Sarah Bates-Kennard, Oboe
Doctoral Recital Series
Katzin Concert Hall\ April 1, 2017 \ 2:30 p.m.

Program

Fantasia sull' opera Poliuto di Donizetti

Antonino Pasculli
(1842-1924)

Neilson Chen, piano

Quartet for Oboe and Strings
I.
II.
III.
IV.

Gordon Percival Septimus Jacob
(1895-1984)

Allegro moderato
Scherzo: Allegro molto - Presto
Andante semplice
Rondo: Allegro molto
Meghan Ruel, violin
Sarah Knight, viola
Elliot Yang, cello

**There will be a I 0-minute intermission**

Concerto in C Minor for Oboe, Violin, Strings, and Basso Continuo,
BWV 1060
I.
II.
III.

Johann Sebastian Bach
(1685-1750)

Allegro
Adagio
Allegro
Meghan Ruel, solo violin
Alex O'Boyle-Ince and Izayah Dutcher, violins
Sarah Knight, viola
Elliot Yang, cello
Yi Lu, harpsichord

ARIZONA

STATE

UNIVERSITY

School of Music

Sarah Bates-Kennard, Oboe
Program Notes
Antonino Pasculli was one of the greatest oboe virtuosos in historical memory. Not satisfied with
the repertoire for the instrument that had developed over the previous 200 years, Pasculli decided
to write his own. He was ever jealous of the beautiful melodies opera singers cantillate, but
having a voice akin to the yowl of a cat in heat, he took the operatic features and turned them
into technically challenging pieces that he could perform. Fantasia sull'opera Poliuto di
Donizetti takes its thematic material from the Donizetti's opera Poliuto, which is a tragic opera
reflecting on the life of the early Christian martyr Saint Polyeuctus, who is sentenced to death in
the prison of the Temple of Jupiter. The noodley nature of the piece impressed Italians far and
wide, which earned Pasculli so much regard that a form of pasta was named after him. To this
day, if you go to Italy and order the Pasculli Primavera, Italians will get misty-eyed as they
reflect on the golden age of oboe. Now, focus your attention on the stage as Sarah offers herself
as a martyr to the oboe gods, much like Poliuto to Jupiter. - Bryan Kennard

Gordon Percival Septimus Jacob attended the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and
was placed in the Gryffindor house. However, in his sixth year, he accidentally banished a
classmate to a parallel reality and was subsequently expelled from the famous school. He then
enrolled in the Royal College of Music to study composition, music theory, and conducting and
went on to become one of England's most well-respected composers. A strong proponent of
melody, Jacob held the avant-garde movement in little regard, saying "I personally feel repelled
by the intellectual snobbery of some progressive artists ... the day that melody is discarded
altogether, you may as well pack up music ... ". Jacob' s Quartet for Oboe and Strings is one of
many important works that he wrote for the instrument. It is of his finest chamber works and
features contrapuntal sophistication and demanding string writing, which was likely inspired by
his days studying the intricacies of charms with Filius Flitwick at Hogwarts. It is larger in scope
and character than many of his other chamber works. Jacob still practiced magic occasionally
until his death. - Bryan Kennard

What can be written about the great Johnny Bach that hasn't been said a hundred times over?
Many people today revere his compositions as true works of not only musical genius, but praise
to The Great Creator Himself. Bach was a man ahead of his time, ascribing to the "Reduce,
Reuse, Recycle" adage as early as the 181h Century. For example, he wrote the Concerto in C
Minor for Oboe, Violin, Strings, and Basso Continuo (BW3 1060) also as a concerto for two
harpsichords. However, he did not apply the principle to reproduction, as he fathered 20 children.
Sadly, due to the lack of recording technology, even up to his death in 1750, we will never be
able to witness firsthand Bach's skills at the organ. His famous improvisation entitled "Baby Got
Bach" was the basis of a recent lawsuit between a panel of musicologists and Sir Mix-a-Lot.
However, with no extant recordings of Bach's original, musicologists were unable to prove the
the 1992 hit "Baby Got Back" was a direct copyright infringement. - Sarah Bates-Kennard