Summary: A Prophecy Of Peace By Samuel Adler

During the spring semester of 2015, the Sam Houston State University music department conducted a concert that showcased the works of contemporary composer Samuel Adler. Not only was Adler himself in the audience, he was a clinician for each of the ensembles and worked with them directly. Adler wrote music for many different types of groups. At this concert alone, the Sam Houston State University Chorale, Symphony Orchestra, and Wind Ensemble were featured. Included in the program of this concert are the pieces “A Prophecy of Peace,” “Requiescat in Pace,” and “Southwestern Sketches.” Samuel Adler’s “A Prophecy of Peace” is a choral composition sung at this concert by the Sam Houston State University Chorale. The beginning started off in a
monophonic texture similar to what a chant would sound like. Eventually, the alto and soprano voices started to imitate the lower voices. However, throughout the majority of the piece, the voices seemed to be in unison rhythmically. For the most part, the only differences between the different parts were the pitches and harmonies. The piece started off forte at an allegro tempo, but it suddenly changed to mezzo piano and would switch between the two volumes throughout the piece. The change in dynamics were rather sudden as opposed to gradual. This piece was both melismatic and syllabic, and it did also appear to have a lot of chromaticism in its melody as it got further in. The harmonies and chords were not ones commonly heard in current popular western music. The Sam Houston State University Symphony Orchestra then played Samuel Adler’s “Requiescat in Pace.” It started off at pianissimo and had a mysterious tone to it.
There was a clarinet solo with some very light accompaniment in the background. The solo was then passed off to other instruments as the orchestra began to crescendo gradually to a nice forte volume. The low brass section had a heavy, accented bass line, and the cymbal clashes and timpani added in to give the piece a lot of power. Then the French horns took over with the melody while the high woodwinds played very dissonant chords. Up until this point, the piece was dominated by the wind section of the orchestra. Then, the lower strings took the melody and accompaniment and played in a very smooth, legato style at a mezzo forte volume. After that feature, the strings and winds became intertwined, and the piece stays very dissonant for the rest of the time. The piece ended somewhat similar to how it started – pianissimo without the element of
mystery. “Southwestern Sketches” is a band composition of Adler’s, and this one is played by the Sam Houston State University Wind Ensemble.
In the beginning, the brass sustained a note, crescendoed, and finished the idea at a fortissimo volume. It was very brass and percussion heavy, and there gave it a lot of power. All of that was then offset by a woodwind entrance, and the tone of the piece got a lot calmer as the volume suddenly went to a mezzo piano and a moderato tempo. Then it went to a subito forte volume at an allegro tempo when the brass joined back in. There was one section in the piece where a piccolo held out a very high note during a soft part, and it was hard to tell whether it was supposed to be a dissonant moment or if the piccolo was really out of tune. After that part, the percussion came in with a syncopated rhythm where unusual notes were accented. Then the brass responded to that and accented unusual notes in their melody as well. That cadence ended with a dissonant chord, and the piece moved into series of duets. The timbre was very mellow, and the tempo was at an andante. Once again, the piece changed directions and suddenly was back at an allegro. The flutes had the melody while the clarinets played a countermelody underneath it. Eventually, brass and percussion joined in again and brought the overall volume of the band back to a forte, and the piece finished out strong. The majority of this piece was in duple
meter. These were only three of the seven pieces performed in the concert. This was contemporary music all written during the twentieth century, and I thought it was very neat how the composer of the pieces was in attendance and helped out. It was also nice how there was a choral, orchestral, and two band groups that performed. As long as the concert was, I did enjoy it.