MUSIC FOR THE EUPHONIUM
WHITE, Donald H., Lyric Suite, G. Schirmer, Inc. , New York, 1972.
This piece, a favorite of mine, has been on the market for a few years, but is just now gaining the recognition it deserves. Definitely a major opus, its technical demands and length place it in the more advanced category of recital material.
The range is from E to b', but difficulty in coordinating the accompaniment with the solo part proves to be the time consuming quality of this piece.
The first movement is marked "Adagio Cantabile" with a slower section in the middle. Those are only guides, and the movement should be played with some rubato.
The second movement, "Allegro Guisto", is the most difficult to put together with the accompaniment, due to trying licks in both parts and polyrhythms halfway through the movement. This movement has a tendency to rush, and should be practiced with a metronome to gain stability in the performance.
The third movement, "Andante Sostenuto", is a spot where a mute can be used effeetively, though not marked in the score. I suggest the mute be used from "D" to "G", and again from "J" to the end of the movement.
Movement four, "Allegro Emergico", gathers all of the ideas of the previous movements for a final dash to the end. Again, the rather tough accompaniment requires much practice together.
Although there are no recordings of this piece commercially available at this time, it is a very significant piece of music a and I hope we will soon see it recorded.
[Purchase Lyric Suite here...]
by Lee Dummer, associate editor.
Editor's note: The fine article on the White Lyric Suite was done this month by EUPHONIA'S new associate editor, Mrs Lee Dummer. Lee recently arrived in the U.S. Army Band, "Pershing's Own", at Fort Myer, Virginia. A graduate of Gustavus Adolphus College In Saint Peter, Minnesota, Lee was midway through his Masters in performance at the Eastman School of Music when the position at the Army Band came up, and Lee traded In his position of first‑chair Euphoniumist with the Eastman Wind Ensemble for his current job in "Pershing's Own".
So. here's a warm welcome to Lear well be looking forward to more fine articles
in the future.
NOTE: this article is reprinted from Euphonia magazine, May, 1977, with permission of the publisher, Glenn Call.
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