Vittoria, mio core! by Gian Giacomo Carissimi For well over a century, the Twenty-four Italian Songs and Arias published by G. Schirmer has accompanied most young singers into their voice lessons. The songs included in this and similar editions are perennial favorites among singers and teachers for good reasons. Singers like them because of the timeless melodies still heard in Italy today. Voice teachers like them because of the opportunities they offer to teach vocal technique and expressive singing while promoting artistic music of the finest quality. An example of such a song is the well-known "Vittoria, mio core!" by Gian Giacomo Carissimi (1605 - 1674). The short canta- ta may be used to address several aspects of vocal technique such as agility in singing while maintaining a true legato founda- tion. Also, the short, melismatic passages are excellent for teaching vowel modification when singing into and above the primo passaggio, especially in young male voices. Likewise, this selection is a wonderful instrument for teaching expressive singing. Opportunities to employ the singer's imagination abound. What is the mood of the character? Are they exuberant because they have overcome the slavery of love, or are they only fooling themselves? One may choose exuberance on the refrains and show anger on the verses. Such possible combinations are endless. Also, the opportunity to teach ornamentation common to bel canto singing is equally open to the imagination. These songs will serve young students well in their vocal training and are far more appropriate for scholarship auditions to our universities than are popular music selections. Charles Wood (baritone) and Cynthia Jones (piano), The University of Montevallo


Sonata for Trumpet and Piano (Movement 2) by Eric Ewazen The Sonata for Trumpet and Piano by Eric Ewazen (b. 1954) was commissioned by the International Trumpet Guild (ITG) and premiered at the 1995 ITG Conference with Chris Gekker on trumpet and Ewazen himself at the piano. Since its debut, the piece has found an instant niche in the recital repertoire of the collegiate trumpet performer. The second movement in particular, is an excellent teaching example displaying the many challenges associated with lyrical playing, including the lilting feel of com- pound meter, subtle dynamic coloring, and multiple phrasing demands. Tonal in nature, the movement is easily accessible to the developing student ear and ample opportunity for matching intonation and phrasing with the pianist, challenging the student to become more active and thoughtful toward these finer aspects of musicianship. Carly Johnson (trumpet) and Joel Jones (piano), Alabama State University


Aeolian Harp and The Tides of Manaunaun by Henry Cowell Henry Cowell (1897-1965) has been called the "godfather" of American experimentalism (John Rockwell, All American Music) and is widely recognized for his influence on contemporary composers, including, most notably, John Cage. Perhaps most inter- esting is Cowell's ability to combine experimental features with tuneful melodies and a generally aurally-accessible palette. In today's presentation, we find examples of two of Cowell's experimental innovations. The Tides of Manaunaun calls for the use of tone clusters played with the fist - spanning the interval of a fifth, the flat of the hand - an octave, and the forearm -two octaves. In Irish legend, "Manaunaun was the god of motion, and long before the creation, he sent forth tremendous tides, which swept to and fro through the universe, and rhythmically moved the particles and materials of which the gods were later to make the suns and worlds" (from the score). In the 1920's Cowell left the piano bench to play directly on the strings of a grand piano. He swept, strummed, plucked and stopped the strings to explore totally new timbres and textures at the piano. Aeolian Harp is played entirely on the strings of the grand piano. Through strumming and plucking the strings, Cowell recreates the sounds of an Aeolian harp - a stringed instrument which was hung where the wind could blow across the strings to produce sounds. These works provide students with an excellent introduction to contemporary "extended techniques" for the piano and introduces them to the special system of notation, developed by Cowell, which has become somewhat "standard" for these techniques. Kathryn Fouse (piano), Samford University


Clear Water by Nadine Shanti Clear Water is a recent composition I have discovered for use in the applied studio. Originally a vocalise for voice and piano composed by African-American composer Nadine Shanti, this composition has a broad pedagogical application. It has a lyrical, mid-range melody that lends itself to the early application of vibrato within a solo work and simple phrase shaping. From a mul- ticultural perspective, this composition is an accessible introduction to works by African-American composers. It is presented tonight as an oboe solo, but it might also be transposed for other intermediate-level woodwind performers. The original can be found in Margaret Simmons' and Jeanine Wagner's book, A New Anthology of Art Songs by African American Composers pub- lished by Southern Illinois University Press. Caterina Bristol (oboe) and Joel Jones (piano), Alabama State University


42


ala breve


February 2007


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