Program Notes

New Mexico March

John Philip Sousa – 1854-1932

Originally titled The Queen of the Plateau, John Philip Sousa’s New Mexico March was reportedly written at the request of Governor R. C. Dillon and dedicated to the people of New Mexico. Sousa incorporated melodies reflecting the state’s Spanish, Indigenous, and American musical traditions, including Elizabeth Garrett’s state song, O Fair New Mexico, as well as Las Desgracias, Peña, and Recuerdos de Amistad. The result is a spirited musical tribute to New Mexico’s distinctive cultural heritage.

Morning Mood from Peer Gynt Suite No 1

Edvard Grieg – 1843-1907

Edvard Grieg composed his music for Henrik Ibsen’s Peer Gynt to bring the play’s colorful world vividly to life. From this music, Grieg later fashioned two orchestral suites, with Morning Mood opening Peer Gynt Suite No. 1.
With its familiar flute and oboe melody, Morning Mood paints the gradual awakening of a new day. Gentle woodwind calls rise above shimmering strings as the orchestra slowly blossoms in warmth and brilliance. The music seems to capture the first rays of sunlight spreading across the landscape, transforming a quiet dawn into a radiant musical portrait of nature coming to life.

In the Steppes of Central Asia

Alexander Borodin – 1833-1877

Alexander Borodin composed In the Steppes of Central Asia in 1880 as part of a celebration marking the 25th anniversary of Tsar Alexander II’s reign. The work unfolds as a musical journey across a vast and seemingly endless landscape.
Out of the stillness emerges a quiet Russian melody, followed by the distant sounds of a caravan and a haunting Central Asian theme. As the caravan draws nearer, the two melodies intertwine, suggesting travelers moving peacefully across the immense desert under Russian escort. Gradually, the procession recedes into the distance, its melodies fading until only the silence of the open steppe remains.

Ma Vlast No. 2 (The Moldau)

Bedřich Smetana – 1824-1884

Bedřich Smetana’s Vltava (The Moldau), the second movement of his symphonic cycle Má Vlast (“My Country”), traces the journey of the Vltava River through the Czech countryside. Two gentle springs emerge and gradually join, forming the river’s familiar flowing melody. Along its course, the music passes a woodland hunt, a rustic village wedding, and a mysterious moonlit dance of water nymphs. The river then surges through the turbulent St. John’s Rapids before broadening majestically as it approaches Prague. Sweeping and deeply expressive, Vltava transforms the river’s journey into a powerful musical celebration of the Czech landscape and spirit.

Salute to The Big Apple

Calvin Custer – 1939-1998

Calvin Custer’s A Salute to the Big Apple captures the unmistakable energy, excitement, and musical spirit of New York City. This lively orchestral medley celebrates songs long associated with the city, moving effortlessly from one familiar melody to the next. Custer’s colorful orchestration gives each tune its own personality while maintaining the fast-paced character of the city that never sleeps. Moments of Broadway-style brilliance mingle with sweeping melodies and rhythmic excitement, creating a musical portrait filled with glamour, nostalgia, and urban energy. From beginning to end, A Salute to the Big Apple is an affectionate tribute to New York City.

An American in Paris

George Gershwin – 1898-1937

George Gershwin’s An American in Paris, a jazz-influenced symphonic poem composed in 1928, captures the sights, sounds, and energy of Paris through the eyes of an American visitor. Commissioned by conductor Walter Damrosch, the work blends the traditional symphony orchestra with saxophones, celesta, and automobile horns—including Parisian taxi horns Gershwin brought home for its Carnegie Hall premiere. Bustling rhythms evoke the city streets, while a sweeping blues melody suggests a moment of homesickness. Blending American jazz with brilliant orchestral color, Gershwin created one of his most vivid and enduring musical portraits.