Performers: M. Dee Stewart - Bass Trumpet, Tenor Tuba, Alto Trombone, Tenor Trombone and Bass Trombone, Narrator
Steven Spooner - Piano
While a member of the Philadelphia Orchestra, M. Dee Stewart had the great privilege of playing the tenor tuba (euphonium) part in Don Quixote by Richard Strauss (1864-1949) on special occasions. Most of the performances were conducted by Eugene Ormandy with various well known cello soloists. After Mr. Stewart left the orchestra to teach at Indiana University, several other orchestras contracted him to play Don Quixote and other works involving the tenor tuba and bass trumpet in their ensembles. The experience of performing with different orchestras was truly quite interesting. One Don Quixote performance stands out for me. It was with the New York Philharmonic, Kurt Mazur conducting with Yo-Yo Ma as soloist. Several highlights emerged from that set of concerts; Yo-Yo Ma's playing, the NY brass, the viola solos, and Mr. Stewart's position on stage (dictated by Mazur) next to the bass clarinet, etc. At any rate, Mr. Stewart came away with a renewed enthusiasm for the work.
Having recently completed an exciting period recording Modest Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition with piano and several low brass instruments, Mr. Stewart took up the challenge to see if Don Quixote could be similarly arranged. During that process, the story line became vitally important to the musical interpretation was eventually incorporated into this arrangement.
M. Dee Stewart is a professor of trombones and euphonium at the Indiana University School of Music. Stewart joined the faculty in 1980 after an 18-year tenure with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Extensive teaching in the Philadelphia area included ten years on the faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music. Two degrees in music education from Ball State University and Northwestern University and the tutelage of Arnold Jacobs give Stewart a unique musical and pedagogical perspective.
In demand as a recitalist, clinician, and orchestral musician worldwide, he has performed on special occasions with the Summit Brass, and with orchestras including San Francisco, Honolulu, Minnesota, Phoenix, San Antonio, Tucson, St. Louis, Chicago, Indianapolis and New York. He has also appeared as featured soloist at the International Trombone Festival and the International Tuba and Euphonium Conference.
Steven Spooner is a top prize winner at both the Artlivre International Piano Competition and the Hilton Head International Piano Competition. In addition, he has recorded a large portion of the standard vocal literature for Everythingmusic, makers of Maestro software, and has released his critically acclaimed debut solo recording of Liszt transcriptions on EMR Classics.
Tracks
- Commentary
- Introduction Alto trombone
- Tenor tuba (euphunium) (muted)
- Tenor tuba (muted) Bass trumpet
Tenor tuba, Bass trombone
- Bass trombone
- Commentary
- Thema Bass Trombone
- Tenor tuba
- Commentary
- Variation II (The Adventure of the Windmills)
Tenor tuba
- Variation of II (DThe Battle with the Sheep)
Bass trombone (muted/open) Tenor tuba
- Commentary
- Variation III (Dialogue of Knight and Aquire)
Tenor tuba
- Tenor tuba, Bass trumpet
- Bass trombone, Tenor tuba, Bass trumpet
Tenor tuba
- Commentary
- Variation IV (The Adventure with the Penitents)
Tenor tuba
- Variation V (The Knight's Vigil)
Tenor trombone
- Variation VI (Dulcinea Enchanted)
- Commentary
- Variation VII (The Ride Through the Air)
Wind Machine
- Variation VIII (The Adventure of the Enchanted Boat)
Bass trumpet, Tenor tuba
- Variation IX (The Contest of the Two Monks)
Tenor trombone
- Commentary
- Variations X (The Defeat of Don Quizote by
the Knight of the White Moon)
Tenor trombone
- Tenor tuba
- Finale (The Death of Don Quizote)
Tenor trombone
