of the University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Dr. Joseph block there before him for the first time. Each triptych by Leslie Bassett. The

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I. Oh I'm sorry. I I oh oh oh oh oh oh you know. You have heard the first performance of Easter triptych by Leslie Bassett.

This has been one of the series of the original compositions by American composers American composers 20th century Almanac has been commissioned and recorded by the University of Michigan Broadcasting Service and the Retin-A from the National Educational Television and Radio Center in cooperation with the National Association of educational broadcasters consulted for this series has been Ross leaf any composer in residence at the University of Michigan. This is the N.A. E.B. Radio Network.