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Little Notes, Big Symphonies

  • Writer: Molly Anderson Orr
    Molly Anderson Orr
  • Oct 3, 2022
  • 5 min read

This Monday post is rather late, as practice for tomorrow’s string sectional had to take priority. Now at night, I thought it might be fun to share some behind-the-scenes work of how strings parts fit together; and also to comment on some connections between the pieces in this upcoming program.


First piece- Lincoln Portrait by Aaron Copland. Aaron Copland was an American composer commissioned to write this piece during World War II. Along with music, he incorporated courageous words of Lincoln to be spoken by a narrator.1 How to approach this piece? With a sense of courage in the face of loss, which is something I think almost every American can identify with. And then, how to approach practicing the notes? A lot of times, one of the ways string players choose what to practice first or most is to find some really fast notes:


Happily, with Copland, the fast notes are also quite fun! In these, you can hear the “cowboy” or “Americana” character he so vividly paints in many of his pieces inspired by history or aspects of the United States. The quick back-and-forth steps of the one 16th-note figure, almost reminiscent of a trill, are alternated with the one climbing two steps up and one back down. The first figure happens 6 times before the second figure comes in, then 5, then 3, then 1, then another 1, then 2 before a fff (not just forte, strong and loud, but very, very strong and loud!) gathering point. It’s a neat combination of the evenness of the galloping 16th notes with a melodic figure that’s anything but even; rather, which measure we’re in feels lost in the momentspontaneously! Start at about 7:00 here.2

Next piece- Dances in the Canebrakes. This began as a piano piece composed by Florence Beatrice Smith Price, a composer. Her music was once memorably sung to close a concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, a concert arranged by Eleanor Roosevelt to get around the segregation policies of D.C. concert halls.3 For anyone who may have pictured that landmark in your mind’s eye during the Copland, it’s almost as though you could imagine this as more of Price’s music played in front of it as well. This piece seems inspired at once by striking events of history, which the era of slavery certainly was; as well as by goings-on of everyday life: the experiences of slaves on plantations where they’d have to do backbreaking work clearing the cane before planting crops, while still holding onto and forming entertaining traditions of song and dance. This clip is one of my favorite harmonic moments in the second movement, including a crescendo that tends to sneak up a bit (hence, the practice):


The crescendo ends up being very rewarding in context with the whole orchestra, as you’ll hear at about 4:05 at this link.4 I’m thankful that another African American composer, William Grant Still, thought to bring this piece on a journey from piano to orchestra! My favorite movement as a whole has got to be the third. It obviously belongs in a concert hall, and yet could also belong in a 50’s film: it’s so musically descriptive that even if you didn’t know the title (Silk Hat and Walking Cane), you’d have to know that someone was walking and even dancing somewhere in a fun, amused, or hopeful scenario.


Finally, Brahms’ second symphony is the oldest piece on here. As George Grove noted in his Dictionary of Music and Musicians,5 Brahms was identified by Schumann as the future of classical music, even growing on the seeds of Brahms’ own masterful performances of previous masters such as Handel and Bach. This symphony seems to me not quite as “life-or-death” thematically as Beethoven’s Eroica, or even Brahms’ own first symphony. Here in the second symphony, you may hear dramatic and troubled moments; yet you’ll also hear the suggestion of a lullaby:


(Listen in context around 4:47 here.)6 Just like a baby’s nap may quietly and powerfully creep into days with the most upheavalor the most ordinariness, I love the moments of respite and gathering in the big, fast movements; and similarly I love the respite of the slow movements. As an orchestra musician, sometimes resting from playing and listening to other instruments is as important as playing. I pulled out my viola today to cement in my mind some of the magnificent melody the cellos play to begin the 2nd movement (also found at about 16:05)6:




From Brahms’ pen you’ll always be able to hear the new and the old, the past and the future. There’s the very orthodox bariolage7 for strings,





which reminds me always right away of Bach:


And yet, similarly to Copland, Brahms delights in making his listeners lose the beat in order to lose themselves in the moment. Now, as a musician, the work ahead of me is to continue to keep the feeling, yet not actually lose my place!

What feelings do you have, what connections do you make to grand events in history or to everyday life, when you hear these pieces?


To all music appreciators, to all performers, keep listening, and keep connecting!


Musically yours,

Molly


Companion music listening: Florence Price: Violin Concerto No. 2 The (No Longer) Lost Concertos Of Florence Price : Deceptive Cadence : NPR

Companion books or podcasts for children: The Little Song That Wanted To Be A Symphony, by William Grant Still, illustrated by Victor Cano Little David Had No Fear, by Judith Anne Still, illustrated byLea Magruder Both of the above books can be found at the following link: Books from The Master-Player Library (williamgrantstillmusic.com)

Classics for Kids episodes on Aaron Copland; this episode and the ones following: Show – Classics for Kids

Companion books or podcasts for adults: MY LIFE, MY WORDS - The Autobiography of William Grant Still, with additional materials by the composer's daughter, Judith Anne Still. Books from The Master-Player Library (williamgrantstillmusic.com)

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