On “Ancient Dialogue’s” path to Chicago

On Ancient Dialogue’s path to Chicago

by

Patrick J. Burns

A few years ago, I was doing some research on the net in the computer lab of Montclair State University’s Department of Music, where I teach. I was looking for an mp3 recording of Larry Daehn’s arrangement of Themes From Green Bushes, by Percy Grainger, as I was considering performing it with a community youth band I direct. I found a link which led me to the McCracken Middle School Band form Skokie, Illinois. I was impressed that a middle school band had such a well done website at all, much less one which contained links to recordings of their concert performances. I clicked, listened, and was blown away.

I was so impressed with the level of musicianship that I invited a few undergraduate music education students to the lab listen to the recording. I made sure they couldn’t see the monitor and said something like, “Have a listen to this high school band play Grainger. Pay particular attention to the quality of the trumpet section’s tone and the xylophone later in the piece.” As the recording unfolded, there were many expressions of surprise that a “high school” band could have a trumpet section which played so sensitively, that the woodwinds played so musically and well in tune, etc. At the conclusion of the piece, I asked the undergrads to have a look at the monitor and I said, “This is a middle school band, folks. THIS is what’s possible.” Every mouth was open, but there were very few words. It was an epiphany for all of them.

So I was particularly pleased when I received a phone call from Larry Daehn this past June. He informed me that “a middle school band from Illinois wants to play Ancient Dialogue at Midwest this year.” Larry and I talk often and I have enjoyed every conversation we’ve had over the years. Most composers do not have such close relationships with their publishers, so I know how fortunate I am to have a good number of my published works with Larry. Anyway, Larry continued to try to remember the school’s name (he couldn’t), then began searching for the director’s name in his mind. “I think it’s Chip…umm…Chip…”, he said. I interrupted, “Chip De Stefano and the McCracken Middle School Band?” Larry said yes, that was it. It made my day.

Having a work selected to be performed at Midwest is an honor for any composer, regardless of the difficulty level of the piece. Peter Boonshaft (Director of Bands at Hofstra University) and I did a concert together in June and I told him about Ancient Dialogue being selected for Midwest. He was practically more excited than I was! His reaction was, “WOW! I know composers who have written band music for decades who have never been selected for performance at Midwest. This is a HUGE deal for you!”

I am particularly gratified that Chip selected Ancient Dialogue because it’s the most recent one of three of mine written for middle school band which is in print. When I began writing band music in earnest in 1998, I focused on works for high school, university and professional-level bands. I still write for those levels, but in recent years I have grown to thoroughly enjoy writing for middle-level bands. My goal is to produce works which are technically accessible, but musically substantial, regardless of the level for which I’m writing. Fancy techniques and fast passagework mean nothing if the music suffers. James Syler, composer and founder of Ballerbach Publications says, “Artistry first.” He’s right.

Ancient Dialogue was written for the 2005 Bloomfield Summer Arts Workshop Wind Ensemble and was premiered on July 28 of that year, under my direction. The piece is based on “Baises Moy” (“Kiss Me”), a French folk tune dating back to the 15th century. Several composers of the Renaissance, most notably Josquin des Pres, used this melody as the basis of other compositions, both sacred and secular. The text attached to the original melody represents a conversation between a young man and a young woman in which the young man makes an eloquent attempt to steal a kiss from his girlfriend, but she politely refuses. The young man is determined to not give up so easily, so he presses the issue. In the end however, the young woman offers her reason for denying her lover a kiss. The music in this setting is sometimes insistent and determined, and at other times pleading and gentle, reflecting the changing nature of what surely must have been a much longer conversation than the translation of the original text suggests:

“Kiss me, sweet friend. For love I pray thee.”
“I won’t.”
“And why?”
“If I committed such folly, my mother would be ashamed. That’s why!”

Ancient Dialogue is a juxtaposition of old and new on a couple of levels. First, it’s an old tune which is arranged for a modern ensemble using both antiquated and more contemporary harmonizations. Also, the consideration of the text (which does not appear in the published score, incidentally), is important. The sentiments expressed by the young man and young woman are timeless. Can you imagine a similar conversation today? The words may be very different, but the emotions conveyed would be very much the same.

I’d like to extend my sincerest congratulations to Chip De Stefano and the McCracken Middle School Band for having been selected to perform at this year’s Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic. Together, they are making a huge impact in the world of music education and are demonstrating to their community and indeed to the country that dedication, loyalty, commitment, industry and artistry bear such wonderful fruit that can be enjoyed by all. Tutti bravi!

Patrick J. Burns
West Caldwell, New Jersey
September 25, 2006

(Patrick Burns’ music can be heard at his website, www.patrickburnsmusic.com)

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