Orchestral composition VS Band composition... what's a writer to do?

Ever wonder about how composers feel about band music??  Well, read this from John Mackey: "If you’re a composer who grew up wanting to write orchestra music, and you listened to Barber rather than Grainger, you probably start with the attitude that you should be writing orchestra music, and band somehow isn’t the goal. So, you marry Orchestra. Orchestra is hot. Okay, maybe not hot, but at least she’s the kind of hot that you know you should like. At the very least, she’s very pretty. And she’s really, really smart, and speaks, like, seven languages, and she knew everybody (but she only ever wants to talk about Beethoven). But you quickly realize that Orchestra thinks she’s better than you, and she acts like every minute she spends with you is come kind of charity work. You get her gifts, and shower her with attention, but you soon realize that she doesn’t appreciate you at all, and she’s neglectful, and at worst, abusive.

And then one day, you meet Band at a party.

“What do you do?” she asks. “Um, I’m a composer,” you reply, expecting little reaction, but Band lights up and exclaims, “oh my God, that’s HOT! Do you have any music I can play? The newer, the better! Let me get you a drink!”

Band is loud. She’s not quite as pretty as Orchestra, and she’s a bit, shall we say, bigger-boned, but she has that truly “hot” aspect to her that Orchestra never had. And most importantly, Band loves what you do. Whereas it was like pulling teeth to get Orchestra to look at your new music (and if she looked, she was generally not impressed, often comparing you unfavorably to one of her many ex’s — like Dvorak), Band thinks it’s awesome. Band tells you things like “you’re special and perfect and I’ll appreciate you and your music like Orchestra never has, and never will.”

What is Composer supposed to do?! Did I mention how loud and boisterous Band is? (Let’s say she’s a screamer. Totally your type.) You have a blast when you’re with her, and your friends agree that she’s a lot cooler than Orchestra, and they see how she treats you much, much better. How can Composer not be expected to stray?

Luckily for Composer, he figured this out around the age of 30, and not much, much later. He just feels bad for all of the other Composers who haven’t yet caught on and left their dysfuncional, abusive relationships."

John's great works can be heard on a number of my Naxos Wind Band Classics recordings...  He also has a great blog that you ought to visit...

Top 10 best ideas in Classical Music- a review

Sorry for the feast and famine blog posts, but I am especially motivated this week. I was delighted when a colleague sent me a link to a new classical music blog (well at least new to me). This blog, "The Dutch Perspective" written by Marc Van Bree is a refreshing take on cultural affairs and PR from the perspective of a non-profit PR and social media specialist. Not only did the title of his latest blog post excite me, but the content was quite exciting as well. The title, "The ten best ideas in classical music online" says it all, but as I read his David Letterman top 10 list, I realized that I (moreover Naxos) have much to do with several of the initiatives mentioned in the list.

If you are curious about the whole list, please feel free to read it and Marc's other posts here.

I will spare you the details and go into the movements and initiatives that I/we had something to do with. Baltimore Symphony Orchestra gives away memberships to Naxos Music Library with subscriptions to the new season

"The BSO enthusiastically proclaims “Imagine leaving a concert and wanting to go right home and hear your favorite parts of the music again and again…Well now you can!” on its Web site. And rightly so. This is a perfect example of a smart collaboration that adds value to the orchestra experience." ## That's right folks. We did it! We are partnering with not only the BSO, but a slew of other great Symphonies to offer the highly acclaimed Naxos Music Library as a value-add to season tickets purchases. The opportunity to work with these great orchestras offering this value for their subscribers has been a wonderful experience. Hopefully more will jump on board for next season!

Keeping Score / Beyond the Score

"Although they have distinct differences, I would put the San Francisco Symphony’s Keeping Score programs and the Chicago Symphony’s Beyond the Score programs in the same category of innovation. If it wasn’t for the negative connotations, I would be tempted to use the term “infotainment” to describe the presentations. Check them out and see how you would describe them." ## While I have nothing to do with the beyond the score project (which I think is a phenomenal endeavor), I have worked with the good folks at the San Francisco Symphony on their initiative for a few years now providing licensed music for their educational CDs and am glad that their series is garnering recognition. Classical music on Twitter (Toronto Symphony, Aspen Music Festival, London Symphony, Atlanta Symphony)

## Along with these great Symphonies, Naxos also has several Twitter accounts. We have found that these are a great way to connect with our customer base. In case you were wondering, you can follow the official Naxos Twitter account, Naxos Direct, Naxos Music Library account, or my personal account.

I think it's pretty exciting that we are involved with 3 out of 10 of these initiatives. I enjoy being a part of a forward-thinking leader in the Classical Music World. That's all for now.

Top 10 Ad Songs of the 2008

While Advertising Age just published their list of top Ad songs of 2008, I thought it might be fitting to publish the unofficial Naxos Records top Licensed Classical works for Advertising, Film and TV of 2008. (click the links to see the ads)

So without further adieu,

*  HP Touchsmart  

Four Seasons: Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, RV. 315 "Summer": Presto by Antonio Vivaldi

*  Axe Shower Gel… So Cute   

Sleeping Beauty: Valse by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

*  Tropic Thunder
The 4 Seasons: Violin Concerto in F Major, Op. 8, No. 3 RV 269, "La primavera" (Spring) I. Allegro by Antonio Vivaldi

*  Valkryie
Der Ring: Act III: Ride of the Valkyries by Richard Wagner

*  Milk
Tosca: Act III: Presto, su! Mario! Mario! by Giacomo Puccini

*  Hellboy 2: The Golden Army
Violin Sonata No. 9 in A Major, Op. 47 "Kreutzer" by Ludwig Van Beethoven

*  Horton Hears A Who!
Der Ring: Act III: Ride of the Valkyries by Richard Wagner

*  Halloween
English Suite No. 3 in G minor, BWV 808 by J.S. Bach

*  Charlie Wilson's War
Farewell of Slavianka by Vasiliy Agapkin

*  Made of Honor
Lohengrin, Act III: Wedding March (arr. For organ) by Richard Wagner

 

 

Enjoy these and learn more about licensing music from Naxos by clicking the logo below or going to www.NaxosLicensing.com

-Randall

Barack Obama- Classical Music Lover / Extraordinaire

Ok, I am going to say it loud and proud. I VOTED FOR OBAMA! I have a number of reasons why I supported his campaign and most of which I will not share with you, but on the subject of the Arts, Arts in Education, and Music advocacy I am extremely outspoken!! I think this President and his administration is going to do great things for the Arts and below is just and example… just the start if you will. No matter what your political affiliations are, I think we can all agree that this will be a very cool musical collaboration…

If you read Variety (like I do- daily) you may or may have not seen this story, but at next week's Inauguration, in the main entertainment slot, our incoming president is featuring the music of none other than John Williams! Performed by a quartet made up of Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, Anthony McGill (a clarinetist from the Met), and Gabriela Montero (a Venezuelan pianist). The music to be performed will be a new setting and Williams-esque take on Simple Gifts, the same music used thematically throughout Appalachian Spring, written by Aaron Copland (one of Obama's favorite composers).

This is important to me for a few reasons.

1. This administration IS going to support the Arts! Many other presidents have had Classical music performed at their inauguration, but to my recollection, none have ever commissioned a new work for the occasion.
2. Aaron Copland and John Williams happen to be two of my Top 5 American composers. This has little relevance on you, the reader, but warms my heart.
3. As stated in the article, Copland's work was supposed to be performed at another Presidential Inauguration. Dwight D Eisenhower was set to have "Lincoln Portrait" performed at his inauguration, but the performance was cancelled at the last minute as Copland was accused of being a communist by Senator Joe McCarthy. Finally Copland will get his just spotlight at these festivities. Even if it is only a piece paying tribute to him, I think it is a fitting tribute and an important moment for American Classical music.

 

On a side note, Lincoln Portrait is set to be released on Naxos Records twice in the next 6 months. Once in It's original Orchestral Form performed by the Nashville Symphony under the baton of Leonard Slatkin (released in February 2009 Naxos 8.559373-74) and again as part of my Naxos Wind Band Classics series in it's Concert Band setting performed by the fine University of Missouri Wind Ensemble conducted by Dr. Tom O'Neal and Narrated by Alvin Chea of "Take 6" fame (released in May 2009 Naxos Wind Band Classics 8.572108)