Stephanie Jones

Music 21

Professor Traylor

It was Wednesday, June 9, 2010, a concert was being held at the Walt Disney

Concert Hall. Who might be playing? It is the Jr. Philharmonic Orchestra presenting the

73rd Anniversary tribute Concert Spectacular! The seats all filled up very quickly, right

when the doors open to their magnificent concert hall. Audiences rushed in to their

assigned seats, as the concert was just getting started. Many different people attended

this concert: from youth as low as ages seven and up, to senior citizens and even older I

might add, and not only that, but there are different cultural differences amongst every

one of the audience. This concert was not an ordinary concert, but it was also a tribute to

the founding conductor of the orchestra, Dr. Ernst Katz. Also, guest starts came to

perform at the concert such as Debra Marisa Greene, Wink Martindale, Dick Van Dyke,

Ashley Brown, The Vantastix, Edward Asner, Stefanie Powers, Pat Boone, Connie

Stevens, and even Richard M. Sherman the composer of many pieces from Disney

movies. The concert was not just a classical music performance, but it included many

aspects of the 20th century music pieces. The audience had a privilege to view the

different kinds of music produced over time, this way making the atmosphere very

enjoyable to the audience and the performers themselves.

First, the orchestra starts the evening off with the Start Spangled Banner. This

song is well known throughout the public because it is used as the patriotic song for the

United States of America. It is a traditional piece now in the U.S., but the original words
 Jones 2

were written by an amateur poet named Francis Scott Key after witnessing the

bombardment in Fort Mchenry in the year 1812, and the tune was originally written as a

British drinking song (http://www.si.edu/encyclopedia_si/nmah/starflag.htm). The tempo

would be considered andante. We have not studied this piece of music before in class,

but it is well known to all Americans what purpose it serves.

The next piece that was performed by the audience was Carmen Suite No. 1. This

piece of music, to me, sounds Persian. This original piece was written by Georges Bizet,

who died 30 days after Carmen was first performed. He had composed this piece of work

in the year 1875, which is post Romantic Era. This posthumous suite is scored for 2

flutes, 2 oboes, an English horn, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3

trombones, tympani, harp, triangle, bass drum, cymbals, castanets, tambourine, and

strings (http://www.lasr.cs.ucla.edu/geoff/prognotes/bizet/carmensuite.html). The texture

of the music has a southern passion and correspondingly darker colors to it, and it also

has seductiveness to it too. The tempo marking would be allegretto and we have not

studied this piece of music in class, but it reminds me of the song the Moldau written by

Bedrich Smetana (how both of the music sounds Persian). The music was secular, and it

was approximately about a ten minute song.

The following piece, performed by the L.A. Jr. Philharmonic Orchestra, was

Marche Slave written by Pytor Ii’yich Tchaikovsky. This song also makes me think

about Moldau because of its Persian hint. This tune was written in 1876, during the

Turkey and Serbian war. It was first performed at a concert given for the benefit of the

wounded and through a “piece of occasion” and comparatively short, it is one of

Tchaikovsky’s most successful minor works

 Jones 3

(http://www.musicwithease.com/tchaikovsky-marche-slave.html). The tempo is to be

marked adagio, and it is a secular piece written approximately ten minutes long.

Another piece that was performed was Feed the Birds from Mary Poppins written

by Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman. Originally, the piece was sung by Julie Andrews,

but this time it is being performed by the talented Ashley Brown accompanied by the

L.A. Jr. Philharmonic Orchestra. The song was written by the Sherman Brothers,

featured in the film Mary Poppins in the year 1964

(http://www.reelclassics.com/Musicals/MaryPoppins/marypoppins2.htm). The tempo

marking would be moderato. The song is in English, and we haven’t studied this song

because of the year it was made, but it reminds me of some opera songs in the Classical

and Romantic Era. It is a secular piece, and it is approximately three minutes long.

I would consider this concert to be excellent. The variation included it this

performance is what made it to be a good concert. They have classical songs, a hint of

opera, Disney songs, and the Music man. The person that created the program was

intending this concert to fit everyone’s thought of entertainment. From early on classical

music, to modern Disney music, it entertains the audience to everyone’s liking. I have

gone to another performance by the L.A. Jr. Philharmonic Orchestra, and they had the

same guest artist, being Pat Boone and Dick Van Dyke, but this time they have many

different performers included. Making the experience to be extravagant, that is what

made it memorable.