Our Music

La Puissance

by Keon Birney

Commissioned by the Rocky Mountain Concert Band
Premiered May 2, 2010 at the Rosza Centre in Calgary

“We are a Métis civilization.”

This powerful statement begins John Ralston Saul’s A Fair
Country, and embodies the argument of his imaginative,
ethical, and unique vision of the development of the Canadian
civilization. Saul explains how our civilization grew out of a long
relationship between the aboriginal inhabitants of North
America and European settlers. We are at our best when we
adhere to the concepts of cooperative living. However, when
these concepts have been abandoned we find ourselves
apologizing, decades later, to those affected by our thoughtless
policies.

La Puissance is an evocation of a positive Canadian
civilization based upon cooperative relationships. Each
movement is devoted to one of three words that the Cree use to
explain how a peaceful, well-governed, and fair civilization
should work: Witaskewin - people of different backgrounds
living together; Wahakohtoin - good relationships following a
complex, unwritten code of ethics; and the outcome, Miyo-
wicehtowin - healthy, happy, and respectful relationships.
Witaskewin is a collage of thirteen Aboriginal, French, and
English folk-song fragments, overlaid with various musical
styles. The first three folk-song fragments from Witaskewin are
then used as the main thematic idea for Wahakohtoin’s theme
and variations form. Miyo-wicehtowin uses portions of a
Tsimshian folk-song, Wutsatsiksye, as the recurring theme for a
brisk and fun rondo form finale.

La Puissance, “power”, is how the French translated the
word Dominion, as in The Dominion of Canada - La Puissance
du Canada. This is how the fathers of confederation imagined
Canada’s future, and how I think we should imagine ourselves.
Powerful.

SpaceShipOne for Symphonic Band

by Nova Pon

Commissioned by the Rocky Mountain Concert Band
Premiered May 2, 2010 at the Rosza Centre in Calgary

SpaceShipOne for Symphonic Band is a musical tribute to one
of the most positive and significant historical events of our
times: the first privately funded human spaceflight, completed
by SpaceShipOne on June 21 2004, through the genius of Burt
Rutan and investment of Paul Allen. Like Charles Lindbergh’s
historic flight of the Spirit of St. Louis in 1927, this event
marked the launch of a new age: that of commercial space
travel. Along with giving courage to anyone who has ever
dreamed of going to space, this heroic feat also reaffirmed the
immense achievement possible to the private individual. This
piece follows, in stylized musical terms, the flight profile of the
rocket-powered SpaceShipOne aircraft.

The work opens with a passacaglia on a theme first
stated by the tuba, then by each instrument through nine
variations, representing SpaceShipOne carried by the "White
Knight aircraft in a long ascending spiral to its separation
altitude. SpaceShipOne is then released, and glides free for just
an instant, before firing its rocket engines for sudden
acceleration, represented by a fast, driving, and dense
section. After the scheduled burn time, SpaceShipOne one has
enough inertia to coast on up to its suborbital apogee, where it
experiences the ethereal calm of freefall and a reflective view of
our planet from above, portrayed in a section for bowed
vibraphone, woodwind solos, and muted brass. As Spaceship
one starts to falls back towards the earth, a fugue begins, with a
theme passing gradually from the highest piccolo voice down
successively through the ranges of the entire
ensemble. Intensity builds as SpaceShipOne glides homeward,
previous music material returns, and a triumphant landing is
made.

Dragondances

by R. Duane Hendricks

Commissioned by the Rocky Mountain Concert Band
Premiered May 2, 2010 at the Rosza Centre in Calgary

The idea for Dragondances began several years ago when a
student gave me a copy of Dragonsong by Anne McCaffrey,
saying that I would like it because the main character, a little
girl, is a musician, and the most influential people on the planet
are musicians.

The first movement begins with an introductory elegy
for a beloved music teacher, played here by a quartet of
clarinets, gradually joined by other instruments, and building to
an intense forte. Then, after a short change of character, the
main dragon theme begins with a brass and percussion fanfare,
always answered/alternated in the woodwinds. The second
theme is a song with a hint of mournfulness, played first on the
oboe. This leads to a march (to the dragon eggs) based on bits of
both themes. After a momentary return to the elegy, the
dragondance music returns and leads to a strong ending of the
movement.

The second movement, starts with a sad chorale played
by the saxophones (for the little girl who has run away), but
which soon leads to a bouncy, chittering theme of the fire lizards
who surprise and delight the girl. That theme is always played
by clarinet, oboe, and soprano saxophone. There is a third
theme in the middle of this movement, played by trumpet,
trombone and horn, which signifies the crooning song of an old
aunt who has tried to soothe the youngster.

The third movement, begins with music for a little boat
bouncing over the waves along the shore, played by woodwinds
and drum, as the girl's brother and the new, young music
teacher go looking for her. After their lunch they begin to sing
an old ballad, played here by the low brass. The jig music
returns, and is developed and varied, with bits of the ballad
mixed in with it as it gets stronger and stronger, finally leading
to a return to the theme as it was first heard, then leading
quickly to the end.

Our Famous Five

by R. Duane Hendricks

A commemorative work for these women in Alberta, Canada
Commissioned by the Rocky Mountain Concert Band
Premiered December 11, 2010 at the Rosza Centre in Calgary

The idea for this commemorative composition came from three sources. First, I was in Calgary for the unveiling of Barbara Paterson’s amazing sculptures near Olympic Plaza. The idea that women had not been persons under the law was surprising and disturbing. Second, I immediately bought and read Nancy Millar’s book about “The Famous Five”, then sent it to my mother, who was not so surprised about the persons issue. Third, I live with someone who intensely dislikes the term “you guys” when applied to women or mixed groups. Combine that with my personal belief that women and men should absolutely be considered equal in importance, opportunity, respect, legal and human rights, etc., and the idea for this work was planted.

As I began to ask students & parents and friends & colleagues what they knew of this subject and these women, I was surprised to hear that very few had heard of them, and none could remember hearing anything about them in school.

After re-reading the book, talking with Nancy Millar, and searching the internet, I presented the idea to the Rocky Mountain Concert Band Executive who commissioned the work, and I began to compose the music in several short sections.

Each movement is my impression of some aspect of the character or work of the individual women. There was no intent to make the music sound eighty years old, although some of it gives that impression. It needed to sound somewhat traditional, along with elements of my own musical sensibility.

The Five were each involved in church activities, and so the composition begins with a “Hymn of Equality”. It is a strong theme, with a motive which is heard three times, each time higher and louder. A reference to the later march appears, after which the hymn returns in a different scoring and key. The last three staccato notes are a bit of silliness, in other words, don’t lose your sense of humour and fun even in the midst of the coming fight.

When Emily Murphy was first told that she wasn’t a person under the law she must have thought and said “Not a Person?!”, and that led to her musical theme, that is, I thought of it as if it was sung. Her magistrate’s gavel appears musically several times in this and other movements, injecting a bit of anger and frustration which must have appeared in their discussions and correspondence.

Irene Parlby loved to dance, and that, combined with her classical education suggested the “Waltz Around the Problem...”. I admit to being influenced by musical
sensibilities from an old CBC radio show “Opportunity Knocks” and theme music from certain British shows on PBS television. The cadence at the end of the movement says “Not a Person?!”

Henrietta Muir Edwards seemed to be methodical, with the patience to just do what needs to be done, and so her music is called “Slow and Steady Wins...”. She was involved in the National Council of Women and was the group’s expert on laws relating to women and children. The theme comes from my musical depiction of a quote from Emily Murphy “Whenever I don’t know whether to fight or not, I fight.”

Louise McKinnon was very active in the WCTU and so her theme needed to be a “March of Moderation”, although that group really wanted to completely ban alcohol and tobacco. Songs of suffrage and temperence at the time used existing known tunes to which new words were added, and so I composed a tune of that character.

Nellie McClung was perhaps the most famous of the group, due to her published books. She also was a most entertaining speaker who could make strong points with wit and barb alike. This and her love of the Chataqua entertainments seemed to call for a dramatic music. “At the Old Boys Club” is a reference to the Women’s Parliament held in Winnipeg. The second theme of this movement is my setting of “How can you say such a thing? How can you believe it?”

Emily Murphy was the leader of the Famous Five, and so, when the case was finally won (and it had gone to London because the Supreme Court of Canada had rejected it) and the phone call came in the middle of the night, she says she danced in her kitchen in her nightgown. The dance theme is based on the hymn tune from the beginning of the work. “Kitchen Dance and Hymn” also contains bits of earlier music, and finishes with a strong statement of the “Not a Person?!” theme followed by the gavel rhythm, my way of reminding all of us that this battle for equality is not yet finished.