Beautiful River Greg Danner

Maestro Band Series

PROGRAM NOTES
Beautiful River was commissioned by Daryl Jack and the Spring Hill High School Band, Spring Hill, Tennessee. It was written in memory of Christy Foster, a percussion player in the band who was killed in an automobile accident. Despite the tragic nature of the accident, Beautiful River does not attempt to serve as an elegy, but rather a celebration or reaffirmation of life.

In letters that students sent me describing Christy, these are some of the words they used: happy, thoughtful, caring, beautiful, loving, compassionate, enthusiastic, generous, optimistic, brave, kind, energetic, wonderful, amazing. What a remarkable tribute. I tried to keep these words in mind and the strong feelings they represent as I crafted this composition.

Beautiful River is structured in three large sections. After an extended introduction that presents fragments of melodic and harmonic material, the first theme is heard in the solo trumpet. This expressive melody is then developed with solo alto saxophone and euphonium, leading to a soaring climactic statement with the full band. The music then fades to a gentle resolution. A brief transition moves to the second section, where the music is characterized by the quick alternation of melodic and rhythmic figures, some related to the earlier material and some hinting at the music to come, with the percussion section taking a leading role. This energetic music leads to a powerful chordal section overlayed with flourishing woodwind figures. A spirited xylophone solo brings this section to a close. The third and final part moves the music to a setting of the hymn tune Shall We Gather At The River. This beautiful melody, written in 1864 by Robert Lowry, is first presented simply in the solo oboe. The tune is expansively developed throughout the ensemble, incorporating motivic material from the earlier sections, and moves to a dramatic peak. The piece ends quietly, with a reminiscence of the introductory music and a return to the gentle, comforting and assured feeling of the opening.

ABOUT THE COMPOSER
Greg Danner is Professor of Music at Tennessee Technological University. Born in St. Louis, Missouri (1958) he received the B.A. from Southeast Missouri State University, the M.M. from the Eastman School of Music, and the Ph.D. from Washington University. His awards include the College Band Directors National Association Music for Young Band prize, vocal category and grand prize in the Delius Society composition contest, first prize in the Composers Guild composition contest, first prize in the Taghkanic Chorale composers competition, and the Louisiana Music Teachers Association Composer Commission Award.

Recent commissions include works for the U.S. Air Force Band of Mid-America, the Tennessee Music Education Association, and the Gateway Music Festival. Dr. Danner has received annual ASCAP awards for composition since 1989.

An active performer (horn), he has held positions with the Baton Rouge and Acadiana orchestras in Louisiana and has performed with the Huntsville (AL) Symphony, the Lake Charles and Rapides orchestras in Louisiana and the Saint Louis, Saint Louis Municipal Opera, and Webster Groves orchestras in Missouri. He is a former member of the Louisiana Brass Quintet and Evangeline Wind Quintet. Dr. Danner is currently hornist with the Brass Arts Quintet, the Bryan Symphony Orchestra, and Tennessee Philharmonic. He is a freelance and studio musician in the Nashville area.

Website: http://www.GregDanner.com