Austin Symphonic Band
“Classics”
October 26, 2025
PROGRAM NOTES
A “classic” is a work that is judged over a period of time to be of recognized and established value. The program today includes pieces that are considered to be outstanding contributions to the wind band repertoire.
Light Cavalry Overture (1866)
Franz von Suppé (1819-1895)
“Light Cavalry Overture” is a classic from the world of the 19th century European operetta. It was composed by Franz von Suppé, who was popular with Viennese audiences for his numerous operettas and theater works. He was a contemporary of the “Waltz King,” Johann Strauss Jr.
The operetta “The Light Cavalry,” was premiered in Vienna in 1866. It is mostly remembered today for this overture. The opening theme depicts the Hungarian ‘Hussar’ cavalry regiment, which is featured in the convoluted plot. Several other contrasting themes from the operetta are introduced, and eventually we return to the cavalry fanfare for a big finish.
Shimmering Sky (2023)
Daniel Montoya Jr. (1978- )
1. Scattered Light
2. Rays of Iridescence
“Shimmering Sky” is a new classic for young band literature. Mr. Montoya says about the work:
It draws its inspiration from the rare natural wonder of ‘iridescent clouds’ — those fleeting rainbow-hued veils that appear when sunlight diffracts through tiny water droplets or ice crystals. The work unfolds in two movements, each illuminating a different stage of this phenomenon.
’Scattered Light’ captures the formation of iridescent clouds through overlapping textures and shifting harmonies that bend and refract like beams of scattered sunlight.
‘Rays of Iridescence’ celebrates their radiance, blooming into vibrant color and rhythmic motion as the full spectrum comes alive in sound.
Together, the movements trace a journey from physics to poetry — transforming the science of light into a sonic dance of color, motion and wonder that reminds us how beauty often exists in life’s most fleeting moments.
Daniel Montoya Jr. is a composer/arranger and a native of Austin. He writes for wind band, percussion ensemble and marching arts, among other ensembles. He has a master’s degree in conducting from Texas State University and a master’s degree in composition from Central Michigan University, where he studied with David R. Gillingham.
Salvation Is Created (1912)
Pavel Tschesnokoff (1877-1944)
Some band classics begin as compositions for orchestra or choir. “Salvation Is Created” was written in 1912 by Russian composer Pavel Tschesnokoff as part of his “10 Communion Hymns,” op. 25. It was scored for 6 voice parts (SATTBB) and is based on a chant melody in the Kievan style.
Tschesnokoff composed during the time of Imperial Russia and later, Soviet Russia. He was born near Moscow and studied music at the Moscow Conservatory. He gained recognition at a young age as a conductor and choirmaster, and composed over 500 choral works.
Culloden III (2000)
Julie Giroux (1961- )
“Bloody Culloden” was a battle between the Scottish supporters of Charles Edward Stuart and the English army of George II in 1746. The English army decisively defeated the Scots, and this began several months of retribution against them. The work “Culloden” by American composer Julie Giroux is a collection of tunes popular in Scotland and the Highlands at the time. It’s a mix of clan battle songs, reels, jigs, strathspeys, aires and bawdy songs combined into a musical stew (a Haggis?). This is the third movement of her Symphony No. 1 for Band, which was premiered in 2000 at the American Bandmasters Association convention in Austin, Texas.
Julie Giroux is an American composer of music for film/TV and more recently for wind band. She began her career writing and orchestrating for film and television in 1985, and did orchestrations for the Academy Awards broadcasts in the 1980’s and ’90’s. She also worked on film scores including “Karate Kid 2,” “Broadcast News” and the “North & South” TV series. More recently she has written numerous works for band, including several symphonies.
Inglesina (1897)
Davide Delle Cese (1856-1938)
“Inglesina” is a fine example of the late Romantic Italian “Marcha Sinfonica.” It is a concert march and doesn’t quite follow the rather strict British or American march form. The phrases may be asymmetrical and employ sudden dynamic changes and other dramatic effects. “La Inglesina” translates to ‘the little English girl,’ although it’s not not known if the composer had a particular person in mind when he wrote this work.
Davide Delle Cese was well known during his lifetime as a band master and composer in central Italy. He was born in Pontecorvo, which is located about halfway between Rome and Naples. Delle Cese studied at the Conservatory of San Pietro a Majella and eventually led bands in Pontecorvo, Venice, San Leo and Bitonto. He wrote “La Inglesina” in 1897 while in Bitonto, which is near the Adriatic Sea and was popular with foreign tourists. Perhaps one of them inspired this march.
This edition of “Inglesina” was arranged and edited by Col. John Bourgeois, former leader of the US Marine Band.
First Suite in E-flat for Military Band, op. 28 (1909)
Gustav Holst (1874-1934)
1. Chaconne
2. Intermezzo
3. March
The First Suite in E-flat is perhaps the ultimate classic for wind band. Composed in 1909, it’s one of the first important original works for band. Holst originally wrote it for an ensemble of 19 instruments plus other instruments that could ‘double’ those parts. It’s not really certain why Holst composed the piece; there was no commission for it and it wouldn’t be premiered until after World War I. At that time, a ‘military band’ was essentially just a combination of available woodwind, brass and percussion instruments; there wasn’t a standard instrumentation for this type of ensemble yet.
One of the reasons the First Suite is considered a classic is the way Holst constructed the piece. It’s based on the three-note motif ‘E♭-F-C’ and its inversion ‘E♭-D-G,’ which is used in a variation of the theme in the first movement and also begins the third movement. The first movement is titled ‘Chaconne,’ which is a repeated melody in triple meter, usually in the bass, above which are written a series of melodic variations. Holst wrote a rather unassuming 8-measure theme that allows for a wide variety of compositional techniques, including an inversion of the chaconne melody itself. The second movement is a bright ‘Intermezzo,’ which begins with the three-note motif and features the woodwinds prominently. The final movement, ‘March,’ highlights the brasses in the opening strain with the motif in inversion. The ‘Trio’ melody borrows the original motif (now transposed to the key of A♭), and features the tenor voices of the band. An agitated ‘break-up’ section links the trio to a repeat of the first strain. The woodwinds play the first strain melody while the brass play the trio melody against it, in a clever bit of polyphonic writing. A coda brings the work to a brilliant finish.
Gustav Holst was a British composer of the late Romantic era with an original output of works. He was good friends with Ralph Vaughn Williams, and they spent time collecting English folk songs and melodies, which were often incorporated into their music. (Holst’s ‘Second Suite for Band in F’ features numerous folk song melodies.) He taught at the St. Paul’s School in Hammersmith, London, and spent his summers writing and composing. Holst was interested in somewhat exotic subjects for that time: astrology, as well as Asian, Indian and North African culture. He also admired the music of French composer Maurice Ravel. His most famous work, “The Planets,” op. 32, was based on his interest in astrology and incorporates brilliant orchestration techniques; hardly a film score has been written that doesn’t borrow from it. Coincidentally, both the First Suite and the first complete performance of ’The Planets’ were premiered six months apart in 1920. He continued to write important works for wind band including ‘The Second Suite in F,’ ‘Fugue a la Gigue,’ ‘A Moorside Suite’ and ‘Hammersmith: Prelude and Scherzo.’
Danzón no. 2 (1994)
Arturo Márquez (1950- )
Danzón no. 2 is one of the most popular and frequently programmed works of Mexican contemporary classical music. It was commissioned by the orchestra of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), and premiered in 1994. It gained popularity when it was programmed by the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra, led by Gustavo Dudamel, on its 2007 European and American tour.
The Danzón form originated in Cuba and blends African and European musical influences. It is usually characterized by an elegant melody in moderately slow tempo, with syncopated rhythms. The Danzón became popular in Mexico and other Latin American countries, and influenced dance styles such as the cha-cha and mambo.
Arturo Márquez is a Mexican composer who incorporates musical forms and styles of Mexican music into his compositions. He was born in the northwestern Mexico state of Sonora. His father and grandfather were musicians and introduced Arturo to mariachi and ‘salon music’ at a young age. Growing up in California, he later returned to Mexico to study at the Mexican Music Conservatory. In the 1990’s he was introduced to Latin ballroom dancing in Veracruz, which ultimately led to the composition of his nine Danzóns. Márquez dedicated this work to his wife, Lily.
Program notes by Clifton Jones