Wind Ensemble

About the Program

Dmitri Shotakovich
arr. Preston M.Mitchell
October, op. 131
Born 25 September 25 1906, Saint Petersburg, Russia
Died 9 August 1975, Moscow, Soviet Union
Composed 1967
Premiered September 16, 1967. Large Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, USSR State Symphony Orchestra, Maxim Shostakovich 
Duration 13 minutes

In 1967, when the USSR embarked on nationwide celebrations of the fiftieth anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution. The famed October Revolution of 1917, led by Vladimir Lenin’s party, was to be a major national occasion, and Shostakovich was expected to make a contribution to the festivities. He produced an aptly named thirteen-minute symphonic poem, the only piece in this particular genre he composed during his prolific career. On its surface, the work is filled with the same meaty and visceral textures of many of his other official “patriotic” works, and it has all of the drama, battle music, and unabashed heroism that was sure to satisfy the expectations of his superiors. But a closer examination of the musical material reveals a fascinating underbelly that is perhaps telling of Shostakovich’s state of mind at this point in his life.

The composer often quoted his own music in newer works as an autobiographical signature of sorts, so it is not unusual that October opens with such a quote. However, that music is borrowed from the beginning of Shostakovich’s tenth Symphony, a work written shortly after Stalin’s death in part to celebrate the long-awaited relief from his tyranny. Equally telling is Shostakovich’s use of a melody in the central section of the tone poem that he had composed some thirty years prior for a film called Volochayevka Days. The film centers on an epic battle of the early Bolsheviks against a Japanese invasion in 1918. The song is called “To the Partisans” and, in the context of the film, tells the story of freedom fighters resisting a repressive regime. It is not beyond belief to think that the conspicuous inclusion of this song so many years later in October was a reference to the true repressive regime in Shostakovich’s mind: the very communist party he was obligated to serve.

This transcription for symphonic band was prepared by Master Sgt. Preston Mitchell of “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band.

– Col. Jason Fettig

Gustav Mahler
Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen
Born July 7, 1860, Kaliště, Bohemia
Died May 18, 1911,  Vienna
Composed1883-1885; 1890
Premiered March 16, 1896, Berlin, Germany, Anton Sistermans, baritone
Duration 18 mimnutes

Much like Fleetwood Mac’s iconic 1977 album Rumors, Gustav Mahler’s 1896 song cycle Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen was borne out of heartbreak. At the time, Mahler was working as an assistant conductor at the opera house in Kasel, Germany, and had fallen for the soprano Johanna Richter. They had some sort of romantic entanglement, but it was not to be; as Mahler wrote to a friend on January 1, 1884: “Last night I sat alone with her and we were both almost wordless awaiting the New Year. Her thoughts were not with her companion, and when the clock struck, and the tears poured from her eyes, the terrible realization came over me that it was not for me to dry those tears. . . My accomplishments: I have written a song cycle, six songs for the time being, all of which are dedicated to her. She does not know them. What else can they tell her beside what she already knows? . . . The songs are conceived as if a wayfaring craftsman has suffered a heavy fate and now goes out into the world and wanders aimlessly.” Mahler penned the poems himself — winnowing the original six down to four — and modeled them after the folk verses in Des Knaben Wunderhorn, which he would later also set to music. The first song, “Wenn mein Schatz Hochzeit macht” (“When My Sweetheart is Married”),  opens with a distant wedding dance which is not meant for the protagonist/Mahler. Birdsongs begin to emerge, but the hope is short-lived as the wedding march returns, ominous and somber. The second song will likely be the most familiar tune, as Mahler borrowed much of this material for his first symphony (he began work on the symphony shortly after completing the songs). “Ging heut’ Morgen über’s Feld” (“This Morning I Went Over the Field”) is bright, cheery, and gives the impression that the protagonist might be lying to themselves just a little bit. It isn’t until the final refrain that our suspicion is confirmed, and we hear that happiness can never bloom. The centerpiece of the set follows: “Ich hab’ ein glühend Messer” (“I Have a Gleaming Knife”) with its tumultuous almost-Wagnerian introduction only dissipates long enough for a vision of his love to appear before it is overtaken once more by the forces both internal and external. A funeral march opens the final song, “Die zwei blauen Augen von meinem Schatz” (“The Two Blue Eyes of my Beloved”), and slowly morphs into a dreamy haze through a gently rocking major/minor oscillation as the protagonist finds rest under the Linden tree, you can almost imagine him humming to himself “...thunder only happens when its raining...”

– Mark Bilyeu

David Maslanka
Symphony No. 8
Born August 30, 1943, New Bedford, MA
Died August 7, 2017, Missoula, MT
Composed 2008
Premiered November 20, 2008, Illinois State University Wind Symphony
Duration42 minutes

Symphony No. 8 is in three distinct movements, bur the musical layout suggests a single large-scale panoramic vista. I began the composition process for this symphony with meditation, and was shown scenes of widespread devastation. But this music is not about the surface of our world problems. It is a response to a much deeper vital creative flow which is forcefully at work, and which will carry us through our age of crisis. This music is a celebration of life. It is about new life, continuity from the past to the future, great hope, great faith, joy, ecstatic vision, and fierce determination. The old is continually present in the new. The first movement touches the “Gloria” from my Mass: “Glory to God in the highest,” whatever that may mean to you: the power of the universe made manifest to us and through us. The second movement is a large fantasia on the old Lutheran chorale melody Jesu meine Freude (Jesus My Joy). The life of Christ is one powerful image of the high creative: being willing to be broken to receive the new; giving oneself up entirely so that a new idea can be born. The old form of the organ chorale prelude underlies this movement — new language out of the old.The third movement is a music of praise and gratitude for all that is. It can be traced to the very end of the favorite old hymn tune All Creatures of Our God and King — the part with the joyous descending major scale where all the bells ring out. I recently used this tune for a set of variations in a piece called Unending Stream of Life, a name which could also be a fitting subtitle for this new symphony.

– David Maslanka

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Texts & Translations

Gustav Mahler 
Lieder Eines Fahrenden Gesellen 
Songs of a Wayfarer

Wenn mein Schatz Hochzeit macht
When my love has her wedding-day

Wenn mein Schatz Hochzeit macht,
When my love has her wedding-day,
Fröhliche Hochzeit macht,
Her joyous wedding-day,
Hab’ ich meinen traurigen Tag!
I have my day of mourning!
Geh’ ich in mein Kämmerlein,
I go into my little room,
Dunkles Kämmerlein!
My dark little room!
Weine! wein’! Um meinen Schatz,
I weep, weep! For my love,
Um meinen lieben Schatz!
My dearest love!

Blümlein blau! Blümlein blau!
Blue little flower! Blue little flower!
Verdorre nicht! Verdorre nicht!
Do not wither, do not wither!
Vöglein süß! Vöglein süß!
Sweet little bird! Sweet little bird!
Du singst auf grüner Heide!
Singing on the green heath!
Ach, wie ist die Welt so schön!
Ah, how fair the world is!
Ziküth! Ziküth!“
Jug-jug! Jug-jug!’

Singet nicht! Blühet nicht!
Do not sing! Do not bloom!
Lenz ist ja vorbei!
For spring is over!
Alles Singen ist nun aus!
All singing now is done!
Des Abends, wenn ich schlafen geh’,
At night, when I go to rest,
Denk’ ich an mein Leid!
I think of my sorrow!
An mein Leide!
My sorrow!

Ging heut’ Morgen über’s Feld
I walked across the fields this morning

Ging heut’ morgen über’s Feld,
I walked across the fields this morning,
Tau noch auf den Gräsern hing;
Dew still hung on the grass,
Sprach zu mir der lust’ge Fink:
The merry finch said to me:
Ei du! Gelt?
You there, hey 
Guten Morgen! Ei, Gelt? Du!
Good morning! Hey, you there!
Wird’s nicht eine schöne Welt?
Isn’t it a lovely world?
Zink! Zink! Schön und flink!
Tweet! Tweet! Bright and sweet!
Wie mir doch die Welt gefällt!“
O how I love the world!’

Auch die Glockenblum’ am Feld
And the harebell at the field’s edge,
Hat mir lustig, guter Ding’,
Merrily and in good spirits,
Mit den Glöckchen, klinge, kling,
Ding-ding with its tiny bell
Ihren Morgengruß geschellt:
Rang out its morning greeting:
Wird’s nicht eine schöne Welt?
Isn’t it a lovely world?
Kling! Kling! Schönes Ding!
Ding-ding! Beautiful thing!
Wie mir doch die Welt gefällt!
O how I love the world!’

Und da fing im Sonnenschein
And then in the gleaming sun
Gleich die Welt zu funkeln an;
The world at once began to sparkle;
Alles, alles, Ton und Farbe gewann!
All things gained in tone and colour!
Im Sonnenschein!
In the sunshine!
Blum’ und Vogel, groß und klein!
Flower and bird, great and small.
Guten Tag! Guten Tag!
‘Good day! Good day!
Ist’s nicht eine schöne Welt?
Isn’t it a lovely world?
Ei, du! Gelt? Schöne Welt!“
Hey, you there?! A lovely world!’

Nun fängt auch mein Glück wohl an?
Will my happiness now begin?
Nein! Nein! Das ich mein’,
No! No! The happiness I mean
Mir nimmer, nimmer blühen kann!
Can never bloom for me!

Ich hab’ ein glühend Messer
I’ve a gleaming knife

Ich hab’ ein glühend Messer,
I’ve a gleaming knife,
Ein Messer in meiner Brust,
A knife in my breast,
O weh! O weh!
Alas! Alas!
Das schneid’t so tief
It cuts so deep
In jede Freud’ und jede Lust
Into every joy and every bliss
So tief! so tief!
So deep, so deep!
Es schneid’t so weh und tief!
It cuts so sharp and deep!

Ach, was ist das für ein böser Gast!
Ah, what a cruel guest it is!
Nimmer hält er Ruh’,
Never at peace,
Nimmer hält er Rast!
Never at rest!
Nicht bei Tag,
Neither by day
Nicht bei Nacht, wenn ich schlief!
Nor by night, when I’d sleep!
O weh! O weh! O weh!
Alas! Alas! Alas!

Wenn ich in dem Himmel seh’,
When I look into the sky,
Seh’ ich zwei blaue Augen steh’n!
I see two blue eyes!
O weh! O weh!
Alas! Alas!
Wenn ich im gelben Felde geh’,
When I walk in the yellow field,
Seh’ ich von fern das blonde Haar
I see from afar her golden hair
Im Winde wehn! O weh! O weh!
Blowing in the wind! Alas! Alas!
Wenn ich aus dem Traum auffahr’
When I wake with a jolt from my dream
Und höre klingen ihr silbern Lachen,
And hear her silvery laugh,
O weh! O weh!
Alas! Alas!
Ich wollt’, ich läg’ auf der schwarzen Bahr’,
I wish I were lying on the black bier,
Könnt’ nimmer die Augen aufmachen!
And might never open my eyes again!

Die zwei blauen Augen von meinem Schatz
The two blue eyes of my love

Die zwei blauen Augen von meinem Schatz,
The two blue eyes of my love
Die haben mich in die weite Welt geschickt.
Have sent me into the wide world.
Da mußt’ ich Abschied nehmen
I had to bid farewell
Vom allerliebsten Platz!
To the place I loved most!
O Augen blau, warum habt ihr mich angeblickt?
O blue eyes, why did you look on me?
Nun hab’ ich ewig Leid und Grämen!
Grief and sorrow shall now be mine forever!
Ich bin ausgegangen in stiller Nacht,
I set out in the still night,
Wohl über die dunkle Heide.
Across the dark heath.
Hat mir niemand Ade gesagt, Ade!
No one bade me farewell, farewell!
Mein Gesell’ war Lieb’ und Leide!
My companions were love and sorrow!

Auf der Straße stand ein Lindenbaum,
A lime tree stood by the roadside,
Da hab’ ich zum ersten Mal im Schlaf geruht!
Where I first found peace in sleep!
Unter dem Lindenbaum,
Under the lime tree
Der hat seine Blüten über mich geschneit,
Which snowed its blossom on me,
Da wußt’ ich nicht, wie das Leben tut,
I was not aware of how life hurts,
War alles, alles wieder gut!
And all, all was well once more!
Alles! Alles!
All! All!
Lieb und Leid, und Welt und Traum!
Love and sorrow, and world and dream!
 

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About the Artists

Page Stephens

Page Stephens is a mezzo soprano, voice teacher and arts administrator based in Austin, TX with a soft spot for new music. She is a founding member of VAMP, an all-female vocal quintet which champions music by women and living composers. VAMP's debut album will be released in Fall 2025. Stephens has premiered works by Reena Esmail, Matthew Lyons, Donald Grantham, Katherine Pukinskis, Dana Lyn, Russell Podgorsek, Thomas B. Yee, and others. Stephens maintains a robust performing career in a wide variety of genres. In the last decade, she has performed with Copland House, Voices of Change, River Oaks Chamber Orchestra, Austin Symphony Orchestra, line upon line percussion, Sō Percussion, Victoria Bach Festival, Texas Early Music Project, invoke string quartet, and many others. In addition to performing, Stephens is on the voice faculty at Austin Community College. She is the assistant director for operations at the Butler School of Music at The University of Texas at Austin, where she also received her master’s and D.M.A. degrees.

Jimmy Santos-Rivera

Jimmy Santos-Rivera (he/him) is currently pursuing a master of music in wind conducting at The University of Texas at Austin, where he serves as a graduate teaching assistant. In this role, he assists in conducting and managing the university’s concert bands, athletic bands, and conducting courses. He earned his bachelor of arts in music education, with a minor in percussion, from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, his career has been deeply rooted on the island. Prior to moving to Austin, Santos-Rivera spent eight years teaching concert band, percussion, and music theory at Escuela Especializada en Bellas Artes Pablo Casals. As a performer, he has played in the percussion section of the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra, the Puerto Rico Wind Symphony, and the Puerto Rico Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2019, he joined the 248th Army Band in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he currently serves as a percussionist in various ensembles and as the principal conductor of the concert band. His mentors include Carlos Ávila, Eddy Marcano, Karlo Flores, and Carmen Acevedo.

Jerry Junkin

Serving since 1988 on the faculty of The University of Texas at Austin, where he holds the Vincent R. and Jane D. DiNino Chair for the Director of Bands, in addition to serving as a University Distinguished Teaching Professor, Jerry Junkin is recognized as one of the world’s most highly regarded wind conductors. Previously, he served on the faculties of both the University of Michigan and the University of South Florida. In addition to his responsibilities as professor of music and conductor of the Texas Wind Ensemble, he serves as head of the conducting division and teaches courses in conducting and wind band literature. He has served as music director and conductor of the Hong Kong Wind Philharmonia since 2003, and as artistic director and conductor of the Dallas Winds since 1993. He also serves as visiting professor at the Senzoku Gakuen College of Music Wind Ensemble in Tokyo, Japan. Mr. Junkin has conducted All-State bands and festivals in forty-eight states and five continents, and is a Yamaha master educator.

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Wind Ensemble

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Upcoming Events

Mahler Symphony No. 2, Resurrection
Symphony Orchestra & Combined Choirs
Farkhad Khudyev, conductor
Leah Crocetto, soprano 
Sophio Dzidziguri, mezzo soprano

One of the most beloved symphonies in the canon, Mahler's "Resurrection" symphony boasts a large orchestra, mezzo and soprano soloists, and similarly to Beethoven's 9th Symphony, a large choir in the final movement. For this performance, the Butler School's Concert Chorale and University Chorus ensembles will join forces; they will be joined by Butler School alumni singers and community choral singers from around Austin.

Tuesday, March 31, 8:00 p.m.
Long Center for the Performing Arts

Tickets

WIND ENSEMBLE
MORE MUSIC OF JOHN WILLIAMS
Wednesday, November 5, 7:30 p.m.

WIND SYMPHONY
Sunday, November 9, 4 p.m.
Bates Recital Hall

 SYMPHONY BAND
Wednesday, December 3, 7:30 p.m.
Bates Recital Hall

BUTLER HOLIDAY CONCERT
Featuring Chamber Orchestra & Choirs
December 6, 7:30 p.m.
December 7, 4:00 p.m.
Bates Recital Hall

WIND SYMPHONY & SYMPHONY BAND
Monday, February 9, 2026, 7:30 p.m.
Bates Recital Hall

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