Thom Ritter GeorgeSECOND SUITE IN C, CN 318 (1983; Revised 1995)
PROGRAM NOTES
Thom Ritter George's SECOND SUITE IN C took its present shape over a period of years. The composer started work on the original version in March 1983 while living in Quincy, Illinois. On moving to Pocatello, Idaho that year, he took up the music again, completing it in November 1983. In the summer of 1995, Dr. George revised the work, cutting and restructuring various passages. Also, some new material was added to the revision. SECOND SUITE IN C is written in four contrasting and is scored for full symphonic band or wind ensemble.
In general, the score is designed so that steady tempi are best. That is, once the music is set in motion, it it good to maintain the tempo throughout the section. The third movement suggests the use of expressive phrasing. That is most appropriate in this quiet interlude, but otherwise performing the music is a matter of achieving good intonation and good balance within the prescribed tempo.
In the following remarks, there are many references to themes used in SECOND SUITE IN C. It is quite useful for a director to locate these themes in the actual score, to see how they are used in subsequent presentation, and to see how theme relate to each other. Talking with student performers about these discoveries makes the music much more understandable. Musical themes can be rightly compared to the use of fictional characters in a book. These characters move, act, and interact in ways that change meaning and advance the story. A composer relies on these same effects in his use of themes.
The first movement ("Allegro con brio") opens with a rising arpeggiated figure, revealing in m. 3 the insistent 6/8 principal theme in high woodwinds. At the same moment (m. 3), the horns and alto saxophones enter with an important countertheme which often accompanies the statement of the principal theme. So from the outset, a contrapuntal dialogue is set in motion. It is helpful for performers of SECOND SUITE IN C to know that counterpoint plays a vital role in this music. Musical lines should stand out in clear relief. In this way, the score's excitement and power are best revealed.
The first movement has a tender second theme, first played by the oboe (m. 58) and ten by the horns (m. 73). In the coda (m. 140), a new and forceful scoring of this gentle theme appears in the trumpets and euphonium. Here, it is accompanied by features of the first theme, which itself takes over and concludes the movement.
The second movement ("Allegretto") is an intermezzo, and its character is far removed from the driving rhythms of the outer movements. The woodwind section features prominently in this movement, playing many of the main ideas and colorful figurations. The middle section of this movement increases tempo ("Animato," m. 86), and introduces new capricious themes in both woodwinds and brass. A climax is reached (m. 148) when the horns return with the opening theme.
"Largo e solenne," the third movement, is lyric and expressive. The brooding accompaniment of the clarinets and bassoon form a gray musical landscape. High above it sounds a melancholy flute solo, pensive and noble. The theme is played again immediately, this time with a new, richer scoring. The solo trumpet repeats the flute's melody an octave lower and the music expands to a warm climax. At the end of the movement, the solo flute reappears, echoing fragments of its sad song.
When writing SECOND SUITE IN C, Thom Ritter George was interested in creating a particularly dynamic final movement. Holst had a splendid approach to the problem by writing a march for the final movement of his FIRST SUITE IN E-FLAT, but simply mimicking his solution was not desirable. English marches are noteworthy in that they are played in a tempo slower than other march types. On the other hand, the typical French march moves forward at a tempo quicker than other march types. Also, a French march should have an element of characteristic élan, a snappy and bright impression.
The rousing trumpet fanfare at the opening finds a lively response from the full band. As the Marchefrançaise unfolds, the listener can hear how essential percussion instruments are in highlighting and coloring musical ideas. For example, much of the flavor of the middle section (m. 79ff) is due to the piquant use of the jangling tambourine with the considerably lower tones of the tenor drum. At m. 140, the trumpet fanfare again sounds, announcing the return of the main section, this time given in a shortened version. The coda (m. 195-203) should be played exactly in tempo, without either accelerating or holding back. In this way, the tonal quality of the last measures will be heard to advantage, and the musical ideas will be brought to an exciting conclusion.
(TRGcm:1999.08.06)