Welcome to our podcast Band BFFs. The podcast
where we make your music selection less complicated.
On today's episode, we are going to be discussing
Contempo by Michael Story. Cheers to starting
the conversation. Contempo is an old piece. 2004
everybody. Pretty old. Older than your students.
An oldie but a goodie, we think. This piece is
in 3 -4 in the key of concert E flat throughout,
or C minor. Split clarinet parts, split trumpet
parts, the trombone and euphonium part are separated.
They often play the same thing, but not always.
Percussion is important, but you don't need a
big percussion section. Five to six percussionists
will be perfectly fine to cover. all of the parts
of this. What we like about it, three, four,
it's a great opportunity to teach lots of different
style and there's accidentals and some tuning
considerations and really good educational teaching
piece. Yeah, it's also pretty long. Yeah, it's
about three and a half minutes. Three and a half
minutes and let's see, 154 measures. So... Think
that what you will and this is a grade two on
the Texas PMO. Correct. Yep. Okay So at the very
beginning it starts out with just the woodwind
instruments playing for four measures and bells
and triangle The flute and oboe have the main
statement first and it's an accented Statement
so you're starting off with like very firm articulation
Everybody that plays has accented fronts to the
note and this is important because throughout
the piece it's either you're playing and like
an accented fanfare ish type part right or a
staccato part or a lyrical slurry type part so
we'll talk more about that as we get into it
but just be aware that again as Laura mentioned
there's a ton of style considerations So flute
no bows start out and then the clarinet two comes
in with a chord with tenor sax on measure two
and this piece is fast. It's 144 and three so
it's like really quick. It's not in one or anything
but it kind of should have that like waltz type
feel to it for sure. When the clarinet two comes
in it's on an A and that's always just like the
most out of tune note I remember thinking when
we've played this or judged it in the past. So
just be aware right from the get -go get that.
you know get those resonance fingers down, make
sure you get that A in tune. It's a throat tone
A and then it's against a G in the first clarinet
so like not oh I mean it's meant to be above
the staff G. Right so we're throat tone A with
an above the staff G so immediately right out
of the gate you have a color chord tone that's
in a horrible tuning range so just you know be
mindful. And the tenor sax is also on an A but
it's on above the staff A. Right so is supposed
to sound the same, but it's like, ugh. I just
remember that being not super fun right at the
very beginning, and it's exposed. Okay, after
this little opening statement at five, snare
drum comes in on a roll. You have to make sure
your snare plays it very quiet, otherwise it's...
And I want to discuss this for a second. The
snare part throughout this is pretty active in
places where the winds are not as active. So
the part like Katie talking, it's marked forte.
This roll, it does not need to be played forte.
So this often they need to concentrate themselves
halfway between the rim and the center of the
drum in that area dynamically. And you might
even experiment with changing their stick. if
it's still, if they're playing with generals
and it's still too heavy and too loud, you might
try a smaller beaded stick to give them a softer
touch and a little more control, but that's like
a little, an implement trick that you can use
that can help control that volume, and it's important
on this piece. Very, because like she mentioned,
we'll get to it in a sec, it's very active. Okay,
back to five. So now the trumpets come in along
with the woodwinds. upper people and we have
a little opening statement one and two and it's
staccato staccato accent one and two one and
two one and two three and one two and three and
one and the lows come in to like kind of get
it more exciting and build it up with these accented
notes that have start on beat three each time
and tie over so rest rest three three two three
one and so we all lay them together, but it's
all accented. Now, the other thing here, we're
coming in, first trumpets are coming in on an
A, second on a G, and horns are coming in cold
on a third space C. So again, that's another
tuning concern right there that you have to be
aware of. We've talked about it before, but remember
that your horns, I would go down the row one
at a time with your horns and find if they're
better, they are more consistent tuning on the
F. side or B flat side. I will often have my
horns, if we sit in that range of A, B, B flat,
C in there, I will often have my horns play not
on the trigger side of the horn because the tuning
is more stable. So know that and experiment with
that if you need to. Yep. So we're all building
up to nine and then at nine it is just the trumpets
playing. alone with a little bit of like snare
and tom in there unison line between first and
second trumpet and if your trumpets crack or
miss notes here it's an issue because it is completely
isolated so you will only want to play this piece
maybe if you have an extremely solid trumpet
section, or if you have a very large trumpet
section, where in this exposed moment, you maybe
have two or three players on each part play it,
four total, five total, whatever you might need
to do. But like, you cannot let your whole trumpet
section play if they don't all kick on D. If
they don't all, yeah. if they don't all feel
comfortable going within an octave range in this
part, because it goes from a low C to a high
C, and they're jumping around, it's not all like
steps. So they have to really be solid here.
It's not easy. This melody at nine, this is setting
the tone for the rest of the piece. So the style
has to be there, and then the style needs to
be consistent when other instruments come in
with the same melodic idea. The good news is
the trumpets have this for at least half the
piece. So if you can get them to be able to play
this really well, then they're solid for the
rest of the piece. They're gonna layer down when
other instruments come in and things like that,
but they have it over and over and over. But
the D kicking is a big deal. And at the end of
their opening statement at measure 15, they're
holding a D, so they've got a kick. That's where
the lows come in, and they have an accented again
on one, three, to it's like a little syncopated
like an eola yeah an accent and have a little
space between those chords so you can hear that
um is a great idea and then flu clarinet one
and oboe have like a little slurry part going
into 17 just while the trumpets are holding.
First clarinets are consistently above the break.
Yes and above the staff a lot. Yes and doubling
what's happening in flute and oboe. So that's
a tuning thing to be mindful of right. But this
opening statement I think these this accented
thing needs to be like almost like bell tones.
Yeah right and that sets the this the table for
everybody else. We get to measure 17 and it's
trumpets repeat. It's the same little thematic
thing that we had before, trumpets isolated by
themselves. Now what's different is when we get
to measure 23, the trombone, euphonium, and low
reeds come in to kind of finish this statement.
Instead of that hemiola thing, now they're coming
in with their accented quarter notes that have
to match exactly with what the trumpets set up
before they pass it back off to trumpets again
at 25. Yep, there's like a little flute oboe
clarinet slurry. thing again going into 25 so
again it's kind of a repeat at 25 the trumpets
continue on the same statement now the alto sax
phones have joined them and the flutes oboes
and clarinets have a new part that should be
brought out a little bit it's just a little like
counter melody the lows are all in now and they
need to be soft I know when a low right low reeds
and low brass when I've played this in the past
it's been difficult because this is where it
it gets noisy because everybody's like playing...
it doesn't say like you play softer you play
louder it just is everybody still playing forte
so you've got to either write that in for your
kids or teach them and make sure that they've
layered things down and the low brass and low
reeds are only providing a harmonic foundation
here right so they just they're just chords in
the background this is where the snare enters
with that really active part this is the first
time that the full ensemble were 2d band here
at 25 and everybody's playing we've katie's just
talked about layering and prioritizing parts
snare comes in on this really active part and
I think that contributes to the noisy quality
right here. I totally agree. So the snare needs
to be much softer than the dynamic that's written
and we've already talked about you know considering
changing sticking or sticks sorry but but closer
to the edge get out of the way. And it's fast
and it's active and it's like It can be overwhelming
like I mean you need to have a good snare yes,
they can either play too loud or they can rush
crazily There's a lot of things that could go
wrong. So make sure your best kid is on this
part When we get to the end of this statement
At 32 the trombone euphonium low read part. They
have this little like they're moving in fifths
They're doing like this little chromatic line
1 2 3 1 and they're kind of building us up So
just make sure that the tuning is really set
there at 33 we continue the same statement the
same priority realization of balance. Trumpets
are doing the same thing. So here what I would
do is I would try to feature something different,
right? So that's the same theme again. Katie
talked about having the upper woodwinds at 25.
This would be a great place, right? So instead
of just playing the same thing three times in
a row, direct the listener's ear where you want
it to go and that's your choice. At 39 the low
people have another cool little moment where
they go 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, and 1. And it's like a
little scale going down, leading us into 41.
I always like bringing that part out. Again,
the flute clarinet 1 and oboe are doing a little
slurry statement for a measure going into 41,
too. But I like this little low brass, low reeds
moment. Now it's the first time we have a new
theme from the trumpets. So they have a new articulated
melody. More lyrical. Yep. ta ta ta ta. And you
have to make sure that they don't cheat and they
tongue both of the eighth notes on beat three.
You're gonna hear ta ta ta. Yes, that one. That's
actually harder. So ta ta ta ta. And you have
to make sure that it is exact because it comes
back again. And then I think it comes back later
in the piece. I can't remember, but it's at least
here. And then the lows are kind of just doing
like little interjections here and there, still
accented, lots of accents all the time. When
the trumpets finish their little moment at 47,
the mood of the piece kind of changes here. It
gets a little bit more like lyrical, mysterious.
The toms come in with this little part and they're
getting softer and softer and we lead into 49.
it's a totally new idea here. So first clarinet
is on an F sharp top line of the staff, and second
clarinet is on a throat tone A, so that's fun.
And this is exposed, it's clarinets and then
it has some low reed and some bassoon and euphonium
accompaniment with it, right? And that's it,
it's really exposed. This needs to be very smooth,
it needs to be very in tune, they need to move
together, nice balance. to have more than one
first clarinet play that. For sure. It's soft,
there's no percussion happening right here. So
just pick your best, make it treat it like a
solo and make it a really special solo here.
Now in this section we start to see accidental
city. We mentioned the F sharp accidentals and
clarinets. We also have C sharps and B natural
accidentals happening everywhere in here. Once
we get to the fifth measure of the phrase there
is a written trumpet solo, so we've already talked
about the fact that you need a strong trumpet
section, but this solo, like I would treat it
like you do the clarinet, what we're calling
a solo, what I would do is a solo. And it's like
a little convo back and forth. Exactly, exactly.
Then there's this really cool accompaniment part
that happens, I do too, I do too, it happens
in the low brass, horns, alto, tenor, some of
the low reeds, that's a dotted quarter eight
pattern and it's tied, so one, And one, two,
three, one, and one, two, three. and it changes
style. It does. It changes accidentals all over
the place. The syncopated pattern is accented
and then everything else is either unaccented
or slurred. Be natural and trombone. Yeah, thank
you. That's fun, yeah. So and it's got to be
soft because you don't want it to overtake the
trumpet solo. But accurate. Soft but accurate.
Which is hard, yeah. Then at 57. we're back to
the little clarinet and this is beautiful writing
and you want to encourage your kids to lead through
the phrase to push through long notes one two
and three and one three one two and three and
one three one it just makes it sound really musical
I'm sorry if that was off -key I just don't remember
off the top of my head but That's the same thing
right and the clarinet too is holding notes underneath.
They need to do the same thing They also need
to lead through to the moving note This is a
great opportunity to teach some more of that
like lyrical musical type styles so this section
one little rehearsal trick that I Utilize I feel
like the key center here and the tonality shifts
And it's it's different and sometimes kids have
a hard time like hearing it and getting the tuning
accurate So a rehearsal tip that you can use
with that, this whole section from I would say
maybe 49 up to at least 65, if you have the students
play the first note of the measure and hold it
and play it like a chorale, you're gonna play
a dotted half note, the first note of every measure,
and that will get eventually, and I've done this
where we treat it exactly like a chorale. This
is gonna be our contempo chorale. we play this
section and they get the harmonic foundation
in their ear. When you do it repeatedly like
anything, it settles so much easier. And then
when you go back and put the moving notes on
it, they have that harmonic foundation in their
ear. So in a section like this where it shifts
and it's way different, that's a trick that can
help build your kid's confidence and make them
more pitch stable and tuning stable. Yep, that's
awesome. Then it ends like Laura said at 65 and
then we have another new statement This is still
again from first clarinet, but now the oboe has
joined in so this is gonna be kind of like a
primary Voice that you want to bring out so they
have a new thought three one and three and one
or sorry one and two and one and two and one
and three and one two and that's in the trumpet
part and then it goes to add in the flute so
This is very lyrical -y. You'll notice in the
parts, there's way less accents other than the
the hemiola one and one, two, three, one. Those
are the only accent in notes. Everything else
is connected or slurred or has tenutos in the
melody. So making this sound very seamless, making
sure kids aren't breathing in the same spots,
that will be very helpful. The trumpets kind
of have a little bit of an interaction with the
upper woodwinds, but they for sure are the stars
here. The tuba part at 68 goes down to an E natural.
They have a lot of E's and A's and B's just like
the euphonium and trombone did before at 65,
but it's new because they play alone this like
bass part. They're doing that, yeah. Like the
harmonic foundation. Yeah, but then the trombones
and euphoniums add back in at 71, but there's
a big moment where it's just bass clarinet, tuba,
bari sax alone with that bass. line. Now at this
section before we get to the new idea at 74,
the trumpets and saxophones and horns come in
on beat two echoing the upper woodwind melody
one and two one and two but it is not accented
and I think that's really important because the
melodic statement is slurred. Right? So you want
to make sure that they're not stinging the front
of the notes. Otherwise it makes the upper woodwinds
sound bumpy. Right? So just make sure that you're
very careful of the fact that these are not accented.
Yep. The trumpets then have this little interlude
in response to the upper woodwinds at 72 leading
into 74 and it's a little bit high up for the
first trumpet starting on a C sharp third space
and leading up to a D and I just know every time
I've played this piece the second trumpet starts
on a B flat and it's it's A sharp G sharp F sharp
G sharp A sharp B So it's just like, it's a lot,
you know, and kids are like, so the tuning I
remember was pretty crazy here and just like
kids' brains not understanding what all the sharp
notes mean and everything. So just take some
time. It's the only thing occurring there. Everybody
else is just crescendoing going into 74. At 74,
we continue the same lyrical type thought in
the flute oboe clarinet one again. We still have
chords happening in everybody else's part. trumpet
solo again at 78 everybody else on the accompaniment
needs to stay softer underneath that trumpet
solo and it's harder because now there's more
people are doing it that's right so everybody's
got to be really real quiet here 82 same exact
thing same exact trumpet part same considerations
with staying soft leading into 90 and snare through
all of this there is this action happening over
here it's not it's not a terribly easy snare
part rest and two three and and and and and two,
three, and, and, and, and one, and that's opposite
of what's happening in the bass drum. So I mean,
like you need to, I know we've touched on it,
but make sure that your percussion are solid
and, and the snare drum is most important, but
that's not the only one. Yeah, for sure. Okay.
At 90, the trumpets have their famous statement
from the beginning, but now the first trumpet
is up an octave on the Ds. So that's fun because
it's a high D in first trumpet and a low D in
second trumpet. So it's an octave. And then another
octave. And so it's octave C's, octave high F's,
octave E naturals, and we're 90 measures into
the piece. So like your trumpet ones are gonna
be tired, because they don't rest a lot. They're
playing. And so this, I know, can be kind of
a little bit of a toony nightmare. We still got
50 measures left. So just keep that in mind.
Your trumpets have got to be physically able
to play the entire piece. That's right. Okay,
so they have the statements. We've already talked
ad nauseam about how to play this, but the whole
band has accents again here. We're done with
the lyrical section. At 96, the full band has
a five count. Hold, held note. Snare's finishing
out his little thought or her little thought.
Thank you. I just always think of, yeah. I'd
like the drum, not like the drummer. Oh, okay.
I don't know why, but I think the snare drum,
yeah. Okay, but they don't, yeah. Okay, so they're
holding the note out. One, two, three, one. And
I've always taught everybody's off on two so
that there's a hard lift. I agree completely.
Okay, and then everybody comes. Zach Beck and
or almost everybody on three so one two three
one let time three one three now it's different
and now at 101 it's sneaky it's mysterious again
it's quiet this is where the snare drummer has
got to be solid. They have to have a lot of control.
It's written piano, so they're going to be closer
to the edge, way lower stick height. It's that
same part from before. Right, absolutely. But
there's like nobody playing on top of them. Nothing.
It's little tiptoes. That's exactly right. They
are providing all of the forward momentum here.
So they have to have lots of control. I love
this. I really love this section. I think it's
cute. there are all these little staccato note
interjections that you have to make sure your
students start with their tongue. And that it's
all exactly lined up like a pizzicato on a bass.
Exactly. The style here is so fun, and I love
this part too, like you just said. Then the clarinets
come in with another little lyrical, pretty little
moment. This time, though, we're all written
low, which is nice. It's just a little quieter
here. And don't be afraid to add some shaping.
Oh, you have to. Decide how you want that phrasing
to sound. At 113, they continue going on, but
now the trumpets come in with that short kind
of pizzicato types. uh moment but they need to
also be very quiet they're not the melody It's
just like it's real cutesy here and then all
of a sudden at 119 It's like surprise. Now we're
excited and it's forte and it's just trumpet
horn with alto sax coloring the horn It's like
a fanfare one and two three and one two and three
and one low big low brass boom boom boom boom
and then at 123 we get back into or we haven't
had this before yeah this is a new another new
thought this is now upper woodwind and trumpet
together and horn two three and one and two and
two three two three and then it's slurry and
this part that part right there accompaniment
notes and everybody else this upper part in the
trumpet with the flute because they're in the
same range, and the clarinet one part is just
kind of like... It can be shrill. Yes, and it's
hard because we're almost at the end of the piece.
Your first trumpets are tired by this time. And
this phrase is written to end on a staccato note.
Two, three, one, two, three, one. Yes, so do
not let them smack the note. We talk about the
visual of letting a helium balloon go versus
a rocket ship. Shooting off right those are two
totally different things and this is a let the
helium balloon go just let it float. Yep It continues
on. The lows are just playing chords here. It's
easy peasy on normal notes. And then we're crescendoing
up to 141. This is the last moment of the piece.
Now we're back to the octave. Nope, not octaves.
Different harmonic structure, but the first trumpet
is playing the main melody up high with clarinet
one up there. The second trumpet and second.
Clarinet part's just a little bit different now.
But we're back to the accented moment. The snare
drum's still going. Then we're leading to the
end at 147. We have these little half notes from
brass and low reeds that need to be soft and
grow as you're leading to the final moment at
151. The clarinet part here is pretty... interesting
because it's like it's very doodly is what I
call it so it's one two and three and one two
and three and one two and three and one so it's
moving around a lot and it's Probably like one
of the only times in the piece where there's
like kind of constant stuff happening in the
upper woodwinds And it is not marked for the
top of the slur to be staccato Don't let them
clip that short and so each time the half notes
are getting a little bit louder a little bit
louder They are doing the same thing. They should
be getting louder and louder 151 the full band
plays together. There's a big timpani This is
the really the only big timpani I went. Yep.
Um, oh my gosh I totally forgot one time when
I played this I didn't have enough players for
the piece and I just thought of it because you
said that we had a kid run over and play the
timpani part only here and that's it. It's the
only moment it matters. But it took you saying
that to jog my memory. So yeah, timpani while
everybody's holding this cord and it's a picardy
third. Thank you. Yes it is. You only get that
if you've listened to any of our other episodes
everybody. Okay so we're holding it and it's
got to be really in tune. And it's a it's a C
major chord and it's this piece is in C minor.
It's a C major chord and yeah and yeah first
trumpets are on fourth line D flutes are above
the staff on C the first clarinets are on fourth
line D trombones are a C above the staff. I mean
y 'all do not be afraid to rewrite this. Rewrite
this chord to make it sound good. It's a it's
a thing. end of the piece, this is not an easy
piece. Take it down around too. Yes! Make it
sound good. And then it's going to lead into
the ending, which is just one, two, three, and
one. And down. yeah that's right it's a really
really fun piece but it is not for the faint
of heart because of the length and some of the
tuning challenges that exist due to the writing
but it's a wonderful piece and oldie buddy goodie
as laura said if you have the if you have the
ensemble to play it like make sure that the juice
really is worth the squeeze with this one right
but it is if your ensemble is able to handle
it i think it's a Great piece. Yes. Well we hope
you will consider programming Contempo in the
future and thank you for joining us on this episode
of Band BFFs!