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Review: Pat Stuckemeyer

Last Updated (Monday, 19 May 2008 07:28)
Written by Dean Somerville
Tuesday, 12 December 2006 03:34

Reviews - CD/Recording Reviews

In concluding my review of Pat Stuckemeyer's first album, "Just For Fun", I stated that it was undoubtedly the first of what would be many noteworthy efforts by this fine young artist. With the release of "Stepping Stones", Volume 1, the next installment has arrived.

The format of this album, as the title would indicate, is the presentation of Euphonium solo literature from all different levels, young player to professional inclusive. This is an excellent idea, as it provides us with both a wonderful listening experience and a very fine teaching tool. Additionally, this album is completely comprised of solo works for the Euphonium that have not been previously recorded.

Pat opens with American composer Don Haddad's "Suite for Euphonium." The beauty of this piece (and of the Tuba version) is that it can be played as a contest piece by a good high school player, or used as program music on the college or professional level. In movement one, Pat exhibits great technical dexterity and a fine sense of style, choosing a light but forward moving approach that works extremely well. The second movement gives the performer a chance to truly put their musicianship on display, and Pat does just that with a very lyrical approach. In movement three, written primarily in a mixed meter format, he combines rhythmic accuracy and precision with a wide range of dynamics to bring the piece to a rousing conclusion.

Next comes Guy Ropartz's old standard, "Andante et Allegro." Those of us who have served as adjudicators at various and assorted competitions and have heard the same basic, bland, tired approach to this piece over and over again can really appreciate the availability of an example such as this. Pat exhibits outstanding control in the opening Andante section of the piece in addition to an excellent sense of phrasing and dynamic contrast. I very much like the fact that he has chosen a more moderate tempo for the Allegro, allowing it to be presented in a "stately" manner as opposed to the "faster is better" approach so often heard.

The next selection, "Unaccompanied Suite for Euphonium" by Fred L. Clinard, is not a piece that I was familiar with prior to hearing it on this album, but I find it to be rather interesting and quite well written. Pat presents the opening movement as a musical proclamation with an exclamation point..........very effective! In movement two, he sings for us a lovely quiet, tranquil ballad. In the final movement, he exhibits a wonderfully light touch and precision accuracy, playing it as a graceful, yet technically impressive, dance.

Pat now "shifts gears" as he turns to "A Song For Night" by Noah D. Taylor, one of the most promising and impressive of our young American composers. This selection definitely falls into the "mood music" category, invoking a mysterious, almost haunting setting. Pat, with a combination of control, dynamic contrast, phrasing and musicianship, gives us a wonderful "ride through the mist."

Considering the format that Pat has chosen for this CD, no composer is a more appropriate choice than Arthur Frackenpohl. He has, along with Walter Hartley and Alec Wilder, been one of the most prolific of the composers of the modern era for our instruments. Pat is right on target in his interpretation of Frackenpohl's "Sonata for Euphonium and Piano", setting a moderate, very reasonable tempo in movement one and very deftly picking up the frequent changes in style. Movement two is given the seamless quality of a beautiful lullaby. The final movement is one of those lighthearted "musical romps" that Frachenpohl is so well known for, and with it Pat gives a very bright and uplifting conclusion to his performance of this fine work.

Next we encounter an "old friend", Antonio Capuzzi's "Andante and Rondo" from his "Concerto for Double Bass." In the opening movement Pat has a chance to display his flair for the dramatic. This movement is almost operatic in places as it ebbs and flows musically, and he delivers a truly stunning rendition of it. The Rondo offers several challenges; frequent shifts in style, long intervallic leaps, sudden (subito) changes in dynamics and some very demanding technical passages. Pat meets all of these challenges with ease and concludes the piece brilliantly.

We move now to another frequently performed standard literature piece, J.E. Barat's "Introduction and Dance." The opening Introduction section of the piece is, for all intents and purposes, an extended fanfare, and Pat delivers a solid, authoritative musical statement, incorporating the full range of dynamics that really "make or break" it. In his performance of the Dance he once again chooses a very reasonable and effective tempo (as he did with the Roparz), resulting in a light and relaxed, yet purposeful and insistent dance, while also allowing plenty of room to accelerate through the last few bars of the piece, something that Pat utilizes to perfection. He offers what is, without a doubt, the most musical performance of this piece that I have heard to date.

We move next to Ralph Vaughn-Williams' "Six Studies in English Folk Song." Movements I, II, and III involve painting a musical picture, while movements IV, V and VI give the the performer the opportunity to be a "storyteller." Utilizing a combination of outstanding control, evenness of quality of sound in all registers and masterful musicianship, Pat delivers an absolutely wonderful performance of this piece, accomplishing both of the above objectives.

Pat concludes this album with eight standard selections "For the your player." They include three original works (Cheerio, Little Norway, and Electra III) and two arrangements (Wagner's Song To The Evening Star from "Tannhauser" and Hayden's Gypsy Rondo) by Leanord Smith, one original work (Lazy Lullaby) and one arrangement (Arne's Air from "Comus") by Don Little and Robert Giarlamo's Ballad in Blue (arr. Vincent).

He has chosen to perform these selections with the original tempo, dynamic and articulation markings. This is, I believe, a very wise choice, as most young players will end up playing them as they are marked. These outstanding examples will prove to be extremely valuable to band directors and private teachers alike, as well as to their students. This CD is subtitled "Volume 1", indicating that more of this type are planned in the future, and that's very good news!

In conclusion, I would simply like to say "Bravo, Pat, and keep them coming!"