Ewald, Strauss, Boehme, and Lutoslawski

Due to our recent weather, I had to cancel a few classes that were scheduled to cover some major works. They were: Viktor Ewald's Brass Quintet No. 3, Feierlicher Einzug by Richard Strauss, Brass Sextet by Oskar Boehme, Mini-Overture by Witold Lutoslawski. Hopefully, I will be able to fit these into some of our future class meetings, but you may want to listen to them on your own through the links below. All of the scores are available in the Files section of our ICON site.

As you know, Viktor Ewald was a Civil Engineer and among several "amateur" composers in St. Petersburg. He played the cello as well as the tuba and composed four brass quintets between 1888 and 1912, which was the year of the publication for quintet No. 3. This quintet is in four movements and the writing style is very similar to string quartets of Borodin and Brahms. In the first movement, Allegro Moderato, notice the motoric repetitive figures supporting a solo line that gets passed through the instruments. The second movement, Intermezzo, starts with a mysteriously tragic theme in F minor and at the Piu mosso mutates into a lively 6/8 in F major, but quickly returns to the opening theme returning to F minor. The third movement, a solemn Andante in B-flat minor, features a tragic and expressive first trumpet solo, which evolves into a more hopeful D-flat major. There are a lot of opportunities for dramatic and passionate rubato passages, but it finally concludes sadly with an almost pizzicato final note in the tuba. The final movement, Vivo, does not look like it rhythmically sounds. Similar to the way Brahms would displace the sense of downbeat, Ewald begins the fourth movement with a disorienting illusion of strong and weak beats to launch what becomes a triumphant fanfare like theme. His use of rapid triplets in the trumpet, offbeats in the tuba, and numerous luxurious and exciting rhythmic themes, he concludes triumphantly in D-flat major.

Here is a link to a YouTube playlist of a recent recording of Ewald's Brass Quintet No. 3 by members of the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Feierlicher Einzug (Ceremonial Entry) by Richard Strauss, was composes in 1909 for the investiture ceremony for the Knights of St. John. More from Smart Music:

"Festival Procession of the Knights of the Order of St. John (Feierlicher Einzug der Ritter des Johanniter-Ordens) was written by Richard Strauss in 1909. The occasion was an investiture ceremony for the Knights of St. John, a fraternal organization with roots going back as far as the 11th Century. Today, offshoots of this venerable order still exist, doing charitable works–primarily in aiding the poor and the sick–around the world. The original scoring of this piece included parts for 15 trumpets, 4 horns, 4 trombones, 2 tubas, and timpani. Strauss later scored the work for full orchestra, including organ and optional chorus. An arrangement by Max Reger (1873-1916) for organ, 2 trombones, and timpani is still frequently performed today."

Here is a link to a You Tube video of the United States Marine Band recording of  Feierlicher Einzug.

Information on the Bohme sextet from Wikipedia:

"Oskar Böhme, a son of Wilhelm Böhme, also a trumpeter, was born in Potschappel, a small town near Dresden, Germany, which is now part of Freital. For much of his early career, after studying trumpet and composition in the Leipzig Conservatory of Music until graduating in 1888, it is unknown what Böhme's musical activities were, though it is probable he concertized, playing in smaller orchestras around Germany.

From 1894-1896 he played in the Budapest Opera Orchestra and then moved to St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1897. Böhme played cornet for 24 years in the Mariinsky Theatre, turned to teaching at a music school on Vasilievsky Island in St. Petersburg for nine further years, from 1921-1930, and then returned to opera with the Leningrad Drama Theatre until 1934.

In 1934, however, the Great Terror began under Joseph Stalin and in 1936 a committee was established to oversee the arts in Soviet Russia. According to its anti-foreign policies, Böhme was exiled to Orenburg on account of his German heritage. It is said that he died there in 1938, though he was also said to be seen working on the Turkmenistan Canal in 1941."

Here is a link to a You Tube recording (of an older LP recording) by the Empire Brass of the Bohme Sextet.

From Music Sales Clasical about Mini Overture (1982) by Witold Lutoslawski:

"This brilliant piece by Lutoslawski was specially commissioned by and dedicated to Dr. Walter Strebi to celebrate the fiftieth birthday of his daughter Ursula, who is married to Philip Jones. Dr Strebi was a Swiss lawyer and staunch patron of music; for many years he was president of the Lucerne Festival. Unfortunately, he did not live to hear the striking result of his commission, which had its world premiere on 11 March 1982, played by the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble. The audience demanded that it be encored.

Despite its brevity, this is a fully characteristic Lutoslawski piece in its detailed structure and sensitivity to timbre and nuance. The composer has clearly had in mind the virtuosity of this group of players and has pulled no technical punches. There are three short sections (but no break), the third being a further development of the first; the second is slightly slower and strongly contrasting in texture."

Here is a link to a You Tube video of a recording by members of the Gewandhaus Orchestra of Lutoslawski's Mini Overture.