Not that they would all be considered quirks. He wore various plaid sport jackets and bow ties every day. One year, I lived in a house next door to his and I never saw him without a bow tie on. He used to ride this old beat up bicycle to campus every day. He had an extraordinary mind, perfect pitch and a photographic memory. He could play any movement from almost any work, in any key on piano. We would play, Stump Dr. Hartley, on Friday's. We never stumped him. He would approach the piano in his almost timid manner, saying that he didn't think he could recall that one. He'd sit for a moment, and just start playing - anything you asked for and in any key.
I rode with him in a NY State car to the 1st Int. Tuba Symposium at IU in 1973. He was an honored guest, as a composer. Ted Frazier was the pc prof. at SUNY Fredonia and he was a guest also, as he had written a tuba concerto. I had just graduated the day before and they invited me to ride with them. The 3 of us drove from Fredonia to Indiana, which was about an 8 hr. drive. Dr. H. and Mr. F. traded off the driving. I offered, but they insisted the would do it. Well, when Dr. H. got behind the wheel, I feared for my life. It was like the Indy 500. I remember Mr. F. constantly asking him to slow down. Good times! If I think hard enough, I'm sure I could come up with several more Walter Hartley stories!
How would you approach...
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Rick Denney
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Re: How would you approach...
...followed by two paragraphs of explanation.TubaRay wrote:What were some of his quirks?
Good one, Ray. Hook, line, and sinker.
Rick "staying between the lines" Denney
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David Zerkel
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Well, I'll go on the record as really liking Dr. Hartley's music.
I think that the Unaccompanied Suite is a really nice piece that has much to offer anyone who has the attention span to study it. This is a GREAT piece for establishing different styles and selling those styles for two minutes at a time. Selling things two minutes at a time seems like something that a musician should be able to do... yes?
My advice is to stick with this piece. If you think about the literature that you might be required to play later (Hindemith, Penderecki, Stevens, Gregson, Kraft, John Williams!!!!!! and the list goes on) this piece will provide you the building blocks that you need to understand the more advanced literature. This may very well start a discussion about "tuba music" v. "good music". If so, so be it. But I'll always try to play pieces that stretch me physically and mentally... it is what keeps me going. Some pieces, I may perform once and put away, but I will always grow from pushing my self-imposed limitations.
BTW, I recorded Hartley's First Sonata on my CD and I think that it is the piece that stands up the best from a musical standpoint. I was told that it was a horrible idea to include this piece, but I am glad that I did. It is good music!
Observations about the Unaccompanied Suite:
An Intrada is an Entrance. Play it like you're announcing a King! Be regal!The first movement is all about V-I relationships and shifting key centers. You'll note that almost every V-I is accented... play them like a timpanist to assert the new key area or to resolve the key area you're leaving. Every last one is cadential, so think of using this relationship to understand the phrase structure.
The second movement is my favorite. It alternates between a playful, if not goofy waltz and a more lilting lyrical melody. As you are playing the more active of the two tunes, notice how the top note of the phrase expands chromatically. Try your best to make the the two styles as different from each other as you can. The ending is abrupt and ironic if you can pull it off.
The third movement is the toughest to interpret, I think. I would highly recommend trying to sing this one, not so much for pitch recognition, but for style. I am all about trying to make my playing as much like singing as possible... if you can sing this through intelligibly, you will be able to make it work. Try to get as many different shades of soft dynamic as you can.
The galop is musically pretty straight ahead. I would feel it in one and make it as fast and frisky as you can. It always reminds me of the Overture to the Magic Flute! The middle section should be more lyrical with the quarter notes at the ends of the phrases serving as puncuation. The ending is straight ahead G major.
Good luck, and sorry for the rant!!
I think that the Unaccompanied Suite is a really nice piece that has much to offer anyone who has the attention span to study it. This is a GREAT piece for establishing different styles and selling those styles for two minutes at a time. Selling things two minutes at a time seems like something that a musician should be able to do... yes?
My advice is to stick with this piece. If you think about the literature that you might be required to play later (Hindemith, Penderecki, Stevens, Gregson, Kraft, John Williams!!!!!! and the list goes on) this piece will provide you the building blocks that you need to understand the more advanced literature. This may very well start a discussion about "tuba music" v. "good music". If so, so be it. But I'll always try to play pieces that stretch me physically and mentally... it is what keeps me going. Some pieces, I may perform once and put away, but I will always grow from pushing my self-imposed limitations.
BTW, I recorded Hartley's First Sonata on my CD and I think that it is the piece that stands up the best from a musical standpoint. I was told that it was a horrible idea to include this piece, but I am glad that I did. It is good music!
Observations about the Unaccompanied Suite:
An Intrada is an Entrance. Play it like you're announcing a King! Be regal!The first movement is all about V-I relationships and shifting key centers. You'll note that almost every V-I is accented... play them like a timpanist to assert the new key area or to resolve the key area you're leaving. Every last one is cadential, so think of using this relationship to understand the phrase structure.
The second movement is my favorite. It alternates between a playful, if not goofy waltz and a more lilting lyrical melody. As you are playing the more active of the two tunes, notice how the top note of the phrase expands chromatically. Try your best to make the the two styles as different from each other as you can. The ending is abrupt and ironic if you can pull it off.
The third movement is the toughest to interpret, I think. I would highly recommend trying to sing this one, not so much for pitch recognition, but for style. I am all about trying to make my playing as much like singing as possible... if you can sing this through intelligibly, you will be able to make it work. Try to get as many different shades of soft dynamic as you can.
The galop is musically pretty straight ahead. I would feel it in one and make it as fast and frisky as you can. It always reminds me of the Overture to the Magic Flute! The middle section should be more lyrical with the quarter notes at the ends of the phrases serving as puncuation. The ending is straight ahead G major.
Good luck, and sorry for the rant!!
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Lew
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I spent a little time speaking with Dr. Hartley at the USABTEC a few years ago. He was one of the nicest men I have met, and fascinating to talk to.
I find that this piece grows on you. It's not as traditional as some, but has a lot of little interesting transitions that can be fun if you listen for them. It is much more tonal than much of the modern music that is being written today, and much more melodic in many ways. It has to be played through though to hear the themes.
I find that this piece grows on you. It's not as traditional as some, but has a lot of little interesting transitions that can be fun if you listen for them. It is much more tonal than much of the modern music that is being written today, and much more melodic in many ways. It has to be played through though to hear the themes.
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Leland
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What David Zerkel said...
Really! I'm just not a verbose writer, but the way he described it is almost exactly like I play it (on a BBb, too, if it even matters).
You can't be pretty with this one from top to bottom, and you can't merely execute it. Get the pitches down, get the notes happening in time, and when the parts are ready to be assembled, then really exaggerate the dynamics so that you're not afraid anymore of what it sounds like.
THEN the pieces start to come together. It's pretty fun once it gets into gear.
Of course, I'm a little weird, too...
Really! I'm just not a verbose writer, but the way he described it is almost exactly like I play it (on a BBb, too, if it even matters).
You can't be pretty with this one from top to bottom, and you can't merely execute it. Get the pitches down, get the notes happening in time, and when the parts are ready to be assembled, then really exaggerate the dynamics so that you're not afraid anymore of what it sounds like.
THEN the pieces start to come together. It's pretty fun once it gets into gear.
Of course, I'm a little weird, too...
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Ames0325
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Wow thanks guys for all the great advice it has helped enormously. I Have gotten a lot of workin on this since I aksed this question and am really starting to enjoy the 3rd and 4th movements. I am having a little more difficulty with the 1st two movements though. This is by far one the most fun pieces I have worked on so far if only for its being different. Anyway does anyone know where I can find a recording of this? I have searched high and low for it but have found only one possible lead to an old LP which I am looking for now ( heaven only knows how I am gonna listen to it but we'll cross that road if we get to it.) so I was wondering if anyone knows of any recordings of this and or where I m ight be able to find one.
Amy
Amy