Ring of Steel (1975) by James W. Richens (b. 1936) скачать в хорошем качестве

Ring of Steel (1975) by James W. Richens (b. 1936)

Of the many American composers that wrote music for symphonic band throughout the decades, James Richens might be one of the catchiest. Generally overlooked today, his symphonic band journey is one that spans many generations. Throughout that generational spread are some of the rarest “fun” pieces the symphonic band has to offer: fun to learn, fun to play, and fun to listen. One such Richens piece is Ring of Steel, composed and premiered in 1975. A low drone begins with chime hits setting the scene; in fact, the chimes are essential and required to musically represent the titular Ring throughout the whole piece. After the drones and bells, a crescendo leads to a fanfare. Brass chords and woodwind ornaments build to a subito allegro tempo where the technical passages begin. The melodic material weaves around different sections with and eventually comes to a build that takes us to the first climax. Here the music slows in tempo and mellows out to allow chimes and a solo trumpet to shine. An andante ballad then plays with chimes and glockenspiel accenting the Ring. A short wraparound brings us back to the ballad, only this time in fortissimo thanks to the brass and slightly shortened so the allegro from earlier can return in the same sudden fashion as before. This allegro too is shortened by using the same crescendo build, only this time the resolution goes to the woodwinds in a processional-type march invoking the style of the fanfare. The original fanfare itself then returns almost to the tee, also slightly shortened to allow the finishing chords to enter and bring the piece to an exciting close. The 1975 Christian Brothers Band under the direction of Ralph G. Hale performed this recording, which was the actual premiere in concert of this piece. Richens was a member of this ensemble in the 1950s, and it’s fitting to have such a connection to allow band repertoire to grow. It is the only known recording of Ring of Steel, as I can’t find any other documented recordings or performances for that matter. Also, there is no evidence or confirmation I could find that this work made it to publication. That makes it a genuine bona-fide rare band piece. Just the title “Ring of Steel” alone invokes a sense grandeur and epic fun that permeates throughout the whole piece. This and various other band pieces written by James Richens have the potential to be fresh picks for new performances and recordings. His fun approach to symphonic band music deserves much attention. In future videos, we will explore the fun world of Richens and his band music. Special thanks to the Christian Brothers Band Bandcamp page, where this recording was found. Check out this and many other rare symphonic band performances here: https://christianbrothersband.bandcam... Sources: Google Facebook Wikipedia Worldcat https://www.memphis.edu/music/fac-sta...