June, 2010:  PREMIER PERFORMANCES OF WAGNER “BAND”-STRATIONS

In conjunction with the L.A. Opera’s production of the complete “Ring of the Niebulungen” cycle of operas by Richard Wagner, the L.A. Symphonic Winds (conducted by L.A. Opera bass clarinetist Stephen Piazza) produced 2 performances of an all-”Ring” concert, boiling down 14+ hours of content into 2, and enriched by multimedia presentations of lectures, vocal performance, and projected historic artwork inspired by and accompanying the music.  Mostly, though, the experience was simply an orgy of sound produced by the powerful 100+-piece concert band.  In addition to my new “band-stration” of the overture to “Die Walkure,” I was commissioned to create what my research revealed to be hitherto unavailable to the concert band world:  a complete reorchestration for large symphonic band of the “immolation” scene and finale of the final opera in the cycle, Gotterdammerung (“Twilight of the Gods.”)  It was the kind of gargantuan but intricate, month-long undertaking that makes one wish it could have been billed by the note.  The total performances were wildly and enthusiastically received. As a sidelight, as a version for band only previously existed in a version owned, but not made available, by the U.S. Army Band, my edition will soon be available for purchase to band directors everywhere.