Rediscovering a Forgotten Voice: The Percussion Ensemble Music of Johanna Magdalena Beyer

 Johanna Magdalena Beyer stands among the relatively small number of composers to first write for the medium of percussion ensemble as it began its rise during the 1930s. Although her pioneering efforts remain significant to the history of the percussion ensemble, her percussion music has been completely overlooked for the most part, a forgotten voice. Very few of her works have ever been performed, most notably her works for percussion ensemble. Certain conclusions can be drawn about her percussion ensemble music through their analysis and comparison, however, a small amount is known about who she was. Beyer seemed to have been somewhat of a mystery to those who knew her, she led a lonely persona based upon the personal and artistic battles she undoubtedly ensued. 

 Steve Thomason's wacky cartoons of manic monkeys capture the rambunctious spirit of this disc and of the fine Wind Orchestra of the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. That spirit is especially heard in James Curnow's Fanfare for Spartacus and Steven Bryant's Monkey. Dale Wilson's What Was That Song I Heard You Singing? shows that the band has an affinity for jazz. While much of the work is scored for jazz reio, the band plays backgrounds and interludes, sometimes joining in surreptitiously before taking over. The 24-minute work begins wistfully, then develops a real head of steam with some high-energy improvisation by the trio, led by the excellent UNLV faculty pianist Stefan Karlsson. Faculty bassist Tom Warrington takes a long and very fine solo turn. Eliot Zugmund is the capable drummer. Also heard in a good solo is student tenor saxophonist Rusty Blevins. I enjoyed this interesting, well-crafted, and very attractive piece. The UNLV band makes impressive sounds in Michael Davis s fine arrangement of Jerry Foldsmith's evocative music from the movie The Wind and The Lion. After a stirring opening section, sensitive lines are nicely delivered by woodwind soloists. A series of energetic section passages ensue, first by clarinets, then by trumpets. And so it goes through a 17-minute collage that reminds me strongly of Johan deMeij s epic Symphony 1, Lord of the Rings. I hope this terrific arrangement is readily available. Standard band literature includes Julius Fucik's Thunder and Blazes and Ralph Vaughan Williams s Flourish for Glorious John. Claude T. Smith based his Variations on a Hymn by Louis Bourgeois on the Doxology, a nicely restrained example of a band genre favored by such composers as David Holsinger and the late Fischer Tull. And then there is Alfred Reed's Praise Jerusalem, not heard here since the Trenton State University band did it some years ago (May/June 1996: 245). I wonder why it is not played more often. Band directors who are thinking about programming La Fiesta Mexicana for the umpteenth time should consider this spectacular work instead. The UNLV musicians give it a powerful reading. The program ends with the UNLV Alma Mater, composed in 1997 by Eric Whitacre, orchestrated by Anthony LaBounty, with text by Robyn Lemon and band director Thomas Leslie. The engineers trove for balande here, so the melody isn't always clearly audible, and the words--as sun by the UNLV Chamber Chorale--cannot be understood. But the pretty song makes the desired effect. --American Record Guide September/October 2001 

 Brian Jay Cline was born in Brooklyn New York City in 1969. He escaped in the early 1990's to Las Vegas and came of age in the new land of opportunity, releasing 7 full length CDs of original material,

Aside from working on his solo gigs, Brian found time to become a key member of the Vegas-based band of Mark Huff. Netting 5 co-writing credits on his album "Skeleton Faith" (Voted Local Album of the Year by Las Vegas CityLife)

In the late 90's, Cline dabbled in the punk rock scene as a short lived but influential member - singer and songwriter - of the notorious underground punk band, Twisted Nixon

Brian moved on in 2005 and transferred to his new locale of Fort Lauderdale Florida where he plays guitar and sings at local dives, writes and performs new material.