Jeff Girard and M-R Music present
The Wind Band Report 2015
Issue 3 - Philip Rothman
Vol. 3, No. 3  February 2015

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Whew, state contest season is over. That was a lot of traveling for us - Florida, Missouri, Illinois, Georgia, Kentucky, and Arkansas. Now we're getting all that music back on the shelf and settling if for contest season. Plus, with a short break before the CBDNA Conference in Nashville in a few more weeks, I have time to get back to this newsletter.   

 

Before I begin, one note - I have a special request for all of you at the end of this newsletter if you care to help me out on a future issue.  

 

I discovered the works of Philip Rothman when a regular customer of mine asked me about obtaining his setting of America the Beautiful. I listened to it and was quite struck by the piece. I looked him up and discovered he had some other wind band compositions under his belt as well. So I started a conversation with him to see about carrying his works and promoting them.  

 

Philip Rothman lives in New York City and in addition to being a composer he has several other responsibilities as well, such as serving as program advisor to the Aaron Copland Fund for Music and running NYC Music Services, a full-service music preparation business (see below). I asked him a few questions about his compositional process, and our conversation is below.  

 

 

 

Philip Rothman
Philip Rothman

So Philip, tell us about your approach to composing a new work for wind band.

 

  Each piece takes shape in its own way. Sometimes it's a linear process where one idea leads to the next one in a very natural way. When using that approach successfully, the music unfolds organically and it can be very exciting. I wrote Starsplitter that way; the piece starts with a bang and the energy never lets up. However, the downside is that with no pre-composed plan, it can be easy to get stuck. For that reason, other times I will plan out the architecture of a piece before even writing a single note. That way I've carefully thought through the relationships among the sections and what I want to achieve overall. That approach worked well in Battery Park Suite, which is a four-movement piece, with each movement featuring a specific type of percussion.

 

When I first began composing, notation software was in its infancy, and I wrote out every note by hand. As technology has progressed through the years, my work process changed as well, to the point where I will do almost all my writing on the computer. Usually I will compose in full score. Timbre and texture are as important as notes and harmonies, so I like having the full sonic palette available to me as I work. That said, if I'm blazing along, I won't get hung up on orchestration details; I can always go back and decide later if, say, a passage should be on first or second clarinet.


 

Do you have any wind band commissions in the work? Do you have any works in any medium that you have done, or are planning to do, without a commission behind it?

 

My arrangement of America the Beautiful was my latest commission. It was commissioned by Carnegie Hall for the National Youth Orchestra of the USA, their very successful summer youth orchestra program. The orchestra was planning a tour to prestigious venues all across the country. The conductor, David Robertson, wanted to conclude the concert with an encore of America the Beautiful, with the option of having the audience sing along. With all respect to the Carmen Dragon arrangement and others, he wanted a new version that was fresh yet familiar. I only had a couple of weeks to write it, but knowing the parameters and intention behind the commission was very helpful. The piece begins and ends with a fanfare based on the theme, and there are two full statements of the familiar tune within the arrangement.

 

Hearing the piece performed in Carnegie Hall, with 2,000 audience members singing along, was a thrilling experience. That night, when I returned home, I immediately began making a concert band version of the arrangement, even though no one had requested it. Luckily, interest in the piece has been high and many bands and orchestras across the country have already performed it.

 

 

What brought you to publish your own works, seeking out the traditional publisher route with an established band publisher? 

 

I've always been interested in the business side of music. As an undergraduate student in music composition, I took a terrific course in music business and law that laid the foundation of a lot of future knowledge. Before becoming self-employed eleven years ago, I worked for music organizations that gave me more experience and understanding of the music industry. Not to mention, I have the equipment - heavy-duty computers, printers, and supplies - to be able to process and fill orders quickly. I even act as the agent for a handful of other composers who wish to retain their copyrights but rely on me to take orders on their behalf and ship their music. I happen to enjoy that part of the work, but it's not for everyone. I definitely recognize the importance of the established publishers and would certainly consider an opportunity to partner with one in an appropriate circumstance.

 

  

Are you a full time composer, or do you support your living by other means as well?  

 

If "full-time composer" means that I do nothing else but compose original music, then I'm definitely not full-time - but everything else I do is related to being a composer in one way or another. Over the past decade I've orchestrated music for other composers for more than 20 film and television projects (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2374554/) . I also run a full-service music preparation business called NYC Music Services where I've worked on many more films and TV shows, concert works, operas and educational projects. We prepare and ship out music for Carnegie Hall's highly successful Link Up program, which has grown from a handful of orchestras in 2010 to more than 70 internationally this year.

 

As a music copyist and engraver I've had the good fortune to work with many terrific composers and publishers, and I think my perspective as a composer myself helps inform my work in a positive way. One very exciting project I just completed was a new engraving of Aaron Copland's Third Symphony, which restored a cut in the finale that was important to the balance and thematic proportion of the piece. I'm about to start a new engraving of Appalachian Spring, which will be available in an "extended suite" version incorporating eight minutes worth of additional material from the original ballet.  

 

I also run and write for the Sibelius Blog, which is an independent site devoted to tips, news, tutorials and opinion about Sibelius, related products and the fields of music notation and computer technology. It all adds up to a busy life and a lot of work, but every day I wake up excited to begin the tasks at hand.

 

 

How often do you travel, and for what reasons?  

 

I've been in residence with orchestras and bands around the country, thanks to several Meet The Composer (now New Music USA) grants and other support. It's invaluable to be present as a composer, and when there have been well-designed activities and educational opportunities that make the most of my interests and abilities, it's fantastic. Several times I've designed composition projects with young people in conjunction with a residency, and it's exciting to see those budding composers discover the joy and fulfillment of composing.


I've also been present many times to conduct my work or to supervise a recording session or performance. It's all valuable time well spent, meeting colleagues and being involved. Living in New York, its pretty easy to catch a flight to just about anywhere, and because musicians tend to make their way through here at one time or another, it's convenient to have a coffee or lunch with colleagues during their visits.

 

 

Out of all your band compositions, which one(s) do you feel the strongest about, the most connected to, the ones you feel are your best works for the medium?

 

That is like asking a parent to name their favorite child. I love them all!

RothmanWorks
Works of Philip Rothman
America the Beautiful 
Grade 4

This is the piece that first clued me in on Philip. If you're familiar with the Carmen Dragon arrangement, think of that as far as it's fullness of tone and lushness, but richer in chord structure with a much more brilliant introduction, transition and coda. There is an optional unison choral part, and the audience can participate as well with a cue from the director or other performer.

The piece was originally composed for the National Youth Orchestra for their performance in Carnegie Hall, but immediately transcribed for band by the composer. Rich Fischer is recording the band version with his ensemble at Concordia University, and the CD should be available late summer. For now though, the recording linked above is the orchestral version.

  Set - $85

Score - $10
Starsplitter
Grade 5.5

This challenging work is a real treat to listen to if you're a fan of minimalism like I am. Rothman's own description sums it up best: "Starsplitter is a fast-moving, colorful soundscape, with each instrument playing an important role in the vibrant sonic palette. I arrived at the title after considering many combinations of celestial terms to describe this piece's explosive energy."

The work is in several different short sections, each with it's own sound structure and aural color. Fragments of one section occasionally appear in other sections, and the sound is constantly shimmering and pulsing throughout. It's a great way to start a concert or fill a niche needed to round out a program 


Set - $325
Score - $30

The Gift of Peace
Monument Fanfare and Tribute
The Gift of Peace 
Grade 3

The Gift of Peace was originally an a cappella choral work written in memory of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. When asked to do a commission for a younger band, he gravitated back to this piece and adapted it. The melody is simple and elegant, showing just a touch of Hebrew influence in the line and chords. It carries moments of impassioned commitment, quiet introspection, and a nod to Venus from The Planets in the middle.  

 

The piece can be performend in conjunction with the choral setting. As Rothman says in the program notes, "The simplicity and universal message of peace and hope that was so central to what Rabin believed in is a relevant as ever."  Unfortunately Philip has not been able to get a high enough quality recording of a performance of this piece yet, so the recording above is just a MIDI. I know a group doing it in December, but if anyone else does it beforehand I'm sure he'd love to hear your results.   

 

 

Set - $95
Score - $18
Monument Fanfare and Tribute 
Grade 4

Every year thousands gather at Grant's Tomb in Manhattan to commemorate the birthday of Civil War hero and former President Ulysses S. Grant. Monument Fanfare and Tribute was written to celebrate the millennial anniversary of this observance on April 27, 2000.

This piece  is a brilliant and stirring work inspired by the Grant monument and the promise of the new Millenium. An opening brass flourishes evokes the festive nature of this outdoor communal gathering. After this initial fanfare recedes, an elegant, expansive theme emerges which conveys the "tribute" in the title. This dignified yet spirited tune is introduced quietly, then builds until the fanfare returns and the main them is presented in a majestic and strong fashion.

It's about 4 minutes and reminiscent of a John Williams in both style and structure. It would fit well as a dramatic opening to a stately event or concert. 

Set - $160
Score - $18
*** Click on the images to hear recordings of each piece. ***
Bristol Hills Fanfare
Departure Point
Bristol Hills Fanfare  
Grade 4

This is a short, minute and a half fanfare built on an opening theme derived from the rising fourth of the opening notes and a more expansive second theme. The rising fourth theme jumps into the texture several times along the way, and there's a good amount of polychordal writing involved along the way.
 

Set: $95
Score: $18
Battery Park Suite
Grade 5

This piece is a four movement suite featuring the percussion section. The first three movements, Metal, Drum, and Wood, have the percussion section use only specific groups of instruments as described in the titles, while the Finale brings together all the earlier material. Written for five percussionists plus timpani.
 

Set: $225
Score: $30
Departure Point 
Grade 4

For Piano solo with orchestral winds (with substitute sax and bass clarinet parts included if necessary).  A traditional Jewish chant is used not in it's traditional setting but rather as a "departure point" for the piece as it is presented in four variations, each in the style of a famous composer of the last century.


Set: $200
Score: $30Request


All right folks, now I have a question for some of you. I'd like to do a newsletter that showcases some new composers who have the time to accept commissions for wind band works. I have a few in mind already like Philip Rothman, but I'm sure there are others I don't know about or wouldn't think of.  I'm looking for composers who aren't already well known for their commissioning works, and thus don't have multi-year backlogs of commissions. Everyone knows about Ticheli, Mackey, etc. I'm looking for the composers people don't know as well yet but who have strong talent. If you have a suggestion, email it to me and if I get enough information to put something together I'll do it.


CBDNA is coming up soon, I should be able to squeak out one more issue before that. Take care!


Jeff Girard
Instrumental Specialist
 
Instrumental Music (my direct line): 314/942-1522
General phone line: 314/291-4686    Fax: 314/621-4166

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