CONCERT #3 OF THE 2024-25 SEASON
About
Sunday, May 18th at 3:30 PM
Community Arts Auditorium
(Wayne State University's Main Campus)
450 Reuther Mall Detroit, MI 48202
Our concerts are free and open to the public. However, a $10 donation per person is suggested.
Sixth Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman
Joan Tower
Joan Tower (b. 1938) is one of the most influential American composers of our time, known for her rhythmic vitality, bold orchestrations, and commitment to elevating women in music. Her Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman series, composed between 1987 and 2016, reimagines the traditional brass fanfare through a contemporary and feminist lens. Inspired in part by Aaron Copland’s famous Fanfare for the Common Man, Tower’s works in this series honor trailblazing women who lead with courage and conviction
The sixth and final fanfare—written for full orchestra rather than brass and percussion alone—expands the expressive range of the earlier works. It begins with striking, syncopated brass chords overdriving percussion, immediately establishing an atmosphere of power and forward motion. Tower’s rhythmic language is energetic and angular, pushing the music ahead in unpredictable directions. The percussion section plays a central role here—listen for the insistent timpani, cymbal crashes, and woodblocks that propel the texture forward.
About midway through, the piece takes a breath: a slower, more lyrical section emerges with sweeping lines in the strings and woodwinds, offering a moment of reflection amidst the drive. This contrast highlights Tower’s gift for balancing intensity with nuance. The energy builds again as brass motifs return, layered now over shimmering textures and swirling rhythms from the full orchestra. The piece concludes with a powerful, celebratory flourish—bold, complex, and unmistakably modern.
Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune (Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun)
Claude Debussy
When Claude Debussy (1862-1918) premiered Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune (Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun) in 1894, it marked a turning point in Western music. Inspired by a poem by Stéphane Mallarmé, this work paints a dreamlike musical landscape that many consider the beginning of musical Impressionism—though Debussy himself resisted the label. Rather than telling a concrete story, the piece captures the hazy sensuality and languid daydreams of a faun (a mythical half-human, half-goat figure) as he recalls his encounters with forest nymphs during a drowsy afternoon.
The piece opens with one of the most iconic phrases in all classical music—a languid flute solo that seems to float freely, unconstrained by rhythm or harmonic expectation. The harmonies that follow break from the traditions of the 19 th century, favoring total ambiguity and subtle color over functional progressions. Debussy uses color more than volume to shape the music’s form, blending harp, muted horns, woodwinds, and strings into an ever-shifting sonic tapestry. Early on, the dreamy opening phrase passes from flute to oboe to clarinet, each transformation slightly altering its character. When the strings enter with rising, suspended harmonies, they do not push toward a climax but rather sustain a mood of quiet ecstasy. Even moments of fuller orchestration feel veiled and restrained, emphasizing suggestion over resolution.
The central portion of the piece gently swells with motion, introducing warmer harmonies and a fluid dialogue between solo instruments and the orchestra. Rather than progressing toward a grand conclusion, the music seems to breathe in and out, coalescing briefly before dissolving again into mist. In the final moments, the flute’s opening phrase returns softly, now more wistful and introspective, as the faun slips back into reverie.
Scroll below to learn about each piece in this concert program.
Duke Ellington Medley
Arr. Calvin Custer
Duke Ellington (1899-1974) was a groundbreaking composer, bandleader, and pianist whose career spanned over five decades. Born in Washington, D.C., Ellington began playing piano at a young age and quickly became a prominent figure in the Harlem Renaissance, where his music became central to the cultural movement. He elevated jazz to an art form and composed over 1,000 works, blending blues, jazz, and classical elements. As a bandleader, his orchestra became a symbol of American cultural achievement, and his compositions remain central to jazz and popular music.
This medley, arranged by Calvin Custer (1940-2013), features some of Ellington’s most beloved works. The pieces referenced in the medley include Don’t Get Around Much Anymore, Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me, Sophisticated Lady, and the iconic It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing). The last piece, It Don’t Mean a Thing, with its famous refrain, is a joyful and energetic celebration of the swing era, underscoring the vibrancy and energy that Ellington brought to jazz.
Scheherezade
Rimsky-Korsakov
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908) was a prominent Russian composer and a master of orchestral color. Initially trained as a naval officer, he later turned to music and became a key member of “The Five”, a group of Russian composers who sought to create a distinctly national sound. Rimsky-Korsakov’s works are known for their lush orchestration, vivid imagery, and skillful use of folk melodies. Scheherazade, composed in 1888, is one of the most vivid and imaginative works in the orchestral repertoire, known for its captivating storytelling through music. The piece was inspired by the famous Arabian Nights tales, and Rimsky-Korsakov’s lush orchestration brings the stories of adventure, romance, and intrigue to life. Known for his mastery of orchestral color, Rimsky-Korsakov uses each of the four movements to portray scenes from the tales of the legendary storyteller Scheherazade, who must tell a king a new tale each night to avoid execution.
The first movement, The Sea and Sinbad’s Ship, opens with a mysterious, undulating theme representing the vastness of the ocean. The strings set a calm, rolling motion, while the brass and winds introduce themes representing Sinbad’s adventures. As the music develops, listen for the vivid contrast between the ship’s journey and the perilous storms that threaten it. A sweeping theme in the strings, representing Sinbad’s triumphs, appears in a grand, celebratory manner.
In the second movement, The Story of the Kalendar Prince, the mood shifts dramatically. This movement is darker and more mysterious, filled with dramatic contrasts. The first theme, introduced by the solo oboe, reflects the prince’s tragic fate, with delicate woodwinds echoing the prince’s uncertainty and confusion. The music weaves through moments of joy and desolation, highlighting the unpredictability of the prince’s journey. The brass section’s bold entrance and the lush string textures intensify the sense of drama, leading to a climactic point before gently returning to a more subdued atmosphere.
The third movement, The Young Prince and the Young Princess, is lyrical and romantic. It evokes the tale of a prince and princess who fall in love despite the obstacles they face. The violins carry the sweeping melodies, full of yearning and sweetness, while the woodwinds offer gentle, intertwining lines that represent the tender exchange of love between the two. The delicate interplay of strings and winds creates a sense of intimacy and longing, with the music flowing smoothly and gracefully, as if mirroring the emotions of the young lovers.
The fourth movement, Festival at Baghdad. The Sea. The Shipwreck, brings the suite to a thrilling and dynamic conclusion. This movement is filled with excitement, tension, and chaos, representing a dramatic shipwreck in the story. The movement opens with a vibrant, bustling theme depicting a grand festival in Baghdad, before transitioning into a more violent and tumultuous section that portrays the danger of the sea. Rimsky-Korsakov’s orchestration here is particularly striking, with the brass, percussion, and strings combining to create a whirlwind of sound, heightening the drama. The movement culminates in a powerful climax, bringing the entire suite to a close with a sense of finality and resolution.
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