OZMA for orchestra (1996)
Program notes for the premiere:
Ozma was commissioned by the Topeka Symphony Orchestra to commemorate their 50th anniversary as an orchestra. The tie-in to Oz and Kansas seemed a good starting point for this concert overture. I read several of the sequels to Frank L. Baum’s Wizard of Oz and was immediately taken by Ozma, the third sequel. I set out to compose a “blow by blow” musical correspondence to the story, but soon abandoned this approach as it seemed too accompanimental. What finally came through was a concert opener whose themes were inspired by many of the characters and incidents in the book. It is not a prerequisite, however, to know the story in order to appreciate the music. Just sit back and imagine what you will. Ozma was written over the summer of 1995. I arose every morning at 4:30, fixed a strong cup of coffee, sat down in front of my computer, put on headphones, and listened to a CD of rain and thunderstorms. The piece went from my imagination directly into the computer: no pencil sketches, no piano, no synthesizers — just manually typing notes into the computer. When I finished, the piece clocked in at 15 minutes. In order to “proof” the piece, I connected the computer to two synthesizers, assigned staves to instrument, and the score “played itself.” Over the next week I edited the piece, and pared it down to the slim 10 minute work which you will here tonight.
Ozma was commissioned by the Topeka Symphony Orchestra to commemorate their 50th anniversary as an orchestra. The tie-in to Oz and Kansas seemed a good starting point for this concert overture. I read several of the sequels to Frank L. Baum’s Wizard of Oz and was immediately taken by Ozma, the third sequel. I set out to compose a “blow by blow” musical correspondence to the story, but soon abandoned this approach as it seemed too accompanimental. What finally came through was a concert opener whose themes were inspired by many of the characters and incidents in the book. It is not a prerequisite, however, to know the story in order to appreciate the music. Just sit back and imagine what you will.
Ozma was written over the summer of 1995. I arose every morning at 4:30, fixed a strong cup of coffee, sat down in front of my computer, put on headphones, and listened to a CD of rain and thunderstorms. The piece went from my imagination directly into the computer: no pencil sketches, no piano, no synthesizers — just manually typing notes into the computer. When I finished, the piece clocked in at 15 minutes. In order to “proof” the piece, I connected the computer to two synthesizers, assigned staves to instrument, and the score “played itself.” Over the next week I edited the piece, and pared it down to the slim 10 minute work which you will here tonight.
MP3: Play audio file (ozma.orchestra.mp3)
Ozma by Roger Bourland
You must be logged in to post a comment.
