Baylor's Renowned Wind Ensemble Opens A New Season Sept. 30

by Richard Veit

The Baylor University Wind Ensemble, noted across the nation for its polished musicianship, will present its first concert of the 2004-2005 season at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 30, in Jones Concert Hall. Conducting will be Associate Professor Kevin Sedatole, who serves Baylor as director of bands.
The program will open with a band transcription by Baylor alumnus Alfred Reed of Spanish composer Joaquín Turina's first orchestral work, an evocation of the court of Seville called La Procesión del Rocío. Written in 1912, it was premiered to great acclaim the following year in Madrid.
Percy Grainger's Colonial Song -- completed in 1912 -- uses the same folk-like theme that the composer also employed in his Australian Up-Country Tune and the Gum-Sucker's March. Though retaining its folkish feel, the melody is entirely of Grainger's own devising.
"Profanation" is the second movement of Leonard Bernstein's Symphony No. 1, better known as the Jeremiah Symphony. It is a programmatic scherzo, depicting the prophet Jeremiah's attempts to warn the Israelites of the impending war against the Babylonians.
The program will conclude with an arrangement for wind band of German composer Carl Orff's most popular work, his scenic cantata, Carmina Burana. In John Krance's masterful transcription for wind band, the suite presents 13 of the original 25 scenes.
The recital is free and open to the public. For more information, call the Baylor School of Music at (254) 710-3991.