Band tackles historic pieces with majesty
By SHIREESE MILLER
Entertainment Editor
There’s a high school freshman and a teacher. A lawyer and a doctor. The owner of a pizza parlor and even a highway patrolman. No, it’s not the cast of the next David Kelly hit drama . These people accomplish the greater feat of actually having these jobs and still finding time to perform in the CSUB Community Concert Band.
For about six years now, the CSUB community has been dazzled with the melodic sounds of this concert band, and last Saturday was no exception.
CSUB professor Gordon Mehling conducted the band with eight crowd-pleasing pieces, including an encore.
“They did an excellent job,” said musical director Mehling, reflecting on the performance.
The band, numbering more than 50 performers, played a variety of music from contemporary band music to a military march.
The concert opened with music by W. Francis McBeth and Alex Lithgow. These were followed by the “Second Suite for Military Band” by Gustav Holst. Woodwinds, horns and percussion were used to create the first movement of the piece titled “March”. The second movement, “Song Without Words (I’ll Love my Love)”, presented a slower tempo and a more solemn, sadder sound.
The next movement, “Song of the Blacksmith”, had a louder, more upbeat sound like the sun coming up after the night of the previous movement.
“Fantasia on the Dargason” was the last movement, which sounded like celebratory music of a victory of war, the perfect ending to the piece.
These four movements of Holst’s were the longest piece and earned accolades from the audience. Other songs heard that night where “Dynamica” by Jan Van der Roost, “The Ascension” and “Paradiso” by Robert W. Smith, and “El Camino Real ( A Latin Fantasy)” by Alfred Reed.
The band has been practicing one night a week, from 7:30 to 9 to perfect the sound they delivered last Saturday night, and Mehling said he’s happy with the caliber of his performers.
“The only disappointment is the fact that we don’t get a bigger crowd,” he said.
Despite the loud applause, the low turnout was a concern for band member Martin Goni also.
“[I] encourage everyone to come out to concerts and listen to the high quality music by top knotch musicians,” he said.
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Wednesday, November 17, 1999
2:31 PM