Liberty University School of Music - Sunday Afternoon with the Faculty - September 5, 2021 Old Pate Chapel
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Liberty University School of Music
presents
Sunday Afternoon with the Faculty
September 5, 2021
Old Pate Chapel
4:00 PM
Sunday Afternoon with the Faculty
Dr. Michael Brennan, guitar
Dr. John Hugo, tenor
Mrs. Alycia Hugo, flute
Dr. Samuel Wellman, piano
Program
5 Bagatelles for Guitar William Walton
2. Lento (1902-1983)
3. Alla Cubana
Michael Brennan, guitar
Songs from the Chinese, Op. 58 Benjamin Britten
1. The Big Chariot (1913-1976)
2. The Old Lute
3. The Autumn Wind
4. The Herd-Boy
5. Depression
6. Dance Song
John Hugo, tenor
Michael Brennan, guitar
Sonnets Mike Mower
1. Flowing (b. 1958)
2. Freely
Alycia Hugo, alto flute
Samuel Wellman, piano
Three Lyrics Frank Bridge
Heart’s Ease (1879-1941)
Dainty Rogue
The Hedgerow
Samuel Wellman, piano
In Ireland (Fantasy for Flute and Piano) Hamilton Hary
(1879-1941)
Alycia Hugo, alto flute
Samuel Wellman, piano
Folksong Arrangements Volume 1: British Isles Benjamin Britten
1. The Salley Gardens (1913-1976)
2. Little Sir William
5. The Trees They Grow So High
6. The Ash Grove
7. Oliver Cromwell
John Hugo, tenor
Samuel Wellman, piano- PROGRAM NOTES - 5 Bagatelles for Guitar Walton’s Five Bagatelles was commissioned and written in collaboration with British guitar virtuoso, Julian Bream in 1971, who recorded them in 1972. They were dedicated to Malcolm Arnold ‘with admiration and affection for his 50th birthday.’ The first performance was at the Bath Festival in Bath, England, also in 1972. In 1975, Walton arranged the music of the Five Bagatelles for orchestra called Varii Cappricci. A bagatelle is defined as a short unpretentious piece, a trifle, a little nothing; bagatelles are often presented in sets with contrasting tempos and moods. Even though Walton’s compositional style is considered to be ‘old-fashioned,’ particularly in works after World War II, the character of these bagatelles is at once delightfully modern and traditional. Walton uses extended harmonies, bold rhythms, and unique guitar techniques such as artificial harmonics, tamboura, and rasgueado. Songs from the Chinese, op. 58 Songs from the Chinese premiered at the 1957 Aldeburgh Festival, with tenor Peter Pears and guitar virtuoso Julian Bream. It consists of six song settings of ancient Chinese poems translated by Arthur Waley (1899–1996). The songs treat familiar Britten themes of innocence, loss, and regret. It is remarkable that Britten, not a guitarist himself, could write so idiomatically and masterfully for the guitar. The guitar part in this cycle often provides commentary on the dramatic situations, but its main function seems to be to evoke moods of sad reminiscence that complement the vocal part in subtle ways. Chinese poetry often lays a situation before the reader without comment, leaving the interpretation more or less open; so, it is with the poems Britten chose to set. ‘The Big Chariot’ advises against becoming involved in grand popular endeavors because of the personal discomfort they bring. ‘The Old Lute’ laments the way in which an aging person becomes increasingly irrelevant as times change. ‘The Autumn Wind’ laments the brevity of youth and the fleeting nature of love and happiness. In ‘The Herd- Boy,’ the poet comes to the unpleasant realization that he has become a stranger to the boy he once was. ‘Depression’ explores the idea that in the aged, the heart may suffer even more weariness than the body does. ‘Dance Song’ uses the death of a unicorn as a metaphor for the loss of innocence in the whirl of youth. Sonnets British jazz musician Mike Mower (flute, saxophone, and clarinet), composes for a wide variety of ensembles, including jazz big bands, orchestras, saxophone quartets, and wind ensembles, as well as for solo recitalists. Trained as a classical flutist and awarded the ARAM (Associate of the Royal Academy of Music), Mower is also founder of the internationally known saxophone quartet, Itchy Fingers. His two pieces for alto flute and piano were written in London in 1997 for Trevor James for the introduction of his new alto flute. Mower writes, “These two lyrical pieces were written to highlight the sonorous tone of the alto flute. A rare addition to the repertoire of this instrument, the two movements are a slow waltz followed by a long lilting melody with changing time signatures introduced by a cadenza.” Three Lyrics Frank Bridge was an English composer, conductor and violist. His early works are romantic; later compositions took on strong doses of impressionism. Especially admired are his smaller works: chamber music, songs, and piano pieces. Three Lyrics was written in the early 1920s and vividly shows the hallmarks of impressionist style: exotic chords freely resolving, whole-tone sonorities, instability of keys, and emphasis on melodic fragments (heard mainly in the second and third pieces). Heart’s Ease is a short work depicting consummate peace. High bell-like chords of parallel ninths and tenths marked pianississimo open and close the work, alternating with brief passages of tender melody. Dainty Rogue is a playful dash up and down the keys, clearly evoking the definition of ‘rogue’ as a mischievous person. The main key is G but there are many harmonic excursions. The Hedgerow is a bird piece, and the twitterings of the feathered denizens are the dominant feature. In Ireland (Fantasy for Flute and Piano) Irish composer, conductor, pianist, and organist, Sir Hamilton Harty, began his musical career in Ireland as a church organist, moving to London as a young adult to promote his musical career as a piano accompanist and later as an orchestral conductor of the Liverpool Philharmonic, the Halle Symphony Orchestra, and the London Symphony Orchestra. A composer of orchestral, chamber, and solo vocal works, Harty was passionate about the works of Berlioz, and as an orchestral conductor, actively promoted new works of contemporary composers. While all Harty’s orchestral works have been recorded, they are rarely programmed today. Fortunately, his 1918 fantasy for flute and piano, In Ireland, as well as his 1935 arrangement for flute, harp, and orchestra are still very popular today.
- PROGRAM NOTES -
Folksong Arrangements Volume 1: British Isles
Boosey published this volume of folksong arrangements in 1943, before the years of Britten’s greatest fame. These selections
have mainly to do with loss, as folksongs often do. The Salley Gardens is a rueful reminiscence of a long-lost relationship,
doomed by the foolishness of youth. Little Sir William turns morbid when a schoolboy goes missing and his mother discovers
that he has been murdered. The Trees They Grow So High recounts the tragedy of an arranged marriage where the woman is
considerably older than her espoused husband; ironically, the fretful woman outlives her husband! The narrative of The Ash
Grove is similar to that of The Salley Gardens in that each case recounts the loss of one of a pair of lovers. Oliver Cromwell
falls into the category of silly children’s songs that older people also enjoy.
- FACULTY PERFORMERS -
Guitarist Michael Brennan is the Coordinator of Guitar Studies at Liberty University, where he has
served on the Guitar Faculty since 2007. He holds the Doctor of Music from Northwestern University,
and the Master of Music in Guitar Performance from California State University at Fullerton. Dr.
Brennan has given solo and collaborative guitar performances all over the United States.
Tenor John Hugo recently completed his 33rd year on the voice
faculty of Liberty University, during which period he has served
in many different teaching and administrative capacities,
including 13 years chairing the Department of Music and
Humanities. He has served for over 20 years as the Chorus Master
of the Roanoke Symphony Chorus. He has performed frequently as a tenor soloist with many
area groups. He holds the DMA in Choral Music and Master of Vocal Performance from
Arizona State University, and the Masters in Choral Conducting from New England
Conservatory of Music in Boston.
Flutist Alycia Hugo has served as adjunct instructor of flute performance at Liberty University for over
30 years and has also taught flute performance at The University of Lynchburg, Randolph College, and
Sweet Briar College over the same period. She earned her Bachelors (cum laude) and Masters degrees
in Flute Performance from New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. Her teachers have included
John Wummer (NYPO), the legendary James Pappoutsakis (BSO), piccolo specialist Lois Schaefer
(BSO), and Marjorie Lockwood (Phoenix Symphony Orchestra). She is a four-time winner of the
National Flute Association Convention Performers Professional Flutist Competition, gaining special
recognition for her skills as a performer of twentieth century music, and is a two-time winner of the
Professional Flute Choir Competition, performing at conventions throughout the United States. She is
the longtime principal flutist with the Roanoke and Lynchburg Symphony Orchestras.
Pianist Samuel Wellman has served on the Liberty University piano and composition faculties since
1992. A prolific composer of piano music (1700 works!), Dr. Wellman is a busy accompanist for
recitalists both vocal and instrumental. He has also “played in the pit” for countless operas and
musicals at LU. His piano sight reading skills are peerless and his knowledge of the piano repertoire
is exhaustive.Liberty University School of Music Upcoming Events
Jazz in the Park Falling Creek Park
1257 County Farm Rd., Bedford, VA 24523
Friday, September 24, 5:30 p.m.
Faculty Concert Series: Center for Music and the Worship Arts
Piano Quintet Concert Hall
Saturday, September 25, 7:30 p.m.
Requiem for the Living:* Center for Music and the Worship Arts
Featuring the Liberty University Symphony Orchestra Concert Hall
and Combined Choral Ensembles Tuesday, September 28, 7:30 p.m.
Liberty University Wind Symphony Concert* Center for Music and the Worship Arts
Concert Hall
Friday, October 1, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday Afternoon with the Faculty: Old Pate Chapel
Cassandra Hibbard, Paul Rumrill, Samantha Miller 701 Thomas Rd., Lynchburg, VA 24501
Sunday, October 3, 4:00 p.m.
Liberty Homecoming Concert: Celebrating 50 Years of Music – Thomas Road Baptist Church
Hosted by Guy Penrod and Meredith Andrews Friday, October 8, 7:30 p.m.
LiberTBones Recital Center for Music and the Worship Arts
Instrumental Classroom (MUSIC 160)
Tuesday, October 12, 7:30 p.m.
Animaniacs Live!* Center for Music and the Worship Arts
Concert Hall
Saturday, October 23, 7:30 p.m.
Jazz Ensemble Concert * Center for Music and the Worship Arts
Concert Hall
Tuesday, October 26, 7:30 p.m.
CFAW: Revive Center for Music and the Worship Arts
Presented in conjunction with College for A Weekend and the Concert Hall
Worship Lifestyle Project Saturday, October 30, 3:00 p.m.
Percussion Ensemble Concert* Center for Music and the Worship Arts
Concert Hall
Monday, November 1, 7:30 p.m.
Songwriter Café* Center for Music and the Worship Arts
Concert Hall, Grand Lobby
Tuesday, November 2, 7:30 p.m. and
Thursday, November 4, 7:30 p.m.
*Ticketed Event. Tickets can be purchased at www.liberty.edu/tickets.
We would like to thank the
Liberty University Administration for
their faithful support of the School of Music.
Dr. Jerry Prevo, President
Dr. Scott Hicks, Provost and Chief Academic Officer
Dr. Stephen Müller, Dean, School of Music
The School of Music Administration, Faculty, and StaffYou can also read
