Epic pieces served to enthrall the audience
By: Chris Dunne
Issue date: 10/15/08 Section: Entertainment
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The set was about an hour long and contained four musical pieces from the last century that seemed to combine themes of adventure, hope, love and loss. This made for an epic listening adventure for all in attendance.
The show began with a bang as the fantastical military march entitled, "Espirit de Corps" struck the crowd without introduction. A melodic fanfare set the epic tone for the rest of the evening, preparing the audience for a musical battle. The piece was composed by Robert Jager in 1984 and served as a "fantasy march" and tribute to the Marine Corps.
After a slight pause for the reorganization of chairs, the concert continued with the musical poem "Der Traum des Oenghus" or "The Dream of Oenghus" composed by Rolf Rudin in 1996. The poem is about an Irish prince who sets off on an extraordinary journey through his kingdom and his imagination to find the girl from his dreams. As such, the music comes across as wistful, sincere, longing and (once again) epic in sheer scope.
The third piece of the night, "Symphony for Band" by Vincent Persichetti in 1958, was a true audiophile's delight. Lasting nearly twenty minutes, the piece explored just what a wind ensemble can do and McMahan and his student's pulled through it famously.
Before the fourth and final piece ("With Heart and Voice" by David Gillingham in 2000) was preformed, McMahan turned and addressed the audience for the first time that evening. After the traditional thank you's and pleasantries, McMahan apologized to the audience saying, "I don't typically speak to the audience. Not that I don't like you, but so there can be clean uninterrupted music." On that note, "With Heart and Voice" flooded the hall.
The piece is based on the old Spanish hymn "Come, Christians, Join to Sing" and was commissioned by Apple Valley High School (Apple Valley, Minnesota) to serve as a celebration of 25 years of operation in 2000. McMahan and the Stanislaus Wind Ensemble executed the piece flawlessly and the listening audience could feel the sense of pride and accomplishment it was meant to portray.
Friday's concert was the first time conductor Andrew McMahan led the Stanislaus Wind Ensemble in front of an audience. Their next performance together will be Friday, Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m. in the Snider Recital Hall. The next concert in the hall is Andrew Nevala's Jazz Ensemble & Combos scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 16 at 7:30 p.m. Ticket information can be obtained in the music department and are sold at the door.
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