ON A HYMNSONG OF PHILIP BLISS

AND

ARMENIAN DANCES, PART I:

A CONDUCTOR’S STUDY GUIDE OF TWO POPULAR WORKS

RAQUEL G. MONTELLANO

Department of Music

APPROVED:

____________________________

Ronald Hufstader, Ph.D

____________________________

Marcia T. Fountain, D.M.A

____________________________

W. Ray Parish, M.F.A

____________________________

Charles H. Ambler, Ph.D.

Dean of the Graduate School

ON A HYMNSONG OF PHILIP BLISS

AND

ARMENIAN DANCES, PART I:

A CONDUCTOR’ S STUDY GUIDE OF TWO POPULAR WORKS

By

RAQUEL G. MONTELLANO, B.M.

THESIS

Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of

The University of Texas at El Paso

In Partial Fulfillment

Of the Requirements for the Degree

MASTER OF MUSIC

Music Department

University of Texas at El Paso

December 2004

29

CHAPTER VI

STUDYING “ARMENIAN DANCES”

The Composer

Alfred Reed is a native New Yorker born in Manhattan on January 25, 1921. He

began his formal training in music at the age of ten. He studied trumpet and became a

professional performer while he was still in high school. He acted as composer/ arranger

in Radio Workshop, New York from 1938 to 1942. After those three years, he enlisted in

the Air Force during World War II, and was assigned to the 529th Army Air Band, where

he spent three and a half years and produced nearly one hundred compositions and

arrangements for band. (DeCarbo, p.20)

Following his release, he enrolled at the Julliard School of Music and became a

student of Vittorio Giannini. In 1948 he became staff composer and arranger with NBC

and then ABC where he wrote and arranged music for radio and television, as well as

record films.

In 1953, Dr. Reed became conductor of the Baylor Symphony Orchestra at Baylor

University in Waco, Texas, and later earned his Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree in

Music in 1955 and 1956. His master’s thesis was the Rhapsody for Violin and

Orchestra, which later went on to win the coveted Luria Prize. During his years at Baylor

he became concerned with the problems of educational music levels, especially in the

development of repertoire material for band, orchestra, and chorus. This led to accepting

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a position in 1955 at a major publishing firm, Hansen Publishing, where he was able to

work on his goals until 1966. In 1966, Dr. Reed joined the faculty of the University of

Miami School of Music where he held a joint appointment in Theory-Composition and

Music Education Departments until 1993.

Dr. Reed has served as a guest conductor and clinician, which has taken him to

over forty-five states, Europe, Canada, Mexico and South America, and Asia including

Japan and Taiwan. He has visited Japan over 50 times and became the first foreign

composer to both conduct and record with the Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra, resulting in

eighteen CDs. He has conducted the Osaka Municipal Symphonic Band, Basai Civil

Wind Orchestra, Otonawa Wind Symphony, and the Kinki and Tohu University Bands,

among others.

With over two hundred published works for band, wind ensemble, orchestra, and

chorus, Dr. Reed has become one of the most prolific and frequently performed

composers of our time. He currently serves as Adjunct Professor at Senzoku Gakuen

University; its wind orchestra premiered his acclaimed “Fifth Symphony” at the WASBE

convention Hamamastu in 1985. (Reed, p. 13)

In addition to winning the Luria Prize in 1959, he also has been awarded some

fifty-two commissions to date, including the famous one received from Dr. Harry Begian,

Armenian Dances.

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Dr. Alfred Reed (1921- )

32

The Commissioner

Harry Begian served as Director of Bands at the University of Illinois from 1970

until his retirement in 1984. His reputation as an outstanding conductor and teacher

began during his many years at Detroit’s Cass Technical High School, where he

developed one of the finest high school bands in the country. Begian went on to become

Director of Bands at Wayne State University (1964-1967), a position he held for three

years. Following Wayne State he was appointed Director of Bands at Michigan State

University (1967-1970), where he also stayed for three years before going to the

University of Illinois.

Dr. Begian received his early musical training in the Detroit area where he

organized and conducted his first band and orchestra while still in his teens. He earned

his bachelor and master’s degrees from Wayne State University where he studied trumpet

with Leonard Smith, then in 1964 received his doctoral degree from the University of

Michigan.

Dr. Begian has served as guest conductor, adjudicator, and clinician throughout

the United States, Canada, and Australia. He has published numerous scholarly articles

related to band, band music, and conducting; additionally his work has been the topic of

three dissertations.

A Charter member of American School Band Directors Association, Dr. Begian is

also a member of the College Band Directors National Association, Omicron Delta

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Kappa, past president of the American Bandmasters Association, and honorary member

of Phi Beta Mu and the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association.

During the past twenty-five years, Dr. Begian has commissioned five works for the

band medium. In the 1970’s he invited Dr. Alfred Reed to set three Armenian folk songs

from the collected works of Gomidas Vartabed (1869-1935) for the Illinois band. This

four-movement composition, Armenian Dances, has now become a standard piece in

band repertory. (Begian, p.5)

Dr. Harry Begian (1921- )

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The Music

Armenian Dances, Part I, is the first movement of a four-movement suite with

Armenian Dances, Part II constituting the other three movements. It was originally

designed as a single work in four movements. It was only due to an accident, that the

composition was published in two separate parts, and by two different publishers.

However, it should be made clear that the composer, Dr. Alfred Reed, always intended

this work to be performed as a single four-movement piece that it was written as, even if

the first movement does stand well on its own.

“Dr. Harry Begian first broached the idea of an instrumental setting of some four

thousand Armenian folksongs collected, revised, annotated, and issued in definitive form

by the great Armenian musicologist, Gomidas Vartabed in 1963. As ignorant as I then

was of Vartabed, and of Armenian music in general, I asked Dr. Begian whether or not

the work of such Armenian composers such as Hovaness, Chobanian, Yardumian,

Khatchaturian, and others did not represent the best of what could be done with this

material, and he said no, that in each of these writer’s works there was too much

emphasis on the Kurdish elements of Armenian folk music, too much of the “belly-

dancer” as he put it, and that the real Armenian folk music was much more Western

rather than Eastern (Kurdish) oriented. Also, all of Gomidas’ work was left in the form

of vocal music, for solo, two, or three and more voices, accompanied for the most part by

35

either piano, harp or guitar—no purely instrumental pieces.” (Reed, e-mail p.2) And so

it was from this point that Dr. Reed began to look through the material that was sent to

him from the head of the Armenian diocese, Archbishop Torkom Manoogian. He was

sent about twenty-eight volumes of these pieces and not a word of the English language

in them to go by; that is until Dr. Violet Vagramian, professor at the University of Miami,

helped him in the translation of the titles and lyrics of these pieces.

It took no less than ten years before Part I of Armenian Dances was ready for

performance and another three years before the first performance of the complete suite in

April of 1976 (a gala event at the University of Illinois).

36

About Gomidas Vartabed

Dr. Gomidas Vartabed (1869-1935)

Gomidas Vartabed (1869-1935), the founder of Armenian classical music, is

credited with collecting well over four thousand Armenian folk songs. He was born,

Soghomon Soghomonian, in a small town in Anatolia, Turkey, called Keotahya and was

orphaned at a very young age. At the age of eleven he was chosen from his orphanage to

study at the Kevorkian Seminary in Etchmiadzin, Armenia and 1895 he became a monk.

He changed his name after becoming a monk to Gomidas after the Armenian architect-

musician, Catholicos Gomidas. In 1896, Gomidas went to Berlin to continue his studies.

He enrolled at the Richard Schmidt Conservatory and at the Wilheim University and

37

studied under some eminent musicians of the time. In 1899, he graduated from both

schools and received his Ph. D. in Musicology.

Gomidas was one of the founding members of the International Music Society

(1899-1914) where he read several important papers on pneumatic notation, the structure

of Armenian sacred and folk melodies. At the age of forty-six, Gomidas was exiled along

with several other important Armenian intellectuals. In April of 1915, there was a

genocide of more than one and a half million Armenians. Fortunately, Gomidas was

released after a short period of time, but the memories never left him. The atrocities that

he witnessed and suffered resulted in a complete mental and physical break down from

which he never recovered. Gomidas Vartabed died in Paris, France in 1935, but not

without leaving his legacy to the Armenian people and to the world of music.

(Vagramian, p.2)

38

CHAPTER VII

SCORE INTERPRETATION

In the first chapter of this study we have discussed three steps of the process of

score study- orientation, reading, and analysis. The final step of this process is score

interpretation. With the completion of the first three steps of the study process, the

conductor should have a sound image of the music in his or her mind.

In the interpretation step, the conductor must attempt to bring together all the

score knowledge he or she has accumulated through the score study process thus far and

now include his or her own personal feelings about the music. Those feelings are then

shaped into a personal sound image. This is when the piece of music is now seen through

the conductor’s own eyes. “In developing and interpretation, the conductor has to make

decisions concerning specific aspects of music tempos, phrasing, dynamics, colors and

textures, stylistic articulations, and so on.” (Battisti and Garafalo, 1990:54) A conductor

should be able to get more out of this type of analysis than the usual harmonic analysis.

The issues that will be discussed in this section should relate more to the subjective

aspects of the work than the objective ones.

39

CHAPTER VIII

ARMENIAN DANCES, PART I: AN INTERPRETIVE ANALYSIS

The analysis that follows only pertains to Part I of Armenian Dances. It should be

noted that this is only intended to be a reference and not a definitive interpretation of the

work that will be discussed.

Part I of Armenian Dances is the first movement of a four-movement suite. It is

based on five authentic Armenian folksongs from the collected works of Gomidas

Vartabed (1869-1935), Armenian clergyman and enthnomusicologist. The five songs

that Dr. Alfred Reed has developed into an extended symphonic rhapsody are:

1. “Tzirani Tzar”- The Apricot Tree

2. “Gakavi Yerk”- The Partridge’s Song

3. “Hoy, Nazan Eem”- Hoy, My Nazan

4. “Alagyaz”- A Mountain in Armenia

5. “ Gna, Gna”- Go, Go

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Tzirani Tzar- The Apricot Tree

Measures 1-29

The opening tempo of the work seems to be a little slower than it sounds like it

should be. It is likely to sound better a little faster (quarter note=60). This will provide a

little more movement to the song without making it sound hurried and taking away from

the musical effect. The accompanying parts in the woodwinds should not be played too

loud (this would surely take away from the melody). Many conductors do not pay too

much attention to the timpani part in the first five measures, but I feel it should be played

with security and prominence. In measures four and five the timpani should make sure

that his notes are clear and played with a slight accent ending in measure five with the

final F. Most percussionists will want to play this figure loud, but the conductor should

make sure that this does not happen in the early stages of rehearsals. The brass melody

line should be clearly heard in measure one through eight. In measures five through

seven, the clarinet turns should be played with a slight accent on the beginning of each

set of 32nd

notes. See figure 7.

Figure 7

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In measure 9, the conductor needs to make sure that a clean pick-up note is

given. This will help the woodwinds continue with the melody line. Also in this section,

care must be taken in the low sounding parts (which include the euphonium and tenor

saxophone) that they do not play too loud. The line that they are playing should only be

second in importance to the melody. It is very easy to hear them instead of the melody

line. The triplet 32nd

notes should be played quickly and lightly like a grace note would

be played. Then, the 8th notes that follow should sound broad and secure. The

conductor should try to give them a cue through this section even if it is only with his or

her eyes.

The descending base line in measure 13 should lead into the English horn solo in

measure 14. It is very important that these parts are clear. At measure 14 there is a color

change that happens with the English horn solo, it will be better heard if the conductor

makes sure that all accompanying parts are under the solo. From measure 9, the counter-

melody should now be treated as the melody because this line will lead into the subtle

changes that create the return of the opening motive in measure 19. The crescendo in

measure 17 and 18 should be deliberate. The trombone line that answers the trumpet, the

timpani beat delay, and the ascending bass clarinet line in measure 19 should be clearly

heard.

Measures 23-26 should be treated as a transition section. These measures contain

material of the new song presented in the up coming new section, “Gakavi Yerk.” It

should be noted, that although the composer named this piece Armenian Dances, the first

two sections of this work are actually songs and not dances. This may help a conductor

42

that is performing this piece with the correct emotion that the composer is trying to

communicate. “Tzirani Tzar” is a slow, reflective song that sounds somewhat sad and

“Gakavi Yerk” is a simple, lighthearted, childlike song which should move along at a

lively pace.” (Begian, p. 2)

“Gakavi Yerk”- Partridge’s Song

Measures 30-68

The oboe ending in the first song at measure thirty establishes the new tempo for

the next section. The tempo of the new song is slightly slow as written in the score. I

feel that a faster tempo between 92 and 104 is probably more appropriate for a childlike

song. The horns and bass parts should play a small crescendo and diminuedo in measures

30 and 31. This will make it sound a bit more musical. The rest of the section should be

simple and light. The rhythm at measure 32 in the melody should sound light, therefore,

a slight tenuto marking placed on the first eight note of each pair on beats 1 and 3 may

help with this (see figure 8). The tenutos on beats 2 and 4, as written by the composer,

should also be carefully observed (see figure 9). This will give a more natural lilt to the

song. (Begian, p. 3) The same should be done in measures 44 and 45 in the first trumpet

solo part.

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Figure 8

Figure 9

The counter-melody in the woodwinds at measure 59 should not be over-

played. The woodwinds tend to want to play it loudly and usually cover up the

harmonized flute and trumpet parts that should be heard. The melody line in the horns at

measures 65 and 66 is usually a bit difficult to play. Slurring each pair of 8th notes may

make this sound cleaner and better in tune. If this is done, the horns must also place a

slight tenuto on the first of each eight-note pair. This will make the performance of this

section sound more rhythmically consistent.

The flute and piccolo parts that answer the muted trumpet should be clearly heard.

Their final note should be treated as a hold that prepares for the rest section and tempo at

measure 69. A good and clear preparatory beat should be given after coming out of the

hold in measure 68. The beat should be in the same tempo of the new section “Hoy,

Nazan Eem.”

44

“Hoy, Nazan Eem”-Hoy my Nazan

Measures 69-185

“The material for the third section of Armenian Dance is a danced-song. The

lyrics have to do with a young man singing about his girlfriend. This song is usually sung

and danced to 6/8 meter. Reed’s ingenious treatment of the tune in a 5/8 setting with

shifting twos and threes gives the tune a delightful twist yet confounds so many band

conductors and their players.” (Begian, p.3)

My first suggestion for this section is to practice hard. In my experience, each

time I have heard this piece performed by local high schools, I have heard an uneasiness

of the ensemble. I guarantee that this uneasiness starts with the conductor. One frequent

error is to make the first part of the measure longer than it should be. It causes the

performers to almost play a 3+3 measure (even when they are not thinking it) instead if

2+3. The two-factor of the measure has to be accurate.

A good practice technique is to slowly sing the tune out loud and tap 8th notes in

the left hand and conduct with the right. It may be difficult at first, but it will get easier

with repetition. When the exercise can be done several times in a row without making

mistakes, then increase the tempo gradually until the desired performance tempo has been

reached. This same drill can be used in rehearsal with the entire band. The band should

count out loud while indicating accents on the first note of each two or three 8th note

groups. This type of drill can be used to help a group learn how to play five, seven or any

uneven beat pattern.

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Finally, there probably will be a problem in the last four measures of the section.

The 3/8 in this section is difficult to enter. Most players will be hesitant in their entrances,

but if a four pattern is conducted for the four measures (like a 12/8 measure instead of

what is written with a subdivided 4th measure), it may help resolve the problem. Players

are more used to this pattern than the one pattern. Make sure to tell the players before

changing the pattern.

“Alagyaz”- Name of a Mountain in Armenia

Measures 186-223

In the measure before this section, the conductor needs to make sure the score is

read properly where it indicates that the quarter note equals the eighth note. People may

tend to perform this incorrectly and conduct the quarter note as the previous 3/8

measures. The music at this point needs to have the break between the two sections to

reassure the new, slower, tempo.

The “Algyaz” section comes as almost a relief for most players and conductors

after playing the 5/8 section. This new section should be played great expression. The

conductor also needs to make sure that it is not overplayed. For example, the counter

melodies in measures 194-205 in the euphonium and clarinet parts often tend to

unconsciously cover the melodic line. Balance is crucial to this section. The conductor

has to listen carefully and make sure that the melody line is clearly heard and that all

other lines are balanced to it. In measure 193, there may be a tendency to cover the

46

clarinets and saxophones. Make sure that they are clearly heard above the euphonium.

Flutes take over the melody in measure 197, then the horns in measure 205. Pick-up into

measure 210 is a great opportunity for the trumpets to shine. Make sure that they are

balanced within the section and that they play a nice crescendo. This same line will be

used as an exchange to the woodwinds in measure 215. The conductor should make sure

that the woodwinds are also balanced and that they come in at the same volume of the

trumpets previous note. Then the woodwinds need to diminuendo for the trumpet soli at

measures 217 through 220. It is very important that in this section the conductor keeps

track of any “hand-offs” that may happen. Finally, in measures 221,222, and 223, the

chord structure at this point serves as a deceptive cadence. The chords in these measures

should be played quietly and gradually slower to set up the new tempo Allegro vivo con

fuoco at measure 224.

“Gna, Gna”- Go, Go

Measures 224-end

“The title of the final tune in Armenian Dances in translation, “Go, Go” provides

some indication of the spirited nature of this dance tune.” (Begian, p.5) The tempo at this

section should not be any faster than marked. A faster tempo may cause some trouble in

the clarinets. Instead, the section should be played staccato and accented.

47

The opening note should be strong and confident. Make sure that the piccolo’s

grace notes are clearly heard. Musically it should be a surprise change of tempo.

Measure 226 will most likely cause a problem. Most players tend to want to play the 16th

notes on the beat instead of after (like it is notated). This happens because the

same kind of rhythmic pattern is played in the opening section. It is often played

incorrectly with the 16th notes being played before the beat.

Whenever there is two 16th notes followed by an 8

th notes, the conductor should

ask the players to make sure to place an accent on the first 16th note. This will help them

in making sure that they do not play the notes before the beat.

In measures 272 –281 the euphonium needs to play accents on the half note line.

Adding a slight crescendo to these notes will also make the line sound more musical.

The line should follow the melody line in dynamics (always under the melody).

The 1st clarinet parts throughout this section are very difficult technically. The

conductor should make sure to stress the importance of individual practice. The

clarinetists should observe the C#s in the line.

In measures 312-324, horns have a technically easy line, but it may cause

intonation problems. The horns should practice this part as a section. The sectional work

will also make them feel a bit more confident about the part.

The climax of the piece comes with the section marked furioso at measure 357.

This section should be played loudly and fast. At this point, it is acceptable to forget the

tempo that is marked in the score. Since the tune has already been played in its intended

48

musical charm, now is the time to show the audience that the group can play technically

difficult parts at a fast tempo. Incidentally, this section also deviates from the Armenian

musical procedures. It becomes more like European dance music. So a faster tempo here

will not hinder the music, but it will make it quite exciting.

The brass parts in this final section should not blast or be overpowering. The

parts should be played in a detached and steady style. The beginning of the A trill in the

horns and the D roll in the timpani should be well accented and the 8th notes in the final

three measures should be played both short and hard. The emphasis should be placed on

the glissando parts in the final cadence so that they are played with a resounding

crescendo that brings this work to a brilliant close.