Brass, Reeds, and Percussion

Here are the compositions heard on this edtiion:

We don’t know when August Musarurgwa was born, but we do know that he had a big hit in 1954 with the composition known as “Skokian.” Musarurgwa was from Zimbabwe, then known as Rhodesia. He joined the South African Police and worked as an interpreter until he was transferred to the police band. Later he became the leader of the African Dance Band of the Cold Storage Commission of Southern Rhodesia. In 1954, his big hit “Skokian” was released as performed by the Bulawayo Sweet Rhythms Band.

We begin today’s edition of Brass, Reeds, and Percussion with what has been described as a duel for two drummers. It’s called “Drumsticks for Two” and was written by the British composer of light music Sidney Torch. He was a trombonist, pianist, cinema organist, conductor, and composer of light music, including music for television and movies. At one point in his career when both were younger, he played trombone in a theater orchestra next to Gustav Holst.

Today’s edition of Brass, Reeds, and Percussion focuses on the music of the Olde Towne Brassand features an interview with Bob Baccus and Terry Cornett of the Old Towne Brass. Almost all the instruments you will hear on the program are at least 100 years old. In cases, the instruments are over 150 years old. We’ll also hear some old recordings.

Today’s edition of Brass, Reeds, and Percussion will feature two stratospheric performances—one on trumpet and one of clarinet. By stratospheric, I mean you will hear very high notes played on both instruments. Both stratospheric notes occur at ends of two compositions you’ll hear on today’s show. One is “My Way” and the other is “Concerto for Clarinet.”

La Artistica de Bunol is a Spanish wind band founded in 1883 in Bunol, a town about 16 miles west of Velencia, Spain. The band is well known for their first-class recordings. You can learn more about the band by visiting the program's Facebook page: WLRH Brass, Reeds, and Percussion. Over the past month, if you were listening to Brass, Reeds, and Percussion, you have heard the band perform arrangements of music from Wagner's Ring operas.

The earliest record of shave-and-a-haircut-two-bits riff is in an 1899 song. The next identified publication occured in 1911. “Two bits,” of course, refers to a quarter in U.S. coins. In different English-speaking countries, it typically ends with different words: “five bob” for five shillings in Britain and “drop dead” in Australia. Numerous musical compositions include the riff, which is typically in as humorous musical punctuation. P.D.Q. Bach and Leonard Bernstein have both used the riff.

Vincenzo Bellini was an Italian opera composer who lived from 1801 to 1835. Obviously, he died at a young age, but another famous opera composer Rossini admired him and made all of his funeral arrangements. Hence, Rossini buried Bellini. Born in Catania, Bellini was known as the “Swan of Catania,” because of his long and flowing melodies. Another admirer, Giuseppe Verdi, praised Bellini’s melodies and remarked that no one had ever written such long melodies before.

In the movie Amadeus, Antonio Salieri is depicted as the bitter rival of Mozart with the hint that he may have had Mozart poisoned. In truth, they were probably respectful rivals. And both wrote music for the wind band. Yes, that’s right. I said they both wrote music for the wind band—or harmoniemusik as it was called at the time. So today’s edition of Brass, Reeds, and Percussion will feature the music of the lesser known composer Salieri.

Born in the United States of Australian Parents in 1925, Sir Charles Mackerras arranged music by Sir Arthur Sullivan to create a comic ballet called Pineapple Poll. When he was 2, his parents returned to Australia. At 7, he started learning the violin and wrote a piano concerto by age 12.