Klarinet Archive - Posting 000165.txt from 2007/01

From: retiredprof55@-----.net
Subj: [kl] Alec Wilder Centennial
Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2007 09:43:36 -0500

2007 marks the centennial celebrating the birth of American composer, =20=

Alec Wilder. This unique American voice defies categorization, but a =20
lot of his classical music anticipated both the third stream movement =20=

of the 1950=92s and the crossover style of the 1990=92s to the present. =20=

Quoting from the web site dedicated to the Alec Wilder Centennial =20
(alecwildercentennial.com), =93It is a relative rarity for a composer =20=

to enjoy a close musical kinship with classical musicians, jazz =20
musicians and popular singers. Wilder was such a composer, endearing =20
himself to a relatively small but very loyal coterie of performers, =20
and successfully appealing to their diverse styles and conceptions.=94

This would be an excellent time for those unfamiliar with Alec =20
Wilder=92s music to study and program a piece that would expose your =20
audience to the richness of his compositional style or to listen to =20
some of the many fine recordings of his music. Those of you that are =20
already familiar with his music may wish to revive and program a =20
familiar piece or learn a new one.

As a composer who grew up loving both jazz and classical music, Alec =20
Wilder=92s influence on my compositional style has been enormous, =20
although I have never had the pleasure of meeting him or studying =20
with him. I am now composing a piece for saxophone and piano called =20
=93Rhapsody: Homage to Alec Wilder=94 and is the second piece of mine =20=

that is dedicated to the memory of this unique composer.

Please visit the Alec Wilder Centennial website and consider making =20
2007 a true celebration of the man and his music.

Sy Brandon, composer - cooppress.hostrack.net
Professor Emeritus, Millersville University of Pennsylvania

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