Washington, DC -- This Sunday the 2022 Chamber Music Series will continue at 2 p.m. (ET) with a performance highlighting harp, brass quartet, clarinet with strings, and percussion quartet on works by Maurice Ravel, Paul Hindemith, and American and English composers. Coordinated by Clarinetist Staff Sgt. Samuel Ross, the concert will take place in John Philip Sousa Band Hall at the Marine Barracks Annex in southeast Washington, D.C., and stream live online.
Program and Notes
When programming the concert, Ross selected a variety of instruments and performers from across the band and orchestra. “It’s unique in that it does feature strings, brass, percussion, and woodwind instruments—and harp, twice!” Ross exclaimed. “It also features auxiliary instruments like the English horn and E-flat clarinet, instruments you don’t hear quite as often in a chamber setting.”
The concert begins with London-born composer Philip Sparke’s Divertimento for brass quartet, with each player showing off flashy techniques as well as beautiful melodies, followed by French composer Maurice Ravel’s Introduction and Allegro for Harp, Flute, Clarinet, and String Quartet. As a chamber concerto, the harp is brought to the fore of the musical texture and Ravel’s writing takes advantage of the capabilities of the instrument with great skill and technical resourcefulness.
The program continues with American composer Michael Laurello’s Spine for percussion quartet. According to Laurello, the Percussion 1 performer plays a single line through most of the piece, serving as the “spine” of the music. Halfway through the piece, the piano becomes the main driver of the rhythm itself, playing with dampened strings, while the primary melodic content moves to the glockenspiel. The percussionists perform a dozen instruments, offering an exciting array of sights and sounds for the audience to enjoy including cowbell, alpine bells, opera gong, Earth plate, woodblock, drums, and trashy cymbals.
The second half of the concert begins with Pan and Apollo, Opus 78, by English composer Ruth Gipps. In this musical adaptation of the Greek myth, woodwind instruments are pitted against strings—in this case, the harp. This work features an unusual combination of two oboes, English horn, and harp in a musical manifestation of the mythical argument. Finally, the concert will conclude with German composer Paul Hindemith’s Quintet for Clarinet and String Quartet, Opus 30. This work showcases the composer’s unique and intellectual conception of music, bristling with the group’s energy and depth as well as plaintive and somber solos.
“Personally, I love the chamber series because it helps the listener to get more acquainted with the individual members of the Marine Band in a more meaningful way,” Ross said. “Chamber music has its own unique set of challenges as well as rewards. It’s great to see the performers in a different context from the larger band or orchestra concerts. Sometimes listening to something new or different from our norm is a great thing that can really open our ears and expand our taste. I hope this program can do that in some way for the listeners.”
The concert is free and no tickets are required. The Marine Barracks Annex is accessible by Metro via the Navy Yard or Eastern Market stations. Free parking is also available under the overpass on 7th Street, across from the Annex. Please note that masks and COVID vaccination or negative COVID test within 72 hours are required for all in-person concerts. The program is subject to change.
Directions and parking
Live stream