Michael Daugherty
Here's a name everyone should become familiar with. He's a relatively recent composer and by recent I mean still alive and has only been composing for about 20 years. My ears are really gravitating to his work these days (and other modern composers in the same generation). You can find all kinds of information about him here and here.
One of the things I find interesting about Daugherty's work is his fascination with popular culture. He writes music based around such pop themes as Jackie O, Desi Arnez, Elvis, UFO's and Superman. In fact, he wrote a whole suite for orchestra called the Metropolis Suite.
I find it interesting that something most "artists" consider with disdain, Daugherty finds inspirational and full of music. I've been thinking about exploring that idea in some fashion and I've already played around with it some in other works I've conducted with Wind Ensembles of the past. "Godzilla Eats Los Vegas" anyone? I'd be interested in what you guys have to say on that idea.
Lucky for us, Daugherty converted two of the movements of the "Metropolis Suite" for bands and I thought I'd share.
Check out Bizarro.
You can find the other movement of the suite on Daugherty's own website. Look here and search under the Symphonic Band heading for "Red Cape Tango". Notice how much he uses the percussion section as it's own color. Not something you find everyday in band compositions.
I also love his work "Niagara Falls" which you can listen to here.
While we may or may not do any of Michael Daugherty's music, it's still a good idea to explore the idea of music being relevant to you guys who live in a world full of pop culture. How do you folks feel about what makes up your culture? Is "band music" able to reach into that world and find some meaning?
Something to think about.
One of the things I find interesting about Daugherty's work is his fascination with popular culture. He writes music based around such pop themes as Jackie O, Desi Arnez, Elvis, UFO's and Superman. In fact, he wrote a whole suite for orchestra called the Metropolis Suite.
I find it interesting that something most "artists" consider with disdain, Daugherty finds inspirational and full of music. I've been thinking about exploring that idea in some fashion and I've already played around with it some in other works I've conducted with Wind Ensembles of the past. "Godzilla Eats Los Vegas" anyone? I'd be interested in what you guys have to say on that idea.
Lucky for us, Daugherty converted two of the movements of the "Metropolis Suite" for bands and I thought I'd share.
Check out Bizarro.
You can find the other movement of the suite on Daugherty's own website. Look here and search under the Symphonic Band heading for "Red Cape Tango". Notice how much he uses the percussion section as it's own color. Not something you find everyday in band compositions.
I also love his work "Niagara Falls" which you can listen to here.
While we may or may not do any of Michael Daugherty's music, it's still a good idea to explore the idea of music being relevant to you guys who live in a world full of pop culture. How do you folks feel about what makes up your culture? Is "band music" able to reach into that world and find some meaning?
Something to think about.
posted by Aaron Hilden at 10:18 PM
5 Comments:
Wow, no comments yet! Well, I think these pieces are sweet in a very different/ not what you're used to hearing way.
"Bizarro" is completely crazy, and I can clearly see Michael Daugherty's facination with pop culture ,as Mr. H talked about, with the drum set going on in the background, and just the overall rockin' groove of the whole piece. You just can't help but dance in your chair to it when you listen to it (or at least I can't, maybe I'm just strange?). Everyone should definitely search for "Bizarro" on Wikipedia, there's an article about the nemesis of Superman (which I assume this is written for since this is from the "Metropolis Suite").
"Niagara falls" is similar to "Bizarro", just maybe not so bizarre. It was exciting, and was always moving. In that way, it kinda reminded me of Niagara Falls (although I've never been).
Cool Stuff.
Zach is correct in that Bizarro is based on the classic Superman villian.
Here'sthe Wiki Zach mentions. Just in case you don't feel like looking it up youself.
I think we need to play one of those pieces, Mr. Hilden. I'm quite sure the rest of the horn section would agree with me. Do you know what effect he used in the beginning of Red Cape Tango to make the horn sound like it was offstage? Because I thought it sounded like one horn onstage and one horn offstage. Which is a really cool idea. And I only listened to Niagara Falls once, and the theme is already stuck in my head...
I believe one horn is, indeed, offstage. Good ears!
Bizzaro took me a while to get into (a minute and a half). Hoestly the beginning is ...boring...yet interesting. Weird sounds. but i liked the rest of it. I am completely for the idea of doing something like these songs. I think would be a sweet idea to do something like "Godzilla eats Las Vegas" or "the Divine Comedy". Hey Mr. Hilden, do you by chance have the "Divine Comedy" recording that you could place on here so we could listen to it. :)
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