Eastman School of Music - Score Yearbook (Rochester, NY)

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On Waiting for Tape and Orchestra bv lN'avne Barlow The central problem in writing SQUND- SC.-XPE5 lav in achieving a satistactorv blend ot live and svnthesixed sound. ln this work the problem was severe because the tape part contained no concrete sounds - no modified instrumental sounds. tor ex- ample. lt such had been the case, there would have been a lcind ot built-in attinitv ot sound: however, l decided to accept the challenge ottered in the mixing ot totallv synthesized sound with the orthestra and set to worls looking tor ways to bring the machine-made sound closer to the natural model. Live sounds have a certain degree ot ran- dom ciualitv. By wav ot illustration, listen carefully to the tone ot an octave struck in the bass register ot' a well-tuned piano, The bass strings are rich in harmonics, and the- oretically a number ot these harmonits as produced by the two notes ot the octave ought to coincide exactly. ln realitv the stiffness ot the strings causes the upper harmonics to go progressively sharper, but in dittering amounts tor strings ot dit terent diameters. The result is that there is a great deal ot random beating between upper par- tials that are somewhat out ot tune with each other, and no amount ot ettort spent in tuning can eradicate the beats. And as a matter ot tact, it the beating could be elimi- nated, the sound would be iudged to be dull, liteless, and mechanical simply be- cause it would be too pertect. Other souces ot random imperfections include the tran- sient noises associated with the onset ol' vibration of strings and air columns. In order to achieve some degree ot live quality, the tape part ol EJUUNDSQ AI'lQ5 contains a considerable amount ot deliber- ately introduced random imperfection ot the sound material. This was achieved by introducing random beating ot some of the components ot tone clusters, by ring modu- lation ot many of the sounds, by using the studios new sequencer to generate wide- spectrum sounds with non-harmonit par- tials, and by overlaving many ot the sounds with filtered white noise. I was pleased, therefore, to have people tell me alter the pertormance that they were often unable to perceive the transitions lrom live to syn- thesized sound. Bruce Hangen rates a student status as tar as the school is concerned but the students value him much more highly in his conducting capabilities. Bruce has led numerous student groups over the ldbf few years and was the conductor For the most' successful Zeitgeist this year. Al- most always the first to be asked, Bruce is seen conducting most of the larger ensemble pieces on student recitals also. Conducting the Cassuto premiere with Phila-ESSQ, Bruce had one of his few chances to conduct an orchestra. Bruce works with a great sense of humor and always comes up with a good perform- ance., We wish Bruce the best at Tangle- wood and in the future.

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Esso Philharmonia March 10 Concerto for alto saxophone and orchestra, Opus 26 Paul Creston I. 3X4 Energetic ll. 5X4 Meditative III. 4X4 Rhythmic Norbert Buskey, alto saxophone Soundscapes for orchestra and electronic tape Wayne Barlow Mists Clouds Constellations Sunburst Wayne Barlow, conductor Circle for orchestra Alvaro Qassuto Bruce I-langen, conductor Romeo and Juliet, overture-fantasy for orchestra Peter Tchaikovsky

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Rudolf Serkin March 15, 1972 Eastman Theatre ALL BEETHOVEN Sonata in C Minor, Op. 13 f Pathetiqu9 l Crave - Allegro di molto e con brio Adagio cantabile Rondo: Allegro Sonata in E Major, Op. 109 Vivace, ma non troppo - Adagio espressivo - Vivace, ma non troppo - Adagio es pressino - Vivace, ma non troppo Prestissimo Andante molto cantabile ed espressivo Ccon variazionib Sonata in F Major, Op. 10, No. 2 Allegro Allegretto Presto Sonata in I3 Minor, Op. 57 f Appassionata J Allegro assai Andante con moto Cvariazionij - Allegro ma non troppo - Presto Conferring of Honorary Degree i Citation Few musicians can emulate, and none can hope to excel the career of Rudolf Serlcin, celebrated concert pianist, noted teacher, Director of the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, President and Artistic DireCt0f of the Marlboro Scho I fM ' - ' ' ' f ther of a talented family. Bom in EEST, Bohemia, Rudolf Serkin was educated in Vienna during H1959 YGHYS when it us the cultural capital of the world, and there he came to know intimately both the traditional and the avant garde in music. H6 made his debut with the Vienna Symphony at the age of twelve. Five years later' bmder the aegis of Adolf Busch, he began his remarkable concert'Ca- reer' EUS? appefifillg in America in 1933. Each ear he tours the United o o usic, part time farmer in Guilford, and fi Y Statesj P15 adopted country, and he plays frequently in Europe, South Ameffw, Iceland, Israel, and the Orient. Rulggtii alone' of our most profound, sincere, and magnetic interprefefaf u er in is an inspiration to thousands of listeners and studentS- Uns If hl ' - 9 1? Y dedicated to the benefit of others, he has been a member of the C - - . . . . ' , - darllc1iKCOmm1SS1on on Educational Television and is now Vice PICSI en o 0 ' - K 'ang Audiences. For his outstanding service in the cause Of good music, President Kennedy honored him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, 86