US Marine Band on Long Island
Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 3:19 pm
This was perfect timing for me. Howard Hovey Tuba has just passed, and what an event it was with a Massed Ensemble of 275. I have a nice relaxing week with not much I have to do. I found out about the concert rather late and could not get tickets, but my son and I decided to go anyway and hope to get in. Luckily for us, I ran into a music teacher from the school the concert was held at, Half Hollow Hills HS East, and he offered me 2 tickets. Lucky us! And, what a great concert it was!!
The program began with Sousa's, "Atlantic City Pageant March", which I never heard before. Although, the band gave a fine performance of the march, I found it to be one of Sousa's most uninteresting marches. They followed that with, Gould's, "Star Spangled Overture from American Ballads." They followed that with "Variations on the Carnival of Venice", arr. by Ponchielli. This arr., which I never heard before, featured various soloists: clainet, cornet, trumpet, and euphonium. "For New York", by John Williams followed and they closed the first half with Holst's, "Suite in Eb".
The second half opened with a stirring performance of "Semper Fidelis", where the brass came out front for the trio section - great stuff! Massenet's, "Ballet Music from El Cid," followed. The band went into big band mode performing some Harold Arlen selections featuring SSgt. Sara Dell"Omo, mezzo sop. Of course, they had to throw in "Stars and Stripes," followed by Knox's "Salute to the Armed Forces", which brought the house down. As an encore, they played an arr. of "Glod Bless America."
My son (whom I was hoping was going to be a lawyer and help support me in old age, but is following in his Dad, sister and older brother's footsteps in music and eventually music ed. (') ) and I went nuts over the concert. Great band, and great accoustics in the hall made it a concert we'll always remember. Great job tuba section!! Although I was in the balcony a good distance from the stage, it was nice to finally attach faces to names of prominent posters on tube Net. What a great sound they put out as a section. Was that an Eb or F between the 2 CC's?
As I continue to take it easy this week, my son and I will head to another part of LI tomorrow night to hear Matt Gaunt and the Burning River Brass Band. Should be a great concert also! Then, I have to work on Sunday, but it's a gig and will be fun!! Life is good!
The program began with Sousa's, "Atlantic City Pageant March", which I never heard before. Although, the band gave a fine performance of the march, I found it to be one of Sousa's most uninteresting marches. They followed that with, Gould's, "Star Spangled Overture from American Ballads." They followed that with "Variations on the Carnival of Venice", arr. by Ponchielli. This arr., which I never heard before, featured various soloists: clainet, cornet, trumpet, and euphonium. "For New York", by John Williams followed and they closed the first half with Holst's, "Suite in Eb".
The second half opened with a stirring performance of "Semper Fidelis", where the brass came out front for the trio section - great stuff! Massenet's, "Ballet Music from El Cid," followed. The band went into big band mode performing some Harold Arlen selections featuring SSgt. Sara Dell"Omo, mezzo sop. Of course, they had to throw in "Stars and Stripes," followed by Knox's "Salute to the Armed Forces", which brought the house down. As an encore, they played an arr. of "Glod Bless America."
My son (whom I was hoping was going to be a lawyer and help support me in old age, but is following in his Dad, sister and older brother's footsteps in music and eventually music ed. (') ) and I went nuts over the concert. Great band, and great accoustics in the hall made it a concert we'll always remember. Great job tuba section!! Although I was in the balcony a good distance from the stage, it was nice to finally attach faces to names of prominent posters on tube Net. What a great sound they put out as a section. Was that an Eb or F between the 2 CC's?
As I continue to take it easy this week, my son and I will head to another part of LI tomorrow night to hear Matt Gaunt and the Burning River Brass Band. Should be a great concert also! Then, I have to work on Sunday, but it's a gig and will be fun!! Life is good!