Boston Inspires by Betsy Schramm

Performed live on May 13th, 2023 as part of Christopher Keach's first Doctoral Recital.

Boston Inspires by Betsy Schramm
I. Museum of Fine Arts Winter Afternoon 0:03 - 2:09
II. Public Garden Springtime 2:40 - 5:09
III. Boston Harbor Views 5:42 - 8:18

Percussion, Eric Orosz

Program Notes:
Betsy Schramm’s music has been cited for its “visionary quality”, and “impressive lyricism” and has been called “expansive, daring, and unpredictable” (Boston Globe, Buffalo News, Boston Herald). Schramm’s compositions have received numerous professional awards and have been played and broadcast in the U.S. and Europe, in London, New York City, and Boston. The music of Betsy Schramm has been commissioned/premiered by Jane Manning and Jane’s Minstrels, Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra, Minnesota Ballet, New Millennium Ensemble, and Boston Music Viva, Lontano, Terry Everson, Hardwick Chamber Ensemble, the Eastman Wind Ensemble, Cambridge Chamber Players and many others. Betsy Schramm earned a Ph.D. in Composition at the Eastman School of Music and received a Fulbright Scholarship for study at Cambridge University and in London at the English National Opera. BBC Radio3, with Jane Manning and Jane’s Minstrels, produced broadcast recordings of Betsy Schramm’s two song cycles on Hear and Now: and birds are wings (Brian Israel Prize) and while east deserves of dawn. Schramm’s 1915 Grammy Nominee Eligible CD, Arrays of Light, Mark Records 51731-MCD, features Mark Ponzo performing the brass music of Betsy Schramm, with Greg Beyer, percussion, and others. Schramm received a Barlow Endowment for Q’eros premiered by Boston Musica Viva. These are just a few of her awards and commissions.

About the work, Schramm writes:

“I. Museum of Fine Arts Winter Afternoon: Multiple rising figures in the trumpet are answered by chimes, vibraphone, and glockenspiel. As the trumpet line develops into longer statements, the interplay with percussion becomes more complex. This movement primarily features pitched percussion and metallic percussion that rings: chimes, vibraphone, glockenspiel, suspended cymbals, bell tree, and mark tree; a nice complement to the timbre of the trumpet. The MFA is a great place to spend a winter’s afternoon. The bursts of colors as one moves through the galleries, as well as the complexity of the art is considered in this movement.

II. Public Garden Springtime: The opening 32nd-note motive in the trumpet is answered by the unique color of the antique cymbals. Snare drum and tom-toms are in duet with flutter-tongued trumpet. 32nd-note trumpet triplets move to long notes colored by vibraphone rolls, timpani pedal glissandi, and finger cymbals. Trumpet rhythms build with the snare drum, tom-toms, and temple blocks. Timpani pedal glissandi lead to the opening motive, restated with chimes and xylophone. Trumpet and vibraphone have a colorful duet, ending with finger cymbals, trumpet and antique cymbals. In the Public Garden in springtime, trees are greening up, tulips are blooming and the swan boats are reopened, a heady mix of motion and color.

III. Boston Harbor Views: Dry secco trumpet is accompanied by wooden sounds: bamboo tree, castanets, and xylophone creating a new sound world ending with a ferocious xylophone passage. Tom-toms underlay the trumpet and an upward passage in trumpet is imitated by vibraphone. Trumpet repeated notes are colored by bell tree, mark tree, and suspended cymbals. The snare drum passage builds to a climax with the trumpet. Closing with trumpet motives, bamboo tree and castanets evokes the opening. Clanking of tall sailing ships rigging, sails whipping against the wooden masts, the wind on the waves, the cry of the gulls are some elements of the Boston Harbor.”

This is the Canadian Premiere of Schramm’s Boston Inspires.

Видео Boston Inspires by Betsy Schramm канала Christopher Keach