7/26: Trumpet Old and New: Music of Purcell and Ewazen

The brilliant sound of Baroque trumpet music can be heard in the works of Bach and Handel and also in the creations of a composer of the immediately preceding generation, Henry Purcell (1659-1695). A court and church musician at the heart of London’s musical life, Purcell wrote copious amounts of music for the theater: incidental music for plays, and productions known as “semi-operas” that combined music, dance, drama, and spectacular scenery. He also wrote church anthems, solo arias, odes to celebrate royal birthdays, and music in praise of Cecilia, the patron saint of music. A number of his later works honor Queen Mary, who ruled England jointly with her husband, William III, starting in 1688.

Besides his suites of theater music, Purcell’s instrumental output includes solo works for harpsichord and for organ — he played both those instruments — plus sonatas for small groups that might include flute, violin, or violas da gamba (predecessors of the cello). His Sonata in D Major for trumpet and strings might be thought of as a miniature concerto. It’s been re-arranged as a work for trumpet and organ, the organ supplying the parts originally performed by a small string orchestra. The movements are Allegro–Adagio–Allegro, two fast movements framing a slow interlude.

Born in Cleveland in 1954, Eric Ewazen studied composition at the Eastman and Juilliard schools — where he has also taught — and at the Boston Symphony’s Tanglewood Festival. Writing in “The Music Connoisseur” magazine, critic Peter Kroll said: “Eric Ewazen…has found his own way….This vibrant music is intent on communicating meaning and connecting to other human beings. He is not afraid of beauty. There is an unabashed sensuousness of sound, and he allows the listener to revel in it. This is a pleasure which should be cherished and actively enjoyed. Ewazen wants it no other way.”
Ewazen’s Quintet for Trumpet and Strings was written in 1990. He’s made the following comments about it:

“Throughout the four-movement work the trumpet provides the initial statements of the main melodic and gestural material, which are commented upon and developed by the string quartet. The first movement [Allegro Moderato] has a rhythmic pulse that continually builds in momentum and excitement. The second movement [Allegro Molto] is a fast spinning scherzo in a compound meter. The third movement [Adagio: Elegia] is an emotional dirge filled with plaintive and melancholy motifs. The final movement [Allegro Agitato] is a grotesque dance in complex meters, involving a struggle between strong dissonance and resonant consonance, ultimately ending in an exhilarating and upbeat conclusion.”