Concert Report
I attended the Founder’s Day Concert in the Park on Sunday, September 15th at 2:00 pm in Dewitt Park. The concert was titled “From Stage and Screen: Toe Tappers and Tearjerkers”. The Ithaca College Wind Ensemble performed it and the conductor was Stephen Peterson. The wind ensemble was made up of about 40 players including woodwinds, brass, percussion, and cellos. The wind ensemble played a selection of music from Broadway and Hollywood. The songs played were “The March of 1941”, “Symphonic Dances from West Side Story”, “Selections from My Fair Lady,” “Colonel Bogey March”, “Broadway Showstoppers Overture”, “Selections from Les Miserables”, and the “Overture to The Cowboys”. There were many striking melodies, harmonies, and textures since the band played not only marches, but also several pieces that contained many selections from Broadway shows. Sometimes the entire band played the melody together, but more often than not, one or two instrumental sections played the melody with the other instrumental sections providing harmony. This was the case in the most memorable song to me, “The Colonel Bogey March” by John Williams. Hearing this striking melody live, I loved the fact that this piece was a march. It had a strong, regular rhythm provided by the percussion that was persistent throughout the song. The woodwinds provided the catchy and uplifting melody, with the horns providing steady, rhythmic harmony until the change in the song where the horns provided the melody full blast. It gave me the feeling of wishing I could just get up and march with the beat of the band throughout the streets. I believe that the piece was 4 out of 4 beats, a traditional time signature for a march.
I looked forward to the concert because I’m absolutely in love with Broadway musicals, especially Les Miserables. When the selections from Les Miserables were played I was so excited! The concert was very enjoyable, inspiring, and a unique experience because I was able to listen up-close to such talented musicians playing their craft. This concert did indeed make me feel like going to another concert in the future so I can experience and become more open to different music styles and band compositions. My mood did change throughout the course of the concert as the marches lifted my spirits and the Broadway selections took me through different moods as the music slowed, softened, picked-up pace, and increased in intensity. After hearing “The Colonel Bogey March” and the following selections from Broadway and Les Miserables I really got into the concert, just enjoying it and forgetting the reason I came (to write this blog)!
“The March from 1941” is similar and different from George Frideric Handel’s “Water Music’ that we listened to for homework and then played in class. They are similar because both songs have a time signature of 4 out of 4 beats. In the selections I heard both featured wind instruments, such as trumpets. They also both contain a military fanfare at certain sections in their music. The difference between the two songs are that “The March of 1941” is indeed a march; however, “Water Music” was written as an orchestral movement. The march has a very strong and steady beat, bold harmony, and a military feel. “Water Music” has a sweeter and more flowing melody and harmonies. While both songs have a fast paced tempo, I think Handel’s music has an allegro tempo while “The March of 1941” seems to have a vivace tempo. It is interesting that even though these songs have a very different feel, one can find similarities between them.

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