Commissions

Composer: Scott Joplin

Arranger: Adam Maness

Publication: No Information Available at this Time

Duration: 4:18

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Program Notes:

This commission was performed with the Cortango Orquesta

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Cortango Orquesta, a tango ensemble with a symphonic twist, is a concert and dance band featuring members of the Saint Louis Symphony. Founded and led by Cally Banham, a trained social Tango dancer, Cortango specializes in popular classics from the beloved orchestra leaders of Tango's golden era. Cortango is named for the "Cor anglais," or "English horn" - the atypical instrument in this otherwise orquesta tipica! Their songbook comes entirely from original arrangements made by members of the band, and by Argentine bandoneon player and Tango arranger, Julian Hasse, a featured collaborator.

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Cortango Orquesta was born from a desire to create a live music experience that would be ideal for social dancers and has evolved to become a fusion concert ensemble, exploring the vast repertoire of contemporary Tango, incorporating a mixture of jazz and classical styles. The band debuted at the St. Louis Ritz-Carlton's "Nuestra Milonga" in May 2013. Engagements during their first season included a New York City debut at Cary Hall and a Festival debut performance at the Midwest Tango Festival. The group has been featured twice in concert at spectacular Powell Symphony Hall, as well as the Public Media Commons presented by the Nine Network. As part of the community programs at the St. Louis Symphony, Cortango has performed for patients at Siteman Cancer Center and for veterans at The Jefferson Barracks. To celebrate the great community of Tango dancers in St. Louis, Cortango created the popular annual "Chapel Milonga" event!

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Cortango's debut album, "Tandas," released in 2015, is available on iTunes, Amazon, and CD Baby and was featured on the PBS show "Arts America." Cortango is a featured collaborator on a new recording scheduled for release in November 2017. Learn more about Cortango by visiting their website - http://www.cortango.com/

 

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Score Sample:

 

Voicing:

SSAA

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Accompaniment:

Piano, Oboe, English Horn, Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass

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Themes:

Jazz, Ragtime, Musical Traditions​

 

Lyrics:

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Sydney Brown

I came from ole Virginy

From the county Acomac.
I have no wealth to speak of

'cept the clothes upon my back.
I can do the country hoe down,

I can buck and wing to show down,

And while I'm in the notion,

just step back and watch my motion.

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Go 'way man I can hypnotize dis nation,
I can shake de earth's foundation wid de Maple Leaf Rag.
Go 'way man just hold your breath a minut,

For there's not a stunt that's in it with the Maple Leaf Rag.

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I dropp'd into de swellest ball,

The great exclusive it,
But my face was dead agin me

and my trousers didn't fit.

But when Maple Leaf was started

my timidity departed.

I lost my trepidation ---

you could taste de admiration.

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Go 'way man I can hypnotize dis nation,
I can shake de earth's foundation wid de Maple Leaf Rag.
Go 'way man just hold your breath a minut,

For there's not a stunt that's in it with the Maple Leaf Rag.

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