Six Romances after Mendelssohn

From Wind Repertory Project
Stephen Gryc

Stephen Gryc


General Info

Year: 2013
Duration: c. 11:00
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Stephen Michael Gryc
Cost: Score and Parts (digital) $50 - Score Only (digital) $10


Instrumentation

Flute I-II (II doubling C Piccolo)
Oboe I-II (II doubling English Horn)
Bassoon I-II
B-flat and A Soprano Clarinet I-II
Horn in F I-II


Errata

None discovered thus far.


Program Notes

Six Romances after Mendelssohn was commissioned by the University of New Mexico in honor of Susan Brake (administrative assistant, bassoonist and patron of the arts) on the occasion of her retirement. The work was composed during the first three months of 2013 and premiered on May 1 of that year by University of New Mexico students under the baton of Eric Rombach-Kendall.

I have long admired the orchestral music of Felix Mendelssohn for its luminous instrumental colors and haunting lyricism. My piece is based on the opening tune of the composer’s third symphony, the Scottish Symphony, which features the same ten wind instruments employed in my romances. This music is Mendelssohn at his moody, melodious best. The romances of the title of my piece refer not only to love stories but also to tales of heroism, exoticism, and fantasy. The listener is free to make up a story to suit each idiosyncratic variation. I’m not sure Mendelssohn would approve of my playful treatment of his work. He would be taken aback by the use of such modern devices as bitonality, and he would surely be scandalized by the idea of tango.

- Program Note by composer


Media

(Needed - please join the WRP if you can help.)


State Ratings

None discovered thus far.


Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

  • University of Manitoba Chamber Winds (Michelle Styles, conductor) – 23 March 2024
  • National Chamber Winds (Laurel, Md.) (Robert Ambrose, conductor) - 7 October 2023
  • United States Coast Guard Band (Willimantic, Conn.) (Adam Williamson, conductor) - 14 September 2022
  • Chamber Winds of the University of Minnesota Wind Band Conducting Workshop (Minneapolis) (Kristina LaMarca, conductor) - 15 July 2022
  • University of New Mexico (Albuquerque) Wind Symphony (Eric Rombach-Kendall, conductor) - 6 October 2021
  • Emory University (Atlanta, Ga.) Wind Ensemble (Tyler Ehrlich, conductor) – 22 April 2021
  • Michigan State University (East Lansing) (Henry Dorn, conductor) - 13 March 2021
  • The Hartt Wind Ensemble (West Hartford, Conn.) (Glen Adsit, conductor) - 17 November 2020
  • University of Kentucky (Lexington) Wind Symphony (John Cody Birdwell, conductor) - 23 October 2020
  • Indiana University of Pennsylvania (Brendan Boyle, conductor) – 16 June 2019
  • Kammerwerke Double Wind Quintet (Bedford, Mass.) (Alan Pearlmutter, conductor) – 8 June 2019
  • University of Arizona (Tucson) Chamber Winds (Chad R. Nicholson, conductor) – 18 and 20 April 2019
  • University of North Carolina (Greensboro) Casella Sinfonietta (Pamela Klena, conductor) – 25 October 2018
  • Temple University (Philadelphia, Penn.) Wind Symphony (Patricia Cornett, conductor) – 26 March 2018
  • Nutmeg Symphony Orchestra (Farmington, Conn.) (Marshall Brown, conductor) – 11 February 2018
  • Central Michigan University (Mount Pleasant, Mich.) (John Williamson, conductor) – 7 November 2017
  • Florida State University (Tallahassee) Chamber Winds (Richard Clary, conductor) – 10 October 2017
  • University of Wisconsin (LaCrosse) (J. Thomas Seddon III, conductor) – 28 September 2017
  • Wisconsin Wind Orchestra (Waukesha) (Lawrence Harper, conductor) – 18 September 2016
  • Drake University (Des Moines, Iowa) Wind Symphony (Robert Meunier, conductor) – 26 April 2016
  • University of New Mexico (Albuquerque) Wind Symphony (Eric Rombach-Kendall, conductor) – 1 May 2013 *Premiere Performance*


Works for Winds by This Composer


Resources