Visual Program Notes

April 6 Chamber Concert For All Ages

Charles Owen- Chopsticks

Chopsticks, written in 1877, is the only published piece by the British composer, Euphemia Allan, who was 16 when she composed the piece. The original name, The Celebrated Chop Waltz, comes from the specification that the melody be played with both hands striking the keys with a chopping motion.

Charles Owen was a percussionist, marimba soloist, and timpanist with the U.S. Marine Band from 1934 to 1954. Owen then became Principal Percussionist with the Philadelphia Orchestra for 18 years, under the leadership of Eugene Ormandy. He transcribed and arranged an extensive solo library for xylophone and marimba. Chopsticks was published in 1941.

Charles Owen

Grigoras Dinicu, arr. Wilfred Frisby- Hora Staccato

Hora Staccato was originally written as a virtuoso violin showpiece by Grigoraș Dinicu in 1906. It is a short, fast work in a Romanian hora style. It is performed here on xylophone with an arrangement by Wilfred Frisby, who was a founding member of the Rose Tree Pops Orchestra, where he served as Principal Cellist and music arranger.

Roberta Winemiller and Wilfred Frisby

Grigoraș Dinicu

Francis Poulenc- Clarinet Sonata

Francis Poulenc was a French composer and pianist. The Clarinet Sonata dates from 1962 and is one of the last pieces he completed.

By Joseph Rosmand, photographer - Francis Poulenc. London: J. & W. Chester. 1922. OCLC 8401408., PD-US, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44047233

P.D.Q. Bach

P. D. Q. Bach is a fictional composer created by the American composer and musical satirist Peter Schickele, best known for comedy albums featuring his performances of the "discovered" works of the "only forgotten son" of the Bach family.

Suite No. 1 for Cello All by Its Lonesome was edited with the loneliness known only to those of integrity, by Professor Peter Schickele in 1996.

Schleptet in E flat major first appeared on the album, Report from Hoople: P. D. Q. Bach on the Air in 1967.

Peter Schickele circa 1983

May be found at the following website: http://www.schickele.com/shoppe/pdqrec/index.htm, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10776720

Franz Joseph Haydn

Franz Joseph Haydn was an Austrian composer of the Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio.

String Quartet, Op. 33, No. 2, IV. Presto was written by Joseph Haydn in the summer and autumn of 1781 and is nicknamed "The Joke".

Symphony No. 94, II. Andante is the second of the twelve London symphonies written in 1791 and is popularly known as the “Surprise” Symphony.

Symphony No. 45, dated 1772, is known as the "Farewell" Symphony.