Norman Paulu and Catherine Paulu
Editor's Note: Catherine Paulu lives in Madison where she is an active teacher and performer. Her husband is a member of the University of Wisconsin faculty.
The American composer, Ray Luke, was born in Ft. Worth, Texas, in 1928. He holds degrees in music from Texas Christian Univ., and a Ph.D. in composition from the Eastman School of Music. In 1962, he joined the faculty of Oklahoma City University as director of instrumental music and professor of composition. In 1968, he was appointed associate conductor of the Oklahoma City Symphony Orchestra and in 1973, was named Musical Director and Resident Conductor of that orchestra. His compositions are many and varied, including four symphonies (the Second Symphony has been recorded by the Louisville Orchestra) chamber works, a bassoon concerto (the latter having been transcribed by the composer for wind ensemble). His Concerto for Piano and Orchestra won the Grand Prix in composition of the prestigious Queen Elizabeth of Belgium competition in 1968, the first such recognition of an American composer.
During the 12 years my husband and I were concertmaster and principal oboist, respectively, of the Oklahoma City Symphony Orchestra we became aware of the great talent of Ray Luke. I particularly admired his gift for rhythmic vitality while preserving the element of melodic line (as opposed to the complete obliteration of any long phrase so in vogue with many contemporary composers) and his mastery of tonal coloration in orchestration. So it seemed natural to ask him if he would be willing to try his hand at a composition for violin and oboe. The commission was for the occasion of my husband's birthday gift in the summer of 1964. (What better idea for the 'man who has everything,' or has nothing for that matter!) The resulting Symphonic Dialogues was composed while the composer was in residence at the McDowell Colony in New Hampshire. The premiere performance was in March, 1965, with the Oklahoma City Symphony Orchestra, Guy Fraser Harrison conducting. It received a second performance in 1966 in Oklahoma City and was a feature of the 1966 Peninsula Festival, Door County, Wis., Thor Johnson conducting. Most recently we performed it in October 1973, with the Madison Symphony Orchestra, Roland Johnson, conducting.
Symphonic Dialogues is scored for an accompanying chamber orchestra of strings, flute, English horn, B-flat clarinet, bass clarinet, bassoon, harp, tympani, and percussion. The fourteen minute work is in three movements; the opening Allegro movement is characterized by rhythmic decisiveness from the opening unison theme of oboe and violin, under which occurs abrupt orchestral punctuation marks, and driving throughout with only short periods of calm contrast. The Adagio, accompanied by strings and harp only, fully exploits the dialogue concept as theme is exchanged between the solo instruments over a rich texture of close harmonic chordal structure. The final Vivace is a rapid Tarantella-like whirlwind of activity, the main theme of which, in quick 6/8 meter is contrasted by a 2/4 section of sustained melody over rhythmic percussion. The movement ends with violin and oboe speaking fragments of the 6/8 theme finally in unison.
I would estimate the work to be of moderate difficulty but still within the capability of good college or community orchestras and soloists. The composer has made a piano reduction, which is of course useful - but such a performance would lack the lovely orchestral colors. All materials are available through Oxford University Press. For those oboists and violinists asked to contribute an even longer portion of a concert, I feel this work would make an excellent companion on a program with the "other" Double Concerto, the Bach C minor.