Program:
I. Defenestration nocturne: death screams from the window
above
II. Cadenza Virtuosico
III. Requiem: cast down thy sword and ye shall create mountains
Scoring: fl(+picc) ob, asx, tr, tn, perc: (sm. woodblock, whip, guiro, flexatone, 2 bongos, 5 tomtoms, snare drum, kick drum, bass drum, 4 timpani, sus. cym., tam-tam, triangle, bell tree, brake drum, 5 japanese temple bells, marimba, xylophone, vibraphone, glockenspiel), pf (+ large wooden box to be rammed with a 2x4), harpsichord(+toy
piano & synthesizer), solo trombone, vn, va, vc, cb
Duration: 25 minutes
Premiere:
19 November 1998
Warner Concert Hall
Oberlin, OH
Wally Scharold - trombone solo
Vin Calianno - conductor
Program Notes: "What is that fine line that
divides art and junk? I don't know but I've been searching
a long time and I haven't found an answer." This
was the opening speech that my friend Rob Zimmerman gave
before the premiere of Vinnie music no. 1. Since then,
I think I have come upon many interesting conclusions about
the definitions of art and junk (or in a sense, "pop").
Rutherford B. Hayes [like my opera, The Toilet], marks that
vision or interest in "bad art" or equally, "good
junk." RBH is many things at once and can be
viewed at many levels. First off, the piece was given
the name of the 19th president of the United States of America,
though the piece is not a "political" piece.
Secondly, the piece is also a concerto for trombone, though
the score indicates that the soloist should not know how
to play the trombone. Third, the piece is actually
a large "mega-mix" of 15-20 earlier works of mine,
such as: To Boston For Sex, Learning to Love my Pancreas,
The Plasticine Dreamer, gold bleeds gold and nothing it
refuses and also the prototype for this work, my violin
concerto, Nothinghead.
Another interest I have had, which has taken
a somewhat profound effect on this piece is my continuing
interest in pop-art, neo-surrealism and the virtual-non-existant-bullshit
energy of television, radio, electronia, friends, enemies,
ass-kissers, loves, ethos, pathos, religion, Oberlin and
many other "issues" not included in this list.
This piece is dedicated 'to Them.'
V.C.
- Friday 13 November 1998
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