Christopher Rouse on MySpace

Boosey & Hawkes has set up pages on MySpace.com for several of their composers, and I was recently introduced to the page for Christopher Rouse. Rouse is one of America’s greatest composers, and Soli Deo Gloria is preparing to celebrate the world premiere of a new, massive work of his - a Requiem that is scored for chorus, orchestra, children’s chorus and baritone soloist. The piece is being unveiled by the Los Angeles Master Chorale at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in L.A., on March 25, 2007. I am looking forward to being in L.A. for the premiere and having opportunity to interview Christopher Rouse in connection with the performance. If you’d like to hear a bit of Rouse’s music, you may want to stop by his page on MySpace. I’m actually listening to a bit of his Flute Concerto now as I write this post.

I am excited about interviewing Rouse not only because he is such a major musical figure, but because of the depth of soul that I have found in his cello concerto - a haunting, beautiful work in which he wrestles with the sting of mortality and death. To have opportunity to spend an hour with someone who is capable of thinking, feeling and expressing on such a deep level may ultimately be even more meaningful to me, particularly as a young composer, than the privilege of hearing the birth of his new piece.

I look forward to sharing the experience with you on the Soli Deo Gloria website in one way or another sometime soon thereafter.

February 16, 2007 | Filed Under New Music | Leave a Comment

The Symphony and the Super Bowl

Well, it’s Super Bowl weekend in Chicago and this morning I downloaded a free recording of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra performing the fight song of the Chicago Bears, Bear Down Chicago Bears. I can’t really pretend that my relationship with any sports team is worth much as I’m the sort that professes loyalty to a team but doesn’t keep up with it through most of the season. And I’m not too ashamed to “jump on the band wagon” during a good playoff run. But hey, it’s the Super Bowl and the Chicago Bears! Even if I don’t know the game of football upside down and backwards, I have to say that the culture that surrounds this team has an infectious charm to it! And it’s great to see the Chicago Symphony, a cultural giant of a decidedly different sort, celebrating the excitement of the game.

You can download the CSO recording of Bear Down Chicago Bears from the orchestra’s website at http://www.cso.org/main.taf?p=11,27 The webpage also features the lyrics of the fight song and a little background info on this live performance that followed a program of music by Tchaikovsky and Liszt, conducted by Sir George Solti in 1986.