FRANK STEMPER, COMPOSER
Memories From Euphoria (1986)
for guitar and harpsichord [15 mins.]
three movements:
I. Marchlike II. Dolce III. Marcato
Premiered during OUTSIDE THE BOX 2010
by Christopher Allen, guitar & David Lyons, harpsichord
Opus 16 — A.S.C.A.P. work I.D. 432717956
SCORE
by Christopher Allen, guitar & David Lyons, harpsichord
Opus 16 — A.S.C.A.P. work I.D. 432717956
SCORE
NOTES
This is a rather simple, straight-forward piece for guitar and harpsichord. The first and third movements are aural imitations of music from the 12-tone period, mid-1920s through the 30s. I say imitations, because the piece was not composed with a row, but only to sound like a row. My music is influenced by the music of the serial composers of the 20th century, but only once did I ever actually use a set – and when I did (FOUR PIANO PIECES), the set was not made up of the 12 chromatic pitches. It may have been a 5 or 7 note set. The idea of MEMORIES FROM EUPHORIA was to give the impression that the piece was strictly 12-tone – to give the impression.
The theme of the 2nd movement was composed while living in Paris in the early 1980s. For some reason, the idea of a single pitch, sounded and sustained, being interrupted by the alternate player in the duet appealed to me. I also used this idea in my flute/piano duet, BIND. It seems whenever I write for two instruments, i.e. duet, I treat the players as if they were good friends and often complete each other’s thoughts and statements. EASY MAD is another example of this.
DIRT
MEMORIES FROM EUPHORIA was not commissioned. It was requested by a former colleague of mine, a classical guitarist, but he never performed it. Can’t imagine the lack of professionalism or moral compass that would allow a fellow to think that making the deal “you write it and I’ll perform it,” and then welch without explanation. Three times during my career this happened to me. One piece was ROPE, one of my favorite pieces, which was requested by another former colleague, an alto sax player, who also never performed the piece. The third was my woodwind quintet, DREAMS, also requested by former colleagues, who also reneged. Creeps. All three were disturbing.
However, these three cop-outs have a happy ending – for me, not for the weasels. In the end, I ended up with three pieces in my catalogue, and two of them have so far had wonderful performance lives:
ROPE was premiered in St. Louis, at a concert on the New Music Circle series – “Frank Stemper’s 60th Birthday Concert” by the Altgeld Chamber Players, who also recorded it.
The score to DREAMS somehow found its way to Romania and had its world premiere in Bucharest by the Quintette Concorde, who also performed it in Germany, Japan, and other exotic locales. And this new Romanian connection turned into three Guest Composer residencies and the commission of my organ concerto, MORNING DANCE, and two septets for the Archaeus Ensemble, MODERN RITUALS FOR A PRIMITIVE SOCIETY and (SEVEN) SEPARATE WAYS. Not too long after its Romanian premiere, DREAMS received its American premiere by the Sylvan Winds in Carnegie Hall!
MEMORIES FROM EUPHORIA was finally premiered approx. 30 years later, by Christopher Allen, a student of the heavyset bloke who stiffed me way back then. Although I never complained, and the student knew nothing of his former teacher’s amateurish slight, I think perhaps he did know and wanted to try to make it right.
This is a rather simple, straight-forward piece for guitar and harpsichord. The first and third movements are aural imitations of music from the 12-tone period, mid-1920s through the 30s. I say imitations, because the piece was not composed with a row, but only to sound like a row. My music is influenced by the music of the serial composers of the 20th century, but only once did I ever actually use a set – and when I did (FOUR PIANO PIECES), the set was not made up of the 12 chromatic pitches. It may have been a 5 or 7 note set. The idea of MEMORIES FROM EUPHORIA was to give the impression that the piece was strictly 12-tone – to give the impression.
The theme of the 2nd movement was composed while living in Paris in the early 1980s. For some reason, the idea of a single pitch, sounded and sustained, being interrupted by the alternate player in the duet appealed to me. I also used this idea in my flute/piano duet, BIND. It seems whenever I write for two instruments, i.e. duet, I treat the players as if they were good friends and often complete each other’s thoughts and statements. EASY MAD is another example of this.
DIRT
MEMORIES FROM EUPHORIA was not commissioned. It was requested by a former colleague of mine, a classical guitarist, but he never performed it. Can’t imagine the lack of professionalism or moral compass that would allow a fellow to think that making the deal “you write it and I’ll perform it,” and then welch without explanation. Three times during my career this happened to me. One piece was ROPE, one of my favorite pieces, which was requested by another former colleague, an alto sax player, who also never performed the piece. The third was my woodwind quintet, DREAMS, also requested by former colleagues, who also reneged. Creeps. All three were disturbing.
However, these three cop-outs have a happy ending – for me, not for the weasels. In the end, I ended up with three pieces in my catalogue, and two of them have so far had wonderful performance lives:
ROPE was premiered in St. Louis, at a concert on the New Music Circle series – “Frank Stemper’s 60th Birthday Concert” by the Altgeld Chamber Players, who also recorded it.
The score to DREAMS somehow found its way to Romania and had its world premiere in Bucharest by the Quintette Concorde, who also performed it in Germany, Japan, and other exotic locales. And this new Romanian connection turned into three Guest Composer residencies and the commission of my organ concerto, MORNING DANCE, and two septets for the Archaeus Ensemble, MODERN RITUALS FOR A PRIMITIVE SOCIETY and (SEVEN) SEPARATE WAYS. Not too long after its Romanian premiere, DREAMS received its American premiere by the Sylvan Winds in Carnegie Hall!
MEMORIES FROM EUPHORIA was finally premiered approx. 30 years later, by Christopher Allen, a student of the heavyset bloke who stiffed me way back then. Although I never complained, and the student knew nothing of his former teacher’s amateurish slight, I think perhaps he did know and wanted to try to make it right.