Re: Re: What are your favorite band pieces?


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Posted by followup on February 25, 2003 at 11:45:43:

In Reply to: Re: What are your favorite band pieces? posted by Marty Neilan on February 24, 2003 at 21:40:42:

I have received a few private inquiries about the new Holsinger Composition "Cityscape", so I will post more info here.
The full name of this piece is Cityscape I [Festive Hours Neon Night]and is about 5 and a half minutes in length.
As Gershwin's "American in Paris" was for
the 20th century, think of this piece as "A Midwesterner in New York" for the
21st century. Parts of the piece also vaguely
remind me of "Short Ride in a Fast Machine" by John
Adams.
Like most Holsinger pieces (notable exceptions including Hymnsong on a Theme by Philip Bliss) this piece has what Dr. Holsinger describes as a "motor". In many of his pieces the 'motor' gets started and runs for pages and pages (and
pages and pages). Cityscape does have a 'motor' in some of it, but I actually find it to be a musical and enjoyable motive, unlike many of his other pieces which I personally find too repetitive and rather mechanical and ponderous, almost to the point of being unmusical. The ending of Cityscape is hard to describe but also extremely cool - 'airness' and 'sparkle' come to mind.

Following are the composer's notes for it:

"Cityscape I (Festive Hours Neon Night) Usually when I fly in the New York City area, I tend for whatever reason to land in Newark, New Jersey, but this past year, on a trip to Long Island, New York, my arrival destination was the sometimes scary, but always aviationally historic LaGuardia Airport. As far as I am concerned, the magnificent view of New York City Harbor and the pass by Manhattan up the East River is the most magnificent seven minute view imaginable. The combination of an inspirational panorama of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island with the density and magnitude of New York City is incredible when viewed from a few thousand feet overhead.

Obviously I was inspired. A three-part series of "cityscapes" is on the horizon. CITYSCAPE I takes place in early evening and on into the festive hours of the night. This rhythmic dance festival piece celebrates the vibrancy of the city people, joyous revelers, bathed in the glitter and pulsating sparkle of neon streets. It is a musical portrayal of the hustle and frenetic energy of frantic night life on the city streets, tangled traffic and all. It is Act one of a portrait that can be both light and dark in the blink of an eye. Festive Hours and Neon Night."




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