Maslanka Weekly highlights excellent performances of David Maslanka’s music from around the web.
Although David Maslanka is well known for his works for wind ensemble, saxophone, and marimba, he also composed music for the orchestra. Symphony No. 6: Living Earth, his most recognized work for orchestra, was premiered in 2004 and has since been played around the world. We devote our third week of this series to two of Maslanka’s other compositions for orchestra: 11:11 – A Dance at the Edge of the World, and World Music.
11:11 – A Dance at the Edge of the World
On May 9, 2018, The Münchner Rundfunkorchester (Munich Radio Orchestra) presented a night of music by American composers entitled “Space Night” which featured the music of Daugherty, Glass, Hovhaness, and Maslanka alongside a video presentation made from astronauts as they were in orbit around the earth.
According to Maslanka, “I began noticing the time ’11:11′ on digital clocks. For no apparent reason, and far more often than might be coincidence, I would have the impulse to look at a clock, and it would read ’11:11′. At first it was amusing, and then it became a bit spooky, as if something were trying to get my attention. I began to think and meditate on ’11:11′, and received images of impending crisis and disaster. Then I decided to write a piece out of these feelings. Surprisingly when the music finally came out it was not in a crisis mode. It was for the most part filled with a bright and hopeful spirit. My feeling now is that the music represents what comes after crisis has been weathered, and that is a huge release of energized creative flow – a dance – and in a time when old ideas are shaken and challenged, and the new must be invented, ‘a dance at the edge of the world,’ that is, dancing a new world into being.” Follow the link below and proceed to 22:00 as Benjamin Reiners leads the Münchner Rundfunkorchester in a stunning rendition of this music.
Benjamin Reiners
World Music
Maslanka said, “The title (of this work) comes from a desire to embrace the whole world with musical sound. This piece is dedicated to my belief that music making can release and alter violence, and in so doing, eventually transform the whole world. I wish all of us to be part of that transformation.” Follow the link below and proceed to 1:40:00 as Benjamin Reiners leads the Münchner Rundfunkorchester in a truly memorable performance of this music.
More info
- Münchner Rundfunkorchester
- 11:11 – A Dance at the Edge of the World @ davidmaslanka.com
- World Music @ davidmaslanka.com
