The United States Army Band Violin and Harp Duo performs a program of music titled “Letters from Home”, which honors our Servicemembers, as well as the selfless service and sacrifice of the nation’s medical professionals and essential workers.
Featured Musicians:
Sgt. First Class Annette Barger, Violin
Sgt. First Class Matthew Evans, Violin
Sgt. First Class Nadia Pessoa, Harp
0:00 "Meditation from Thaïs"
Jules Massenet, Arr. Floraleda Sacchi
Meditation from Thaïs was originally written for solo violin and orchestra, as an intermezzo between two acts of French composer Jules Massenet’s opera, “Thais.” The piece was written in 1894, and remains one of the most recognizable and beloved violin solos. This arrangement for violin and harp is by Italian harpist Floraleda Sacchi.
10:39 "Schön Rosmarin"
Fritz Kreisler, Arr. Sgt. First Class Nadia Pessoa
Austrian-born violin virtuoso Fritz Kreisler was one of the most significant and influential violinists of the twentieth century and was a prolific composer of masterworks for the instrument. Schön Rosmarin means “Lovely Rosemary,” and was written as the third of a set of three pieces for violin and piano first published in 1905, the first two being Liebesfreud (“Love’s Joy”) and Liebesleid (“Love’s Sorrow”). This charming waltz is characterized by Kreisler’s lilting and expressive style.
The Soldier-Musicians you see today have performed for a wide range of distinguished guests, from the Chief of Staff of the Army and Medal of Honor recipients to celebrities like Stephen Colbert, Gary Sinise, and Milo Ventimiglia from “This is Us.”
13:55 "Letter from Home"
Pat Metheny, Arr. Sgt. First Class Nadia Pessoa
Letter from Home is the title track from jazz guitarist Pat Metheny’s Grammy Award-winning album in 1989. It is a poignant and introspective piece he frequently performed with his pianist and longtime collaborator, Lyle Mays, who passed away in February 2020.
Does anyone know how many strings a harp has?
Answer: 47 strings.
21:06 "Au Matin"
Marcel Tournier
Marcel Tournier, born in Paris in 1879, is one of a number of French composers who was also an accomplished harpist. He enrolled in the Paris Conservatory as a harp student at the age of 16, studying with Alphonse Hasselmans, and went on to study composition with Charles-Marie Widor. Tournier has written several solo pieces for the harp, but Etude de Concert (Au Matin) (which translates to “In the morning”) remains one of his most well-known. The piece shows off the expressiveness of the harp with shimmering arpeggios, enharmonics, and a flourish at the end.
Time for more harp trivia! How many pedals does a harp have? And what do they do?
Answer: Seven pedals. The pedals change each note to natural, sharp, or flat. Sgt. First Class Pessoa says it’s much worse than driving a car!
25:12 “Goin’ Home” from Symphony No. 9 in E minor, "From the New World”
Antonín Dvořák, Arr. Sgt. First Class Nadia Pessoa
Czech composer Antonin Dvořák wrote his Symphony No. 9, "From the New World," soon after arriving in America in 1893. He had come to New York City to serve as the director of the National Conservatory of Music of America, a conservatory founded to cultivate American music. Shortly afterward, Dvořák began working on his ninth symphony, which he said reflected his "impressions and greetings from the New World.”
The longing and nostalgic solo English horn melody that opens the second movement of the symphony, was later set to words by one of Dvořák's students, William Arms Fisher. He called the new song, "Goin' Home," and published it in 1922.
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