Symphonic Orchestra Research Articles

BOGHOS GELALIAN: «SEVEN SEQUENCES»

The aim of the article is to look over and inspect one of the prominent representatives of diaspora Armenian music, Lebanese-Armenian composer, pianist, musicologist, pedagogue, and public figure Boghos Gelalian’s (1927–2011) series of the "Seven Sequences", written in 1966–67, considered the peak of the composer’s mature creativity and innovation. The "Seven Sequences" are composed for symphonic orchestra and are possible to be performed with a chamber ensemble as well. "Seven Sequences" were published by "Edition Peters" in Leipzig in 1971. Our task is to reveal the characteristics and the specialty of the musical language of the "Seven Sequences" series, as well as to present the overall performance history of the piece. Descriptive, analytic, and observatory-comparative methods are widely used throughout the research within the context of art studies. As a result of the analysis, it is recorded that the main thematic cell of the "Seven Sequences", with the integration of its unique and national subtle colors, has a significant dramatic sense, as the entire composition is built and based on it. Upon pursuing the performance history of the "Seven Sequences", the author found out that the premiere of the work took place in 1967 at the Assembly Hall of the American University of Beirut, performed by conductor Raif Abillalamah, to whom the composer has dedicated the "Seven Sequences". Years later, on May 4, 2012, the "Seven Sequences" were performed again in Beirut, this time by the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of conductor Harutyun Fazlian, during a special concert in honor of Lebanese composers at the UNESCO Palace. The "Seven Sequences" were performed in Armenia on January 12, 2014 at the IX Chamber Music Concert Series in Dilijan by a chamber ensemble conducted by Vatsche Barsoumian.

MUSICAL LIFE OF CHUVASHIA IN THE EARLY 1930s

The article studies the main directions of musical life of Chuvashia at the beginning of the Cultural Revolution in the USSR in the 1930s. The issues of the journal “Soviet music” were used as a historic source. The article, in particular, tells about the achievements of the Republic in creating the national culture within the framework of the Cultural Revolution which were demonstrated in the days of celebrating in 1935 the 15th anniversary of the Chuvash autonomous region formation. At this, the author pays special attention to the role of Cheboksary music college in forming the musical arts of the region and which became the center of musical life in Chuvashia. The article describes the creative activities of the leading music workers and composers of the Republic of the studied period (S.M. Maksimov, V.M. Krivonosov). The conclusion is made about undoubted successes in the development of musical culture of Chuvashia in the early 1930s. It adopted more modern forms at those times. Thus, in these years in the Chuvash territory the first major musical compositions in the Chuvash language are created. In the republic there were a symphonic orchestra and a state choir, music radio broadcasting was created. Composers from Chuvashia became known both at home and abroad where their songs were performed. Composers actively studied the Chuvash musical folklore.

El “Año Beethoven” (1927): la Orquesta Filarmónica de Madrid y Bartolomé Pérez Casas

La celebración del “Año Beethoven” en el Madrid de 1927 se saldó con toda una serie de celebraciones de todo tipo que se extendieron a lo largo de aquel año emblemático para honrar al compositor alemán. Ello se tradujo en la interpretación pública de numerosos conciertos a cargo de las principales agrupaciones orquestales y corales de Madrid: entre ellas, cabe citar la Orquesta Filarmónica de Madrid, fundada en 1915 por Bartolomé Pérez Casas. Se estudia en este artículo la participación limitada de este director y su orquesta en los actos conmemorativos del mencionado “Año Beethoven”, alcanzando su momento culminante a comienzos de noviembre de 1927 con el concierto inaugural de la nueva temporada, formado exclusivamente por obras del compositor de Bonn, si bien la actividad de la Orquesta Filarmónica estuvo lejos de la dedicación de la Orquesta Sinfónica, la cual llegó a programar aquel año dos ciclos beethovenianos.

Exploring the Use of Youtube by Symphonic Orchestras as An Educational Platform During the Pandemic of Covid-19

The use of various digital platforms and social media applications has significantly been rising worldwide in the recent years. In 2020, during the covid-19 pandemic, many of these online platforms became important tools to support the distance learning especially for children, hence, underlying the need for authentic, safe, reliable, and easily accessible online resources of information. Before the pandemic, most of the renown symphonic orchestras have been offering to their community a wide range of educational music programs designed for various age groups from toddlers to adult listeners. Most of these orchestras also support official YouTube channels to self-promote and connect with a wider audience. YouTube is a popular social media application offering a rich selection of uploaded music video content which may be utilized as an easily accessible tool for music education. The aim of this research is to explore whether the symphonic orchestras share their expertise and educational content on their official YouTube channels to create safe and trustworthy resources designed particularly for children, thus supporting the online music education during the time of the covid-19 pandemic.

Formation of Lang Lang's Musical-Perfomance Style

The relevance of the article is to investigate the formation of the performing style of one of the brightest and most popular pianists of our time, Lang Lang. Currently, there are no musicological researches dedicated to this subject.Main goal of the article is to trace gradual becoming of Lang Lang’s musical performance style starting from his early years till this day.Methodology of the research is based on biographical, interpretational and comparative analysis approaches. The study of individual musical performance style characteristics relies on the concept of “Musical creativity style” by V.G. Moskalenko.Main results and conclusions. Exploration of the famous Chinese pianist Lang Lang’s musical performance style was based on his gradual development stages. Autobiographical observations of the pianist were used as a factual basis.In order to determine the Lang Lang’s individual musical performance style characteristics, the logical “top-down” concept was used. As the “top” concepts of Lang Lang’s musical style development process such points were established: a) based on autobiographical data general specifics of Lang Lang’s worldview and musical thought were revealed; b) such musicological researches development style vectors of modern Chinese performing arts were introduced: national, romantic, virtuosic and globalistic.Three major stages of pianist’s style becoming were identified. Initial stage covers pianist’s time in China. During second stage (1996–1999) Lang Lang studies at Curtis Institute in the USA. He refuses to participate in piano competitions, strives to artistic cognition of the world, enriches his repertoire in stylistic and genre way. The main feature of the third stage, which starts at the moment when the pianist comes to the global concert stage and continues now, is his transition into professional musician status. Pianist starts an active artistic dialogue with broad public, famous symphonic orchestras, artistically cooperates with exceptional musicians exchanging musical and performing experience with them.A distinctive feature of the third stage of Lan Lang's performing arts is the special role of the phenomenon of publicity. His individual musical performing style serves as the natural ground of this phenomenon.Virtuosity is defined as the dominant in Lang Lang’s pianistic art style. Individual characteristics of this phenomenon manifestations were shown. As a depiction of one of the Lang Lang’s virtuous style characteristics the term of “musical performance picture” was introduced.

Enhancing the strength of symphonic orchestra in an opera house

Nowadays, historical opera houses are also employed for symphonic music, especially in a country like Italy where they are far more widespread than concert halls. The aim of the work presented here is to modify the acoustic conditions of an opera house by introducing an overhead reflector array and removing drapes from the stage, so to meet the requirements for an orchestral performance. The design process and the shape optimisation of the canopy layout were developed with a Geometrical Acoustic (GA++) model. In-situ acoustic measurements were used to calibrate the model, to adjust the tilt angles of the panels and to validate the software–aided design. Combining theoretical studies with practical needs, the results of this work give the opportunity to investigate the consequences of placing a reflector array in an opera house. A multi-decay analysis on measured impulse responses shows that the reflector array enhances the acoustic coupling between the stage house and the main hall. Finally, the blending effect on the orchestral sections caused by the reflector array was estimated through a simulation employing calibrated virtual instruments.

Approaches to Analysis of the Piano Works byIannis Xenakis

Different approaches to the analysis of Iannis Xenakis’ music have been studied by the example of his work Eonta (1963– 1964) for piano and brass quintet, First Concert for piano and symphonic orchestra Synaphaï (1969) and Second Concert for piano and symphonic orchestra Erikhthon (1974). An alternative method ofstudying Xenakis’ works based on the analysis of the experience of decoding computer programs typical for composer’s works studying has been proposed. An important feature of the investigation is an application of psychological analysis in studies of mythological plots of works, linked with the ancient Greek titles of the works by I. Xenakis along with comparative, phenomenological historical, musical analysis and statement of the computer programs’ use. As the result of alternative method of analysis, for the first time in musicology, new, tragic aspects of I. Xenakis’ personality, reflected in his works, were revealed. The phenomenon identified by M. Heidegger as “throwing into being” is presented in Xenakis’ work, in a form of mythology; the archetype being reflected in the music composition through the dramatic collision of the relationship between the soloist and the orchestra. Established conceptual link between the music of the composer and the philosophy of M. Heidegger gives a new viewpoint on the work of Xenakis

Mikhail Vasilyevich Sechkin – Pianist, Conductor, Teacher

Mikhail Vasilyevich Sechkin – Pianist, Conductor, Teacher

PERFORMANCE-STYLE FEATURES OF THE CONCERTO № 3 FOR CLARINET AND ORCHESTRA BY L. SPOHR

The purpose of this scientific investigation is the disclosure of the creative phenomenon of German composer L. Spohr in wind contemporary academic music and performing art by identifying the most characteristic performance and the stylistic peculiarities of creator that is instrumentally artistic speech. The material of this study is the well-known Concerto № 3 for Clarinet with symphonic orchestra by L. Spohr. The methods of this scientific intelligence are in the application of general scientific approaches to the study of a particular topic. The historical method is used to highlight the place of clarinet masterpieces and, in particular, Concert № 3, in the palette of the artistʼs creative achievements. The comparative method creates the possibility of comparing a number of clarinet means of expression with the artistic potential of string-bow performance. The sequence of presentation of the material is determined by the action of the structural-analytical method. Methods of observation and generalization are of practical importance. The scientific novelty of this specialized disquisition is due to the insufficient study of the clarinet works of L. Spohr in the light of modern musicological thought. Conclusions. The distinctiveness of L. Spohrʼs performance- stylistic peculiaritics of instrumental speech in clarinet Concerto № 3 for clarinet and orchestra is marked, first of all, by the use of various types of virtuosity (shallow, combined, large virtuosity), the performance of various types of melismatics both in slow and melodic ways, the use of high and ultra-high sound registers of the instrument (note to the fourth octave), which, we emphasize, comes from the violin academic artistic and creative activity of L. Spohr and, in general, and of high performing skill as a virtuoso violinist.

On Gabriel Pierné and his compositions for piano and orchestra

On Gabriel Pierné and his compositions for piano and orchestra

ОСОБЕННОСТИ ОРКЕСТРОВОГО ПИСЬМА ЭПОХИ РОМАНТИЗМА (НА ПРИМЕРЕ «АРЛЕЗИАНКИ» Ж. БИЗЕ)

The article analyses the peculiarities of orchestral style in G. Bizet’s “L’Arlésienne” suites. The score is considered in the context of distinctive features of the symphonic orchestra of the Romanticism epoch. The researcher identifies the typical features of instrumental style in the composition, emphasizes the composer’s innovative techniques, in particular, the inclusion of a previously unknown musical instrument - saxophone. The paper reveals the peculiarities of using saxophone tone in orchestral texture - as a participant of shared harmonious sound, when replicating other tones, as a solo instrument.

Composers and “Microgénie”: A Study of the Symphonic Sound of French Cinema in the Thirties

Abstract During the thirties, French cinema was mostly accompanied by small symphonic orchestras. Through the theoretical writings on “microgénie” (i.e., quality of a composition well-written for the microphone) and the scores of Arthur Honegger, we will try to define a conception of cinematic orchestral sound of this neoclassical composer and his contemporaries. While studying the number of musicians and the orchestral parts, the microphone positioning, the diversity of orchestral devices, and some musical writing principles, we will distinguish a “French film music sound” from the Hollywood orchestral sound of the same period.

PEDAGOGICAL PROBLEMS OF WORKING ON FOUR SKETCHES FOR A SYMPHONIC ORCHESTRA BY DIMITAR NENOV IN THE CURRICULUM IN ORCHESTRA CONDUCTING BY PIANO

A simple reason to make Dimitar Nenov’s Four sketches for a symphonic orchestra part of the curriculum is their high artistic value. Even though they are a comparatively early opus, the Sketches were written with respectful professionalism and impress listeners with the impact they make. Another significant consideration that makes working on Four sketches for a symphonic orchestra scores in the orchestra-conducting classes especially valuable and useful, is the opportunity for the trainees to get to know the work better and acquire important conducting skills. The process of analyzing and perceiving a work of music from the viewpoint of its interpretation, in this case – from the point of view of preparing oneself for interpreting it in academic work with the help of a pedagogue and an accompanist, is radically different comparing it to the process of listening to it recorded or in a live performance. A conductor’s approach to this process enables him to delve into making the work from the point of view of the following: - deep consideration of the structure of the cycle; - understanding the inner links between separate parts; - building a unique set of the images in a single sketch. At the same time, the manual work on the composition helps one to develop important conducting skills like a - sense for processional dynamics; - good initial selection of tempos; - clear conveying of even the minutest changes of tempo; - simultaneous manual presentation of contrastive dynamics in various orchestral layers; - clearly differentiated strokes; - sense for artistic measure in order to portion various musical tools of expression in compliance with the inner logics of using them. Solving the overall performer’s and particular manual issues with the help of the teacher contributes for the comprehensive professional development of the students.

Sound Banks – a Priceless Aid in Contemporary Music Writing

Abstract Sound banks are collections of sound samples from musical instruments of the symphonic orchestra, traditional instruments from various areas of the world and sounds of virtual devices, such as synthesizers, which are increasingly present in contemporary musical creations. Sound banks are loaded in a device called sampler, which can edit and play them. The article describes analog and especially virtual samplers, complex devices that can store or play sounds from specific libraries of sound banks. It also defines and catalogs the main types of digital virtual instruments (that include traditional symphonic orchestra instruments, ones with modern electronic instruments/percussion instruments, and ethnic collections for various geographic areas. Our research on digital applications used in music writing relies on 20 years of experience. Currently, applications are valuable tools for composers and musicians, and for everyone in the contemporary music industry. In 2006, I created the first collection of sound banks made in Romania “The Essence of Panflute”, library containing sound samples 583, grouped in 33 virtual instruments. This is the most complex virtual version of the Romanian pan flute, played by the renowned Cătălin Tîrcolea. The library is designed and edited by Cătălin Răsvan, for the company S.C. Canira Music Internațional. This collection of sound banks presents in minute detail the laborious process of recording and editing this virtual library. “The Essence of Panflute” has seen international acclaim, is distributed by the German company Best Service, one of the major companies in the world, was reviewed in the most prestigious magazine in this field, Sound on Sound, and has opened the door for current/future creators of music. We hope that it is only the beginning for our work in the research and development of digital virtual sound, which is a special category for the instruments in our country.

Expressive, synthesizing and dramaturgical functions of orchestration in Gershwin’s Concerto in F

Relevance of the study. The orchestration of G. Gershwin’s Concerto in F is a goal of the study. This orchestration became the first such experience in the composer’s life. There is practically no special literature on the Concerto in F in Ukrainian and Russian languages, and very little attention has traditionally been given to the orchestration by Gershwin in the research works. Revision of innumerable studies of the Concerto in F in English revealed that the musicologists generally focus on the interpretation of musical form of concerto, harmony and rhythm, while the analysis of the orchestration and the definition of its role in classical music and jazz merge have not been considered in detail until now. The above allows actualizing the study of the Concerto in order to reveal the peculiarities of the author’s orchestration and to determine its synthesizing value. Main objective of the study . There is a role of the orchestra in the process of unification, refraction and interaction of classical music and jazz in the focus of the study because the synthesis of these two sources has become a distinctive feature of G. Gershwin’s symphonic compositions. Methods of research. 1) Complex score analysis to reveal the difference between the author’s and not author’s orchestration. 2) Comparative method to distinguish interdependence in genre-style pair, comparative-typological and semantic analysis to understand the meaning of jazz’s elements and features established at the symphonic orchestra’s platform. 3) Analytical review of the references. Results . Thanks to the analysis, it is possible to distinguish three main fields of interaction between the classical art and the jazz, in which the unifying role of the orchestration turned out to be the most significant: the orchestra itself; the rhythm; the solo. The expansion of the percussion section and the inclusion of typical instruments for the band have allowed it to bring a characteristic “jazz” tone to the sound of the symphony orchestra. The use of complex rhythmic formulas in the principle and secondary melodic lines, as well as the calling for “classical” flutes and violins to perform “jazz” melodies is the second field of the two elements synthesis. The improvisational nature of solos in combination with the use of the numerous timbre and visual effects possible in the orchestra has become the third interaction platform. Conclusion and significance . The author’s orchestration allowed us to convey the composer’s view the most fully and accurately. The “distinct inventiveness” of orchestration became the platform for classical and jazz art synthesis. It was shown thanks to the jazz percussion instruments inclusion to the symphonic orchestra; the prevalence of an improvisational and relaxed manner of the play of solo over the academic nature of the performance; an active use of special timbre and visual effects; presentation of Charleston-specific rhythmic formulas by the bassoon, the violins, the oboe. Gershwin’s inventiveness of the Concerto’s orchestration combined with his inspiration and expressiveness has contributed to the popularization of the symphony jazz orchestra throughout the world.

La Orquesta del Conservatorio en el seno de la Universidad Nacional (1917-1929)

El artículo tiene como principal objetivo analizar la configuración del campo artístico de los músicos del Conservatorio en el seno de la Universidad Nacional de México, permitiendo develar elementos de pertenencia para el fortalecimiento de su identidad y su proyección en agrupaciones musicales instrumentales como la Orquesta Sinfónica de Alumnos del Conservatorio y la Agrupación Universitaria de Música de Cámara. En este campo, los músicos universitarios siguieron siendo legitimados por el Conservatorio como los destinatarios titulares en su acercamiento a la alta cultura, para llevarla a las capas populares en el contexto del nacionalismo de los gobiernos posrevolucionarios. Se demuestra que el proyecto de fundación del Conservatorio de Música incluyó la creación de una orquesta representativa de alumnos y maestros, y que en la etapa en que se integró esta institución a la Universidad Nacional, la actividad musical se apuntaló con el Plan General de Trabajo del Departamento de Extensión Universitaria, acorde con los principios de difusión, cooperación y servicio social.

A measuring instrument for the auditory perception of rooms: The Room Acoustical Quality Inventory (RAQI).

With the Room Acoustical Quality Inventory (RAQI), a measuring instrument for the perceptual space of performance venues for music and speech has been developed. First, a focus group with room acoustical experts determined relevant aspects of room acoustical impression in the form of a comprehensive list of 50 uni- and bipolar items in different categories. Then, n = 190 subjects rated their acoustical impression of 35 binaurally simulated rooms from 2 listening positions, with symphonic orchestra, solo trumpet, and dramatic speech as audio content. Subsequent explorative and confirmative factor analyses of the questionnaire data resulted in three possible solutions with four, six, and nine factors of room acoustical impression. The factor solutions, as well as the related RAQI items, were tested in terms of reliability, validity, and several types of measurement invariance, and were cross-validated by a follow-up experiment with a subsample of 46% of the original participants, which provided re-test reliabilities and stability coefficients for all RAQI constructs. The resulting psychometrically evaluated measurement instrument can be used for room quality assessment, acoustical planning, and the further development of room acoustical parameters in order to predict primary acoustical qualities of venues for music and speech.

МИСТЕЦЬКА ДІЯЛЬНІСТЬ УКРАЇНСЬКОЇ ОПЕРНОЇ ТА КАМЕРНОЇ СПІВАЧКИ ІВАНКИ МИГАЛЬ (КАНАДА)

The article recounts the creative heritage of Ivanka Myhal, Ukrainian mezzo soprano singer who was the first Ukrainian solo singer at Met Opera in New York City among other Slavic artists of the Canadian Opera Company. The author provides a description of Ivanka Myhal’s concert performances, opera productions, repertory, and also elaborates on the importance of her creative personality to the overall creative heritage of Ukrainian imigrants in the second half of the 20th century.The coterie of renowned Ukrainian imigrants who have managed to excel in sundry realms of activity but were unable to return to their homeland includes Ivanka Myhal, alumnus of The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto (solo singing class), the Opera School of the University of Toronto (professor Ernesto Vinci’s class), the Summer Music School in Aspen, Colorado, and of the New York Metropolitan Opera Workshop.She started her career as a singer back in 1957 in Toronto as she was performing with the celebrated Leslie Bell Singers choir. She was a feature at numerous musical festivals across Canada and the States, and was also performing with symphonic orchestras in Toronto, Detroit, and Baltimore and in other places on the continent. On the 19th of January, 1970, Ivanka Myhal debuted in Die Zauberfl?te by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as a solo singer at New York Metropolitan Opera, having performed eleven parties in various opera performances. Wherever she was performing – be it in Stratford, Toronto, Minneapolis, Detroit, Thunder Bay, New York City, Chicago, Cleveland, Paris or elsewhere-the finale of each and every concert of hers featured a classical Ukrainian musical work – and she sang Ukrainian folk songs and romances as encore. Her repertory featured works by Mykola Lysenko, Semen Hulak-Artemovskiy, Kyrylo Stetsenko, Vasyl Barvinskiy, Yakiv Stepoviy, Andriy Hnatyshyn, Platon Mayboroda, Mykhaylo Verykivskiy, and other composers. In 1978, she recorded a vinyl disc of Ukrainian folk songs and romances at World Records studio. Ivanka Myhal made the top ten best singers worldwide. Her creative heritage inspires artists to create poetical and musical works and shall undoubtedly serve as a good example of dedication to one’s native musical culture for the future generations of Ukrainian young people.

The Status of Strings and Orchestra Programs in U.S. Schools

The purpose of this study was to monitor the status of school string and orchestra programs in the United States and to gather descriptive information in the areas of program characteristics, curriculum, support, and student/teacher demographics. A second purpose was to document trends observed when compared with results of previous studies. Based on the review of literature, specific variables were identified as potential for trends: string student enrollment, symphonic orchestra offerings, enhancement offerings, private lesson enrollment, string teacher shortages, and student/teacher demographic information. All members of the American String Teachers Association indicating K-12 string teaching as part of their duties were contacted to complete a web-based survey ( N = 2,232). After follow-up contact, 369 respondents participated (16.5%). Although teachers indicated growth in both number and size of programs, increased utilization of approved curricula, and representative racial demographics among students, analysis revealed the following concerns: a decline in the offering of symphonic orchestra and other enhancements, a decline in student participation in private instruction, unrepresentative gender and racial demographics of string teachers, and factors that indicate a continuing string teacher shortage.

Orchestration Practice in Steinberg Dorico Software Program

The aim of this work is to study creative and technological facilities of Dorico music notation software from Steinberg.Research methodology. Analytical and comparative researching methods are used.Results. The article is concerned with the practice of using new music notation software Dorico for orchestration of clavier into symphonic orchestral score.The real process of preparing some songs for live concert with symphonic orchestra was reviewed and analysed. For the first time this music was written for voice and piano with help of other software. After that the files were imported to Dorico as MusicXML. Then parts of winds, brass, strings, drums and percussion instruments were added. Music content from clavier was selected with advanced filtered possibilities Dorico and copied into target parts. Such operation was permanently repeated until all extrapolation of required material was made. Then the score content was deeply edited with power opportunities of Dorico. For advanced music transformation MIDI keyboard was used. The sound was monitored with help of VST module Halion Symphonic Orchestra. The new music software Dorico as a part of modern composer technology is really useful notation solution. Despite some insignificant shortcomings and high cost, this is a powerful composer’s creative tool for professional work with sheet music.Novelty. The paper presents an attempt to analyse some methods of clavier instrumentation for symphonic orchestra with help of innovative music notation software Dorico from Steinberg. The practical significance. This work can be of interest to composers, arrangers, musicologists.