Oberlin Wind Ensemble and College Choir to Perform "Dark, but Triumphant" Music, Friday, October 29, 8:00 P.M., in Finney Chapel Story by Michael Chipman Photos by John Seyfried and Michael Chipman
	THE PROGRAM: Brahms: Zigeunerlieder "Gypsy Songs" Op. 103 Oberlin College Choir Frank Martin: Ballade for Viola and chamber ensemble Brahms: Begräbnisgesang "Funeral Hymn" Op. 13 Britten: Sinfonietta Op. 1 for string quintet		The Oberlin Wind Ensemble and College Choir will join forces on Friday, October 29, for a night of "dark, austere and funereal, but triumphant" music, as described by Tim Weiss, associate professor of wind conducting, and Hugh Floyd, assistant professor of choral conducting. The concert, which begins at 8:00 p.m. in Finney Chapel, will feature works of Brahms, Britten and Frank Martin. It is free and open to the public. Oberlin College Choir will open the concert with the Brahms' Zigeunerlieder (Gypsy Songs), Op. 103 for chorus and piano, which Floyd describes as "light and fluffy. These songs are very dance-like -- much like the Liebeslieder Waltzes, actually, but in 2/4 time instead of 3/4 time." The Wind Ensemble will then perform Frank Martin's Ballade for viola and chamber ensemble with alumna violist Kirsten Docter ('92). Docter is now a resident faculty member at the Cleveland Institute of Music. "The ensemble consists of harpsichord, harp, percussion and winds," says Weiss. "The combination of harp and harpsichord is unusual but it makes a nice color -- the bright plucked harpsichord sound and manually plucked strings of the harps give it a unique caste." Weiss describes this piece as "austere" in mood. Brahm's Begräbnisgesang (Funeral Hymn) for winds and chorus will move the mood from austere to funereal. "This piece can be seen as a sort of warm-up to the Requiem in Brahms' works," says Floyd. "It is very similar to the second movement of the Requiem. It was written for a graveside service and maintains an austere simplicity in keeping with that context." The Britten Sinfonietta, Op. 1 for string quintet and woodwind quintet, will round out the program with music which Weiss describes as "dark, but triumphant. The piece is three movements without pause. The opening theme is turned upside down in the last two. It's a great piece with which to end the program." Both Floyd and Weiss suggest that people should not be put off by the dark tone of the music on this program. "The pieces on the program work well together," says Weiss. "A wide palette of sounds is covered, including music for chorus, chorus and winds, wind ensemble, and a viola concerto played by an alum -- all of it very beautiful, moving music."
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