School of Performing Arts Events

Senior Recital
Ryan Stangl

Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) was an Italian composer during the Baroque era. He was born in Venice in 1678 and originally trained for the priesthood, but eventually turned to music. Vivaldi composed hundreds of works over his life, however, is most know for his violin concerti titled The Four Seasons. Among his many works, Vivaldi composed his Sonata No. 3 in A minor, one of six cello sonatas he composed later in his life due to the popularity of the genre at the time in France. The sonatas are known for their expressive, distinct melodies and virtuosic passages, demonstrating Vivaldi’s superior knowledge for instrumental writing.

Prelude No. 2 (Blue Lullaby) by George Gershwin (1898-1937) is from a collection of three preludes that perfectly illustrates the ties between 20th century American classical music and early jazz. George Gershwin was an American contemporary composer known for his fusion of the European tradition of classical music with popular styles of music in the early 20th century. His most known works include Rhapsody in Blue, An American in Paris, Porgy and Bess, Embraceable You, I Got Rhythm, etc. The Blue Lullaby combines traditional ABA or binary form with classic blues harmonies to emphasize the duality of major and minor represented in the two contrasting sections. Three Preludes is a true testament of Gershwin’s ability to bridge the gap between musical genres, creating a sophisticated, yet digestible expression of the evolution of music throughout the ages.

Morceau Symphonique is opus no. 88 of 94 by Felix-Alexandre Guilmant (1837- 1911) is a quite famous work in the trombone repertoire and one of Guilmant’s many works for solo instrument and piano. Alexandre Guilmant was born in 1837 in Boulogne-Sur-Mer, France and started his career as a virtuosic organist and teacher, which eventually led him to teach in the Paris Conservatoire in the late 19th century. His vast array of compositions include works for solo, duet, and trio organ, organ and chorus, piano and harmonium duets, flute and piano, trombone and piano, etc.

Walter Ross (1936-2021) was an American composer and educator known for his diverse and engaging compositions. His piece Midnight Variations is a strange and captivating piece that explores the evolution of instrumental technique through the lens of impressionism. Ross defines this work as a “miniature tone poem.” The piece opens with the recording playing a radiowave-like noise that the performer reacts to with various sounds. The recording then meets the performer, playing sounds that the instrument can imitate. Then starts a conversation. The performer starts to imitate the recording, then breaks away, and eventually surpasses it. The recording then explodes, coming full circle to the primitive sounds of the beginning.

Adoration by Florence Price (1887-1953) was conceived in 1951 for solo organ. It was written later in Price’s life as a recollection on her younger days accompanying silent films on the organ. Florence Price was prolific composer in the early-mid twentieth century, noted as the first African American woman to be recognized as a symphonic composer. Despite racial issues, Price was overall well-received, as it was common for women to perform great works, however, women composers were still quite a novelty. Price was trained musically in the European tradition, though the more she developed her own compositional style, the more her works started to reflect African American-made music of the time.

Opening from A Year with Frog and Toad with music by Robert Reale – This song from the musical A Year with Frog and Toad serves as a reflection on Ryan’s time doing musical theatre here at MSUM. He welcomes friend and colleague Jett Swanson to the stage to recall the opening number!