I am constantly amazed at the colleagues I have a chance to regularly make music with here in Washington, DC. Since I started recording and working in audio over the past few years, the chance to record my colleagues in the Marine Band is always a treat. Today, I’d like to share a recording I made recently for composer Anne McGinty, of her piece called Tuba and 12. Anne composed the piece for solo tuba, piccolo, flute, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, alto saxophone, 2 trumpets, 2 horns, and 2 trombones. You can find the music for purchase at Anne’s website, McGinty Music.
Here are Anne’s notes about the piece:
Tuba & 12 was inspired by a Bedouin proverb that states: “While the words are yet unspoken, you are master of them; when once they are spoken, they are master of you.”
Proverbs, in general, state a general piece of advice. This piece assumed that words were spoken, resulting in tension and an apology. Relationships, the first movement, has brass vs. woodwinds, tonality vs. dissonance, duples vs. triplets, et al. as well as the synergy and cooperation among all. Unspoken Words is the second movement and the dissonant opening theme in the piccolo and flute is presented three times. The third movement is Resolution. Over a constant low pedal G, the horn ostinato adds tranquility as all the themes from the first two movements return in fragmented form, before all is finally resolved.
Although tuba has top billing in the title, each instrument is equally important.
Many thanks to Mt. Vernon Unitarian Church for the use of their beautiful space to make this recording, and to Ryan Nowlin for his conducting and fantastic producer’s ear.
Personnel on this recording are:
Tuba - John Cradler
Piccolo - Courtney Morton
Flute - Beth Plunk
Clarinets - Tracey Paddock, Bill Bernier
Bass clarinet - Barbara Haney
Alto Sax - Steve Temme
Trumpets - Matt Harding, Michael Mergen
French horns - Hilary Harding, Mark Questad
Trombones - Bryan Bourne, Tim Dugan
Conductor and Producer - Ryan Nowlin
Producer, engineer, mixing - Chris Clark
Mastering - Michael Ducassoux, Red Room Productions
