William Schuman's New England Triptych
Thoroughly American Music from a Thoroughly American Composer
Aug 4, 2009
Not only was William Schuman (1910-1992) a composer of extraordinary ability, his tenacity and self-assurance helped transform arts education as an administrator. By the age of 35, Schuman emerged as a principal figure in American musical life, and in all likelihood set all sorts of speed records doing it.
One moment, he’s a student of questionable performance who has an awakening that he must study to be a composer after a New York Philharmonic concert in 1930. The next moment, he writes his masterful Third Symphony, and to complete this upward trajectory, is named president of the Juilliard School in 1945. Quite the rapid rise to prominence.
A discernable shift in his style of writing transpired by 1950, marked by two Martha Graham collaborations – Night Journey and Judith – and his Sixth Symphony. Darker tones and a stronger sense of foreboding were achieved through more tonally stretched, structurally complex soundscapes.
But Schuman stepped away from that with a request from Andre Kostelanetz. Schuman always had deep love for his country, and Maestro Kostelanetz asked specifically for a lighter work of an especially American vein in 1954 for the New York Philharmonic. Schuman obliged.
Schuman and His Fondness for William Billings
According to Joseph W. Polisi in his Schuman biography, American Muse: The Life and Times of William Schuman, the composer’s original idea for a programmatic American work was setting Washington Irving’s story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” Because of parallels to Ferde Grofe’s Hudson River Suite, which used Sleepy Hollow as one of its subjects, they scrapped the idea.
Schuman then relied on his interest in early American composer William Billings (1746-1800) for inspiration. Billings’ zeal for his fledgling country during the American Revolution, and the texts of his hymn tunes, had a connection with Schuman’s own patriotism. He composed a William Billings Overture in 1944, but it remains unpublished. Revisiting Billings was a wise move and New England Triptych was a perfect match for the commission.
As per Polisi’s book, Kostelanetz expressed nervousness at trying it out with the Philharmonic for its premiere, and he instead first performed it with the University of Miami Symphony Orchestra on October 26, 1956. It was played in New York the following week. Critics gave glowing reactions. New England Triptych qualified as an instant classic.
“Be Glad Then, America,” “When Jesus Wept” and “Chester”
The music is based on three Billings hymns. The first, “Be Glad Then, America,” opens with a quiet timpani solo, a favorite Schuman percussion instrument, followed by a somber melody in D minor. The music builds via triplet figures throughout the orchestra right into the Allegro vivo main melody, heard first in the brass, then handed over and developed in other instruments. After another timpani showcase, a quiet string interlude gathers steam until the main idea springs forth once more as the vigorous movement closes.
With “When Jesus Wept,” the contemplative movement of great pathos and hushed intensity, Schuman chooses another percussive introduction, this time with a tenor drum. (In the symphonic band version, a field drum can also be used.) The orchestration is greatly reduced to strings, the drum, and heartrending solos from a bassoon and oboe. When the tune is presented in full, the harmonic groundwork in the strings is distinctively Schuman, jumping from major triad to major triad in an unorthodox yet stirring sequence.
The original Billings text reads, “When Jesus wept the falling tear / In mercy flowed beyond all bound.” But it’s hard not to reflect biblically as the music unfolds. In John 11, Jesus grieves for his friend Lazarus. “Deeply moved in spirit and troubled,” says verse 33, Jesus is brought to the tomb to see Lazarus. Verse 35 is one of the shortest in Scripture: “Jesus wept.”
“Chester” is the athletic finale, an old rallying cry from the American Revolution. The tune is hymn-like to start, then catches fire at a martial tempo with some wickedly difficult woodwind parts. Schuman’s symphonic band version of “Chester” lasts twice as long as the orchestral, exploring new twists and variations.
Importance of New England Triptych to Schuman’s Output
With the exception of his arrangement of Charles Ives’ precocious organ piece Variations on “America”, New England Triptych is recorded and performed more often than any Schuman work. It’s particularly common to program it for July 4 concerts and other patriotic festivals.
Whether performing one movement separately or altogether, New England Triptych is essential to the band repertory. Schuman arranged “Chester” first in 1956, then “When Jesus Wept” in 1958, and “Be Glad Then, America” not until 1975. It’s a safe bet that many high school and college wind ensembles get acquainted with Schuman through this music.
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