Applying Classical Composing Skills to Popular Styles
A talented composer new to me.

The Sonoran Winds Quintet concert, on November 18 & 19 at Scottsdale's ASU Kerr and Prescott's Ruth Street Theater, was entirely designed by the quintet. When Arizona Philharmonic programs chamber concerts, we invite the musicians to propose the repertoire for the concert. Inevitably, I discover new music and new composers that I previously did not know.

With the Sonoran Winds concert, I was delighted to be introduced to Andrey Rubtsov, a relatively young conductor and composer (born in 1982). A deep dive into his oeuvre reveals a diverse set of styles ranging from lyrical to playful to introspective.

Some of his works speak to me with intricate tensions slowly unfolding into heartfelt releases, and some speak to me through flawless playfulness reflective of earlier or more popular styles. The third work on our program falls into the latter category, echoing this concert's repeated theme of composers applying deep skillsets to earlier or "simpler" styles. The end result is music that unassumingly shines with craft and beauty.

Below is a video of the movement opening the second half of the Sonoran Winds concert: "Allegro Vivo "of Rubtsov's Four Bagatelles for Woodwind Quartet. Our program notes writer, J. Michael Allsen, points out that "Bagatelle implies a short, light, and entertaining musical work, and Rubtsov’s Four Bagatelles for Woodwind Quartet fit this description perfectly." Movements two, three, and four make me think of various composers: Khatchaturian (as intended by Rubtsov), Beethoven (although it sounds nothing like Beethoven!), and Denes Agay (who we featured on the Sonoran Winds concert two years ago).

Rubstov's "Allegro Vivo" of the Bagatelles (shown in the video below) is described by J. Michael Allsen as a "1940s-style pop song above a jazzy background", reminiscent of the "1946 song Beyond the Sea". And the implementation is expertly composed, employing craft that typically comes from years of formal study and effort.

When you watch the video, listen for the intentional articulations of the notes (short, long, slurred, etc.); for how the music is subtly varied in the repetitions (especially in the accompaniment figures); for phrase endings that are interrupted and extended; and for musical elements passed back and forth between the different instruments. I think you will like how this mid-20th-century style is treated by a formally trained composer and conductor.

I hope you have enjoyed this exploration of each composer's way of breaking from a contemporary norm.  If you missed any of the three previous articles on this concert, you can find them here.

Come enjoy the variety of sounds and beautiful music at one of Sonoran Winds' two concerts: Saturday, November 18, 7:30, at Scottsdale's ASU Kerr recital hall, and Sunday, November 19, 3:00 at Prescott's Ruth Street Theater. See you there!

- Henry Flurry, Artistic Director

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