SFCCO performs Ha-Me'aggel for Orchestra

Ha-Me'aggel (one who draws circles) for Orchestra by Michael Cooke was originally written for his quintet (woodwinds, trombone, cello, koto and percussion), the Cooke Quintet. The group recorded this work on "An Indefinite Suspension of The Possible" released on Black Hat Records. It has four sections, which in the original version could be played in any order, a form known as circle music. Michael felt that this piece would adapt well as a Concerto for Saxophone or Orchestra, though he had to make the form less flexible for an orchestra. There is some freedom to allow different instruments be featured but in tonight's concert alto sax (Michael Cooke), clarinet (Jonathan Russell), piano (Alexis Alrich) and timpani (Victor Flaviani) are featured instruments. The melodies in the piece were written using a Klezmer scale, which made me think of the story of Onias (Honi) Ha-Me'aggel, a first century Jewish scholar who drew a circle and placed himself in the center of it, praying for rain and whose prayers were mysteriously and immediately answered. Michael's prayers where also answered, as this piece was made possible by a Creative Connections Award from Meet The Composer.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Klezmer
• improvisation
• classical
• concerto
• composition
• Masada
• modern
• orchestra
• saxophone
• clarinet
• piano
• SFCCO
• symphony
• jewish
• zorn

[Murphyalex]

You mention the Klezmer scale in your description, and I have come across many versions of Klezmatic modes named all sorts of different things, could you give me a tone/semitone pattern for what scale you're referring to?

Is it the same as the double harmonic scale?

[SFCCO]

There are many different Klezmer scales, as music developed in many regions of the world. The scale used in this work is Ahava Raba (great love): Also called 'Freygish', altered Phrygian (Beregowski) or 'Hijaz' (as Arab mode). Idelsohn suggests that this mode is Tartaric (13th century). It sounds similar to the phrygian mode, but contains a major third degree.

1 b2 3 4 5 b6 b7

[PianistCor]

I absolutely LOVE THIS!!! FANTASTIC!

[cheekychiko]

good orchestration!!! love it