This Wednesday, the Contemporary Museum‘s Mobtown Modern Music Series will present the world premiere of the Rite of Swing, an arrangement for jazz orchestra of Stravinsky’s iconic 20th century masterpiece the Rite of Spring. When I hatched this idea, there was one person who came to mind as someone who could do justice to such an arrangement—Darryl Brenzel. I’ve known Darryl for several years and have always been a great admirer of both his improvisational ability on the saxophone and his beautiful, thoughtful, and extremely hip compositions and arrangements. When I’m asked to describe Darryl’s compositional or arranging “style,” I always say that his music sounds like if Bob Brookmeyer’s music and Maria Schneider’s music had a baby. Beautiful sonorities, approachably cerebral, and overflowing with hipness. I recently spoke with Darryl about the arranging process, self-doubt, and the philosophy of Huey Lewis.
Brian Sacawa: Okay, let’s get the question out of the way that everyone wants to know: Who plays the opening bassoon solo?
Darryl Brenzel: That would be Pat Shook. Oh, you mean what instrument. Pat plays tenor sax. For the real music geeks, the line starts on a concert C, which is a high D on the tenor, a note that just really sings. It works well on that horn.
BS: Will you be bringing riot gear to the performance? Actually, in all seriousness, classical music lovers can be especially protective of music considered to be “iconic” and have a tendency to be a little critical of experiments with these pieces of music, as I’m sure you’re aware. Did these issues cause you any hesitation when you began the project?
DB: Good question. About the riot gear, I mean. About the other question, I realize there are people that feel that way about certain pieces, even outside of the classical realm. I know of an arranger that tried to update “In The Mood.” A lot of people were upset. Personally, I didn’t worry about those folks that would be upset. I’ve been in this business long enough to know that some people won’t dig what we’re doing and that’s fine. We’ll be playing to the people that want to hear something new.
BS: What was the hardest part about “translating” the Rite of Spring from orchestra to jazz orchestra?
DB: There was a great number of obstacles. But I think what made it hardest was to treat the piece with respect while turning it into a work for modern big band. I certainly didn’t want it to be campy or become a caricature of the piece. I feel that some of the “classics” that were done by big bands back in the late 1930s and early 1940s were more like novelty numbers. Neither did I want to just make it into a catchy tune that is just a framework for jazz improvisation. I wanted to maintain the character of Stravinsky’s work and at the same time make it sound like a true jazz composition. So there was a balance of using Stravinsky’s harmony versus jazz type chords changes. Stravinsky’s original melodies versus making changes to sound like a jazz melody. It’s a fine line.
BS: How long did it take you to complete the entire arrangement?
DB: I think that depends a bit on how you do the math. But I guess we’ll start from when I first put pen to paper, or input notes into the computer, as it is generally done today. I got 13 of 14 parts done in just under seven months. Then I got derailed a bit by some other projects with looming deadlines. When I got to the last parts it took me about three and a half weeks. So just over seven months work time or about nine and half from when I started.
BS: Was there ever a point when you said, “Screw it. I can’t do this.”?
DB: Yeah, like the first time I took a serious listen to the original Rite of Spring after being asked to do this arrangement. But I thought, “It will be okay once I get the score.” Then I said it again once I got the score. Then after a bit I thought it would be okay. Then I said it again once I started writing. But after getting through the first part I realized it could be done. My only concern at that point was if I could finish it in time.
BS: Your arrangement of the Rite of Spring traverses many different musical styles. Why did you decide to do that and what was your thought process for choosing the style of any particular movement?
DB: Three of the first four parts seemed pretty obvious to me with some repeated listening regarding how I wanted to treat them. The other of those first four had a time signature that made me think a certain style could work. Some other parts were fairly obvious as well, but after the first four I began thinking about what styles I would like to use and how I might make them a part of the whole work. So I did make a concerted effort to use a wide variety of styles that have been incorporated into the jazz cannon over the last 50 years.
BS: Stravinsky: hip or square?
DB: In the words of Huey Lewis, “It’s hip to be square.”
The Contemporary Museum’s Mobtown Modern Music Series presents the world premiere of Darryl Brenzel’s Rite of Swing , featuring the Mobtown Jazz Orchestra this Wednesday, May 12 at the Metro Gallery (1700 North Charles Street). Show times are 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 general admission and $5 for Contemporary Museum members and students with a valid ID. For more information and to hear sound samples of Darryl’s arrangement visit mobtownmodern.com. Mobtown Modern’s presentation of The Rite of Swing is funded in part through Meet The Composer‘s MetLife Creative Connections program.
