Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
Unit 1: Composer
Steven Reineke is a native of Ohio where he graduated from Miami University of Ohio
with a Bachelor of Music degrees with honors in both trumpet performance and music
composition. Presently, Reineke is an acclaimed conductor in North America as he serves as the
director for multiple, major ensembles. For example, Reineke currently serves as the Music
Director of the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall, Principle Pops Conductor of the National
Symphony Orchestra at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and Principal Pops
Conductor of the Houston Symphony and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Reineke has also
served as Principal Pops Conductor of the Long Beach and Modesto Symphony Orchestras and
Associate Conductor of the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. In addition, Reineke is a frequent guest
conductor with The Philadelphia Orchestra and has been on the podium with the Boston Pops,
The Cleveland Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Ravinia. If that isn’t enough
evidence of his acclamation as a conductor in North America he has also conducted in San
Francisco, Seattle, Edmonton, Pittsburgh, Vancouver, Ottawa (National Arts Centre), Detroit,
Milwaukee, and Calgary. As a pops conductor Reineke has collaborated with a variety of leading
artists from the worlds of Hip Hop, Broadway, television, and rock including: Common,
Kendrick Lamar, Nas, Sutton Foster, Megan Hilty, Cheyenne Jackson, Wayne Brady, Peter
Frampton, and Ben Folds, as well as others.
Unit 2: Composition
The Witch and the Saint (2004) is a programmatic tone poem for symphonic band
composed by Steven Reineke in 2004. The piece was commissioned for the youth wind orchestra
of the city of Ellwangen, Germany conducted by Werner Emmenecker. This grade 4 difficulty
piece is constructed into five distinct sections and is approximately 10:22 in duration.
Unit 3: Historical Perspective
The Witch and the Saint (2004) is based upon a novel by Ulrike Schewikert (a current
German writer). The story goes that twin sisters (Sibylla and Helena) were born in 1588 in
Ellwangen, Germany. In those times, the birth of twins was considered a bad omen, so the sisters
were separated as children. As the sisters grew up it became clear that they had the gift of second
sight and could predict future events. One sister, Sibylla, had a hard life, being constantly
mocked and bullied by the village where she lived for her strange ability. She was looked down
upon and feared by many of the townspeople who considered her to be a witch. She was later
arrested for witchcraft and sentenced to life in prison. The other sister, Helena, was sent away to
a convent to become a nun. Her ability made her a saint and prophet among the nuns and people
of her village. When Helena learned of her sister’s imprisonment, she went back to her birth
village to rescue Sibylla. Helena broke Sibylla out of prison and as they were trying to escape
they were captured. Helena, the saint, for fear of being burnt at the stake, drank poison and died
in her sister’s arms and Sibylla, the witch, rides off in sorrow.
Harmony:
One of the primary intervals Reineke uses for harmonization throughout the piece is the
perfect-fifth, more specifically the notes D – A. For example, we hear this interval in the
Gregorian chant-like section (m. 5) between the Euphonium and French Horn. This open interval
creates the chant-like sound concept. The other harmonization technique Reineke uses with D
minor through the piece is having a drone, or pedal note sustain. This can be heard in the
Gregorian chants as a D is held out underneath the moving chant line(s). This is also heard at m.
51 on a concert D with the big, fortissimo beat one that is then sustained to harmonize with the
moving quarter notes above. Reineke does a great job of transitioning from one section to the
next harmonically as well. To better understand these transitions and help the ensemble
understand where they are headed throughout the piece, it would be a good idea to study these
transition sections to identify what is going on harmonically.
Rhythm:
There are two main items to consider rhythmically when preparing for rehearsal with this
piece. One, when working in the faster section of the piece (specifically the 5/4), really spend
time feeling and becoming familiar with that accent pattern. If you are able to set up a groove
with your percussion section and rhythmic ostinato patterns, tempo, balance, style, and
everything else with fall into place and lock-in in this section. Time must be spent creating that
feel though first. Some time may need to be spent on switching in and out of the 5/4 as well.
Two, there are some meters within this piece that many of your students may have never
seen before (5/8, 9/8, 11/8). Keep it simple. While these meters only show up during the solo,
Gregorian chant-like sections, it is important that everyone understands how to count these
meters to stay together. One consideration would be to put steady eighth notes on a metronome
and emphasize that those eighth notes never change when switching meters.
Timbre:
The overall timbre of the piece changes depending on the number of instruments playing
in one section and which instruments are combined. For example, in m. 64 The low voices (low
reeds and low brass), plus the horns, present the rhythmic pattern with a bold timbre. Then, four
bars later, just the clarinets play the harmonic pattern, while the flute plays the melody. This
timbre is considerably different than the powerful timbre created by the lows (including low
brass timbre). While a different a timbre, the flute melody does keep the intense timbre created
by the lows.
Unit 7: Form and Structure:
“The Witch and the Saint.” The Witch and the Saint Sheet Music - C. L. Barnhouse Company,
www.barnhouse.com/product.php?id=012-3391-00.