World Premiere with World Accordion Orchestra conducted by Joan Sommers
Lest We Forget for Accordion Orchestra was commissioned by the UMKC Accordion Orchestra especially for the 2007 Coupe Mondiale performance and is Leonard Stack's first composition for accordion orchestra.
The composer attended both the rehearsal and the world premiere performance of the piece in Alexandria, VA on August 18 which was a great success.
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World Accordion Orchestra Concert Master - CIA President Kevin Friedrich
Conductor, ATG President and Vice Chairperson of CIA Music Committee - Joan C. Sommers
Composer of Lest We Forget (World Premiere) - Leonard Stack |
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Notes from the Composer for Lest We Forget
Lest We Forget is a
classical composition in the form of a programmatic tone poem. The
piece is in a freely atonal style with occasional forays into tonality
and bi-tonality.
The
programmatic element in it deals with the insanity and misery leading
up to and resulting from war. Contained in the composition are jingoistic
cries for victory overwhelmed by the suffering of humanity.
The music begins with a bleak and austere opening section which
then segues into the first combative episode. This scheme repeats
itself throughout the composition. After the battle is a sad, wistful
melody followed by another disruption of the peace. Then, a fugal
section is employed, followed by the inverted fugal subject meant
to depict the clash of opposing armies. Then there is a recapitulation
of that sad, wistful melody which serves as a short reprieve between
battles. When the military drums begin we have the final clashing
of armies with a trite patriotic theme in the background. Finally
all is still, victor and vanquished lie together mortally wounded
and the short angry coda summarizes the entire folly. |
