Punch Howarth SaddleBrooke’s Sheryll McManus will perform Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor (m), that this writer labels his “resurrection,” with the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra with Linus Lerner returning to the podium. The reason for my descriptive label is that following a disastrous failure at the premier of his First Symphony, Rachmaninoff experienced…
Tag: SASO
Generals, December 2015
SASO performs Rachmaninoff and Dvorak at next concert
Punch Howarth Before looking ahead to next year’s opening concert, the Southern Arizona Symphony family wishes everyone a Joyous Holiday Season and a Healthy 2016 New Year. Morton Gould’s raucous and stimulating American Salute opens the concert. This work is a series of variations on When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again, an American military folk song.…
September 2015
SASO presents highlights from the Oxaca Opera Festival
Tim Secomb Twenty-five members of the Southern Arizona Symphony returned recently from Oaxaca, Mexico, where they performed in the Oaxaca Opera Festival. The full SASO Orchestra will perform highlights of the festival on September 15 in a special Mexican Independence Day free concert with vocalists from the festival and Mariachi Sol Azteca, sponsored by the…
August 2015
Marchons – Marchons: Musical world of marches part II
Punch Howarth Part I of this essay on marches covered their history, military and circus marches and before going on, the title above needs explanation. Marchons-Marchons starts the chorus of a song by Rouget de Lisle that became musically the greatest of all national anthems, the March La Marseillaise and was arranged for orchestra by Berlioz.…
August 2015
Music and ballet: harmony in motion
Punch Howarth This article will be summer essay number five on Forms of Music and is one where I need to tread lightly—Ballet Music. There is much ballet music from romantic and modern composers that I am familiar with but to attempt to explain ballet (the dancing) itself, I would pirouette-tutu easily and miss being…
July 2015
Marchons-Marchons The Musical World of Marches
Punch Howarth Continuing this summer’s look at music forms, this essay will delve into the various applications of marches, military and otherwise. Mostly they are in 2 time, 2/4, 2/2, 6/8. There are a variety of march types: military, circus, funeral, ceremonial and concert marches for bands and orchestras. Most marches follow an A B…
June 2015
A Walzer – Valse – Vals just what is a waltz?
Punch Howarth Continuing with articles this off season of SASO concerts, we will take a good look at the form and history of the waltz. Most everyone is familiar with waltzes and even know the names of some. Settle back and think Om-pah-pah, Om-pah-pah! Musically a waltz is a dance form in three time; 3/4,…
May 2015
2015-2016 SASO preview
Punch Howarth SASO will offer an interesting diverse series of concerts in the 2015-2016 season starting in October. There will be five programs performed at SaddleBrooke and in Oro Valley. Also the orchestra returns to Green Valley for two programs. Resident conductor Linus Lerner will be on the podium for four of the programs with…
March 2015
SASO to perform Season Concert IV
Punch Howarth Program four of the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra season will present a divergent group of selections. Included will be a viola concerto, a new work premier, incidental music to a play and a concerto movement performed by the winner of the SASO young artist competition. Conductor Linus Lerner also leads the Rio Grande…