Seattle Symphony Premieres Bernard Rands’ Adieu; Jonathan Biss Premieres Three Pieces for Piano in Mainz, Germany

Bernard Rands sees premieres of his music on two continents this month. First, renowned pianist Jonathan Biss debuts the composer's Three Pieces for Piano on December 3 in Mainz, Germany before embarking on a European and US tour with the work that includes a date at Carnegie Hall on January 21, 2011.

The composer is also one of eighteen composers commissioned to write new compositions on the event of Maestro Gerard Schwarz’s farewell season with the Seattle Symphony, after 26 seasons with the orchestra. The new piece, Adieu, is scored for brass quintet and string orchestra and premieres on December 7. Rands writes:

This brief work is in two parts. The first part divides the fanfare-like material roughly equally between the quintet and the string orchestra, juxtaposing the two instrumental forces, each in turn being prominent. In the second part, the brass quintet plays the entire “fanfare” without a break while the strings alternate between accompanying, punctuating and commenting on the quintet’s music. In responding to this commission, it seemed appropriate to feature brass instruments and in particular the trumpet, which was Maestro Schwarz’ instrument in his spectacularly brilliant career as principal trumpet of the New York Philharmonic before embarking on his equally impressive career as a conductor. It is in this latter context that I, and many living composers, best know him and owe him a debt of gratitude. He has consistently been a fearless advocate for contemporary music across a spectrum of styles and genres – a model to be emulated by all in his profession! In my own case, he gave memorable, exquisite performances of my Canti del Sole with the Ensemble Intercontemporain in Paris and of my Canti dell’ Eclisse with the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Learn more on the music and of Bernard Rands at www.bernardrands.com and his Composer Profile.

More detailed information on the performance can be found at www.seattlesymphony.org.

Bernard Rands
Adieu (2010)
for brass quintet and string orchestra
5’