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Imani Winds joined
forces in 1997 to expand the boundaries of the traditional wind
quintet and explore the links between European, African and American
music traditions. This young ensemble of African/Latin American
heritage has established a distinct presence in the classical music
world for dynamic playing, innovative programming, and inspirational
outreach programs. Their mission to bring new music into the wind
quintet literature has led them to fruitful relationships with
composers and performers such as Tania León, Fred Ho, Paquito
D’Rivera, Gilbert Kalish and David Shifrin. Imani Winds has
appeared on NPR’s Saint Paul Sunday and Performance
Today, and has two recordings on the Koch label, Umoja
and Classical Underground. Imani Winds’ wide array of
residency and community engagement programs exploring the culture
and heritage of the African Diaspora and Western classical musical
traditions will provide Chamber Music Cincinnati an opportunity to
share this special group of talented musicians with the Cincinnati
population. In fact, Chamber Music Cincinnati plans community
engagement programs with each of the ensembles it will host this
season.
Date:
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Location: Corbett Auditorium
University of Cincinnati
College-Conservatory of Music
Program:
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J. Scott
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Titilayo
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M. Lavista
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Cinco Danzas Breves
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Ravel
arr. Mason Jones
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Le Tombeau de Couperin
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～
intermission ～
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A. Piazzolla
Arr. J. Scott
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Oblivion
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Miguel del Aguila
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Quintet No. 2
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V. Coleman
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Umoja
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About the Program (Printable Version)
Music
for a mixed quintet of wind instruments is not a recent development.
A considerable body of work exists from Beethoven's time (but not
written by Beethoven). After that, however, the literature is rather
thin. The success which the Imani Winds have enjoyed over the past
decade, therefore, stems from their innovative approach: "exploring the
links between European, African and American musical traditions."
The Imani players emphasize that they are classical musicians - they
are not performing "cross-over" pieces.
Evocative
of Africa is "Titilayo", composed by the Imani Winds horn player,
Jeff Scott. The title, Yoruban for "eternal joy", is
effectively communicated in this piece.
The
Mexican composer Mario Lavista wrote his "Cinco Danzas Breves" for
wind quintet in 1992. The first and last of these five short pieces
are lively. In decided contrast
are the quite dreamy second and fourth dances, although the latter has a
more animated middle section. The third dance moves at a moderate
pace.
With
Ravel's "Le Tombeau de Couperin" we come to an arrangement.
Written originally as a six-movement suite for piano in 1914-17,
Ravel orchestrated four of its movements in 1919, omitting the Fugue and
final Toccata. The Imani Winds play an arrangement made by Mason
Jones, some fifty years ago the principal horn of the Philadelphia
Orchestra. This wind quintet version restores the Fugue but drops the
Forlane which concluded the orchestral version. Jones also reversed
the order of the Rigaudon and Menuet. (The vigorous Rigaudon provides
a convincing conclusion in the absence of the piano's Toccata.)
Ravel's music evokes the spirit, not just of the Couperin family of
musicians, but of all instrumental music of the early 18th Century.
The abstract Prelude and Fugue are followed, as in a Baroque suite, by dance
music.
"Oblivion"
was written by the Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla and played by his
tango band as part of the music for a film version of Luigi Pirandello's
play "Enrico IV". The languorous tempo and mood derives from
the "milonga" music of the Argentine pampas (plains) region.
Jeff Scott made the arrangement we hear this evening. (A very
different-sounding arrangement, for piano, violin and cello, was played for
us several years ago by the Eroica Trio, and still other arrangements exist
and have been recorded.)
Miguel
del Aguila was born in Uruguay, studied in California and then in Vienna,
and has lived in California since 1992. His impressive roster of
compositions includes two wind quintets - Quintet No. 2, Op. 46, dates from
1994. Describing this music, the composer writes that it "tells
the events of a story which takes us to a completely different place in each
movement, much the same as would four acts of a theater play." As
is his frequent custom, del Aguila provides titles for each movement and
points out that they refer to underlying programs, but he does not reveal
the actual programs. Nevertheless, this colorful music seems to
include Latin, Caribbean and even Middle Eastern motifs. "In
Heaven" gives us a lively dance, while "Under the Earth" is
appropriately dark and grim. "Far Away" builds in energy
toward its dynamic ending.
Valerie
Coleman's "Umoja" is, like her colleague Jeff Scott's "Titilayo",
African-inspired and thus brings the program full circle. The title is
Swahili for "unity". The captivating rhythms and cheerful
sonorities of "Umoja" mark this all-too-brief work as a further
example of the sort of innovation which inspires the art of the Imani Winds.
Edwin
Daley
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