DU’s award-winning Lamont Wind Ensemble performed with famous trumpeter Vincent DiMartino last Wednesday night, as part of their Golden Age of Bands series in the Gates Concert Hall at the Newman Center for Performing Arts, to a wildly enthusiastic audience.
“The other day, I was looking at photographs from Wash Park at the turn of the century, back before radios and televisions were widely used. There were thousands of people that turned up in Wash Park to hear the orchestra play these classical pieces, these hallmark pieces, the songs of The Golden Age of Bands,” said ensemble director Joseph Martin while introducing the Lamont Wind Ensemble’s Golden Age of Bands series at Wednesday night’s concert.
Held in Gates Concert Hall, and free to students and the public, the concert consisted of five pieces ranging from Beethoven to Aaron Copeland.
The opening song, Hector Berlioz’s “The Roman Carnival Overture, Op. 9,” depicts the energetic and exciting atmosphere of a carnival, and got the concert off to a lively start. From there, the ensemble rearranged and Martin introduced “Elegy,” written by John Barnes Chance.
“This elegy really shows what an ensemble is capable of in depth of emotion,” said Martin.
The piece, written in the early 1970s, was a wonderful example of modern classical music. Throughout the song, flutes ranged from tenderly sweeping to a frantic foreboding, making this elegy a unique and tragic piece.
The Wind Ensemble then scaled down for an octet piece written by Beethoven.
The audience was instantly transported back to the days of Court. Foreshadowing of melodies and motifs to come in Beethoven’s work could be heard – he was only twenty-three when he wrote the piece.
The “Aria for Solo Trumpet and Band” was where the ensemble really hit its stride.
Guest soloist Vincent DiMartino, one of the leading trumpeters in America, briefly graced the stage with his trumpet, and stole the show with his beautiful tone and intricate phrasing.
“It was great playing with Vince DiMartino – he was very cordial and seemed grateful to be playing with us,” said junior Aeryk Parker, a baritone saxophone player.
DiMartino echoed Parker’s response, saying his favorite part of the job is “playing with ensemble students.”
The band played an Aaron Copeland piece next, bringing in one of the great early twentieth century American composers, known for his dissonant and distinctly American style.
“Copeland had the capabilities to capture a reverence, a fondness for the natural environment; a sort of patriotism,” said Martin.
Parker agreed that playing Copeland brought out a better reception from the public. The brash yet delicate tones of the Copeland piece were pleasing to the audience.
“I thought the audience was quite appreciative. Playing more standard wind pieces seemed to prove more accessible,” said Parker.
For the finale, Martin directed his band in playing “Armenian Dance” by 20th-century Armenian composer Alfred Reed. This song intertwined Armenian folk tunes and original motifs by the composer, similar to Copeland’s piece.
There was an Old-World sense to the piece, and a wonderful variety of soft, contemplative moments, crashing symbols and jaunty melodies.
“I really loved playing ‘Armenian Dances.’ There is this awesome section in the middle that goes into 5/8 time and just breaks it down,” said Parker.
The song was definitely an epic way to end the hour-and-a-half concert, with applause erupting afterward for grateful director Joseph Martin and his wind ensemble.
The show was just one of many free concerts that Lamont students put on weekly, including jazz shows, student concerts and other performances – all of which are great opportunities for DU students to enjoy what Lamont has to offer.
