bored2damax Posted October 23, 2005 Posted October 23, 2005 If you have to choose between Eric Whitacre's "October" or Frank Tichelli's "An American Elegy", which would you choose? Just curious. To listen to "October" go to this link: http://www.ericwhitacre.com/main.html To listen to "An American Elegy" go to this link: http://manhattanbeachmusiconline.com/manha...ican_elegy.html Quote
acsc1312 Posted October 23, 2005 Posted October 23, 2005 Ummmmm, I'm gonna have to say Ticheli...it touched me more than Whitacre's I love the music of both, but on this one it's all Ticheli. Quote
mbui Posted October 23, 2005 Posted October 23, 2005 October. I like Whitacre's works so much more than Ticheli. Quote
Moose Posted October 23, 2005 Posted October 23, 2005 The Whitacre. American Elegy always sounded kind of "middle school" to me. Quote
Xukaniz Posted October 23, 2005 Posted October 23, 2005 American Elegy. It may sound "middle-schoolish", but it was written because of the columbine shootings. Quote
chickora Posted October 23, 2005 Posted October 23, 2005 I would have to say "October". It touched me a bit more and had a lot more dynamic contrasts to pull me. It seemed it was shaped more. However, the other song isn't so bad. I wouldn't mind playing. I like how there is a lot of clarinet parts. :-D Quote
bored2damax Posted October 23, 2005 Author Posted October 23, 2005 I have played both songs and An American Elegy is easier than October but i would choose October because it has more emotions, (i guess thats the word for it). We also made the judson director cry when we performed this for UIL. Quote
chsgpband06 Posted October 23, 2005 Posted October 23, 2005 Tichelli all the way! He is awesome. We played his "An American Elegy" and it got us to the area round of the Honor band process. Quote
Chives Posted October 24, 2005 Posted October 24, 2005 I like Ticheli's technical, bombastic pieces (a la Blue Shades, Vesuvius, Symphony No. 2) more than his lyrical ones, which are usually pretty simplistic. Whitacre's strong background in choral works makes him probably the best of current wind ensemble composers for lyrical, beautiful pieces. My vote: October. Quote
craaazy dm Posted October 31, 2005 Posted October 31, 2005 October. That piece gets me every time I hear it. Quote
Aegis Fang Posted November 7, 2005 Posted November 7, 2005 Vesuvius by Ticheli. Awesomest music I've ever played Quote
DonaNobisPacem Posted November 7, 2005 Posted November 7, 2005 I must say, after playing 'An American Elegy' last year in MIddle School Wind Ensemble, it still gets to me every time I hear it. 'October' is a brilliant piece, I'll admit, yet there's just something more to American Elegy. Quote
Aegis Fang Posted November 8, 2005 Posted November 8, 2005 DonaNobisPacem said: I must say, after playing 'An American Elegy' last year in MIddle School Wind Ensemble, it still gets to me every time I hear it. 'October' is a brilliant piece, I'll admit, yet there's just something more to American Elegy. omg, I just realized something about your name. That song was written for my old band director!! ... if anyone cared... I thought it was cool... Quote
acsc1312 Posted November 8, 2005 Posted November 8, 2005 Can I change my vote? lol Since I've listened to October more, it's taken over me lol I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote
FastFrwrd Posted November 9, 2005 Posted November 9, 2005 How about "Sleep" by Whitacre? Best Texas All-State Choir tryout piece ever! I don't love-a the Whitacre band stuff so much though, for band it has to be Tichelli (Blueshades rocks my world) Quote
borchnork Posted June 12, 2007 Posted June 12, 2007 hm, i'll easily say Whitacre. No competition. Period. Even if you compare Whitacre's upbeat pieces to Ticheli's there is still no comparison. "Godzilla Eats Las Vegas" is AMAZINGLY FUN to play and up against songs like "Postcard" and "Blue Shades" it destroys Ticheli. Quote
andysoccer Posted June 13, 2007 Posted June 13, 2007 I'll definitely take October over An American Elegy. But if you are asking which composer I prefer, I will take Tichelli over Whitacre any day. Quote
GuitarJoe Posted June 13, 2007 Posted June 13, 2007 October is a beautiful song, but An American Elegy has more of an emotional drive to it IMO. Listening to AE and knowing why it was written, gives it a little more meaning to me. I get chills when the off stage trumpet solo comes in, and I think it's cool that Frank added the schools alma mater into the song. Quote
borchnork Posted June 13, 2007 Posted June 13, 2007 Well, yah, not only did he add it, but Ticheli actually WROTE the alma mater for them... And I can get the whole emotional connection behind it, but I guess for me, my director had October and Russian Xmas Music be his final two songs before he quit, so there is more of an emotional attachment for me to October than AE. And also, I've never heard a decent performance of American Elegy anyways, so ... yah. Quote
NSUMusician Posted June 13, 2007 Posted June 13, 2007 I'd take AE over October purely for the emotional aspect behind it. I played the off-stage solo my senior year of HS at Region. On the other hand, though, I'd choose Whitacre ANY day over Ticheli. Ticheli, from all accounts, is just a jerk. Whitacre is an awesome guy! I posted a message on his myspace and he sent me an email thanking me for it and stuff. Just an awesome guy! Quote
borchnork Posted June 13, 2007 Posted June 13, 2007 Hah, yah Eric is such a great people person. I almost got a cell number outa him once. He's really been there for me, and even gave me advice in composing and his honest opinions of my band's marching arrangement of October... Quote
GenericWit Posted June 14, 2007 Posted June 14, 2007 I love Ticheli. I really do, but AE isn't one of my favorite pieces whereas I listen to October at least once a day. We even marched it last year (though I didn't like that version... lacked a euphonium solo though I did have another one in the closer...)! So... October. Definitely. Quote
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