explanation written 12/09

I took an orchestration class in the Fall of '09, for which our final project 
was to arrange (or compose) a piece for orchestra that was 3-5 minutes long. 
The Stanford Symphony Orchestra would read through them.

I jumped at the chance to compose something.  I'd had Sibelius for a long time
but had no good orchestration training, so I didn't try to jump in without
getting a little guidance.

And voila, my first piece for orchestra.

I figured out the opening melody (which I made a viola solo, as a tribute to the
fact that I played viola in school orchestras for 6 years) worked with it for a bit, 
came up with the middle section's melody (which you can't hear on the recording because
it was apparently hard to sight-read for the oboe and flute players).
Then I had the idea of the snare and xylophone playing a 16th note pattern
in unison underneath lots of colorful C major movement. The piece evolved from those
basic sectional ideas. I had them all repeat a little at the end.


NOTE ABOUT THE RECORDING

Played by the Stanford Symphony Orchestra (with me on snare drum - their
percussionists didn't show up) in December 2009, conducted by Giancarlo
Aquilanti (my professor). They were missing a tuba player, a bass clarinet
player, and the oboe and double bass players were both very timid. In a sight-read,
people were timid about entrances and missed some key changes.

It was recorded on a portable recorder in stereo with a mic placed 15 feet up
behind the conductor, in Dinklespiel Auditorium.

I'm very very happy I got a read through and a recording (FO' FREE). I do not
begrudge the fact there were missing players - I just wanted to make it clear
that the recording is not entirely what I wrote.

Though after hearing it, there are some revisions I shall make.


ABOUT THE TITLE

The culture around orchestral music is often a bit pretentious. I was
dipping into the culture by composing an orchestral piece. Also, the musical
material for a large part of the piece is fairly melancholy, but it shifts
significantly to light silliness, which is all repeated at the end.
I realized the music wasn't entirely "serious," so I thought I would poke fun
at the culture as well in my title.