Log In


Reset Password
LEHIGH VALLEY WEATHER

Classical View: “The March King” ... If you knew Sousa like The Allentown Band

Roger Pompsello

“Each year, the Allentown Band presents an annual Sousa concert and while it includes music by ‘The March King’ John Philip Sousa, we also feature selections by other composers presented in a style of a typical Sousa-led concert,” says Ronald Demkee, Allentown Band Conductor.

The Allentown Band’s “Annual Sousa Concert” is at 7:30 p.m. June 27, West Park, Allentown.

The concert opens with “Golden Jubilee” (1928), composed by Sousa to commemorate his 50 years as a conductor. As Sousa described it:

“I’ve always been inspired by an occasion and as I thought of the golden jubilee and of all it meant to me - fifty years of band leading - I seemed to see the world passing in review. There they were, peoples of every land - on parade, at great music festivals, going to war, at expositions, attending the opera, in the home - listening to a march. So the music took form and then ‘The Golden Jubilee March’ was ready for placing on paper.”

In the concert, Lucien Cailliet’s arrangement of Giuseppe Verdi’s “Nabucco Overture” follows.

Although known primarily for his marches, Sousa introduced classical music to many towns, including works by composers of opera such as Richard Wagner, Gioachino Rossini and Giuseppe Verdi.

Composer Joseph DeLuca performed as euphonium soloist with the Sousa Band between 1921-1927.

Recent Kutztown University music graduate Roger Pompsello is euphonium soloist in DeLuca’s most popular work “The Beautiful Colorado,” arranged by Charles J. Roberts.

Originally known as “Clog Dance,” Australian composer Percy Grainger renamed the piece “Handel in the Strand” as the dedicatee, William Gair Rathbone, thought the “music seemed to reflect both Handel and English musical comedy.” The Strand is a street in London, which was home to London’s musical comedy scene.

Sousa’s early career involved conducting theater orchestras, including productions by William S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan. Australian conductor Charles Mackerras composed “Pineapple Poll,” incorporating snippets from Gilbert and Sullivan operas.

Popular Sousa marches for the evening include “The Washington Post March” (1888), “The Rifle Regiment March” (1886), “The Black Horse Troop March” (1924), “Semper Fidelis March” (1888) and “The Stars and Stripes Forever March” (1896).

The encore is expected to be Stephen Foster’s “Gentle Annie,” arranged by Loris Schissel.

Allentown Band, “Annual Sousa Concert”, 7:30 p.m. June 27; West Park, 16th and Linden streets, Allentown. Inclement weather location: Lehigh Valley Active Life, 1633 Elm St., Allentown. Free concert. Information: https://allentownband.com

The Pennsylvania Sinfonia Orchestra annual summer “Valley Vivaldi” series begins with works by J.S. Bach, Albinoni, Purcell, Telemann and Vivaldi, 7 p.m. June 22, Christ Lutheran Church, Allentown.

“We open with Georg Philipp Telemann’s ‘Concerto, TWV 43:44’ for three violins and three oboes arranged by our own Nobuo Kitagawa,” says PSO Concertmaster Simon Maurer.

Comprising three movements, Allegro, Largo, Allegro, the first movement has violins and oboes joyfully calling to each other. The second movement is slower-paced. The work has a cheerful third movement.

Vivaldi’s “Sinfonia ‘Al Santo Sepolcro’ in B minor, RV 169” is a short dramatic work from Vivaldi’s collection of sacred music.

Scholars believe that Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Concerto for oboe and violin, BWV 1060R” is a reconstructed adaptation of Bach’s “Concerto for two harpsichords.” The original oboe and violin work is lost. The piece is lively, energetic and closes with a jubilant bourreé.

Violinist Inna Eyzerovitch opens the concert’s second half with Tomaso Albinoni’s “Violin Concerto, Op. 9 No. 1,” one of 12 violin concerti the composer published in 1722.

Next is the Benjamin Britten arrangement of Henry Purcell’s “Chacony in G Minor.” It is likely that Purcell composed the work for 24 violins. In 1947 and 1948, Benjamin Britten arranged the piece for string quartet. It is considered one of Britten’s most popular of his Purcell editions.

The concert closes with J.S. Bach’s “Brandenburg Concerto No. 1.”

Says Maurer. “This five-movement concerto grosso is scored for piccolo violin, three oboes, two French horns, bassoon, strings and continuo, giving the orchestra a really rich sound.”

Pennsylvania Sinfonia Orchestra, “Valley Vivaldi Concert,” 7 p.m. June 22, Christ Lutheran Church, 1245 Hamilton St., Allentown. Tickets: PSO office, 1524 Linden St., Allentown; 610-434-7811; https://www.pasinfonia.org/tickets.html

“Classical View” is a column about classical music concerts, conductors and performers. To request coverage, email: Paul Willistein, Focus editor, pwillistein@tnonline.com