John Mackey: Strange Humors (2006)

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John Mackey (b. 1973)
John Mackey (he/him) has written for orchestras (Brooklyn Philharmonic, New York Youth Symphony), theater (Dallas Theater Center), and extensively for dance (Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Parsons Dance Company, New York City Ballet), but the majority of his work for the past decade has been for wind ensembles (the fancy name for concert bands), and his band catalog now receives annual performances numbering in the thousands.

Recent commissions include works for the BBC Singers, the Dallas Wind Symphony, military, high school, middle school, and university bands across America and Japan, and concertos for Joseph Alessi (principal trombone, New York Philharmonic), Christopher Martin (principal trumpet, New York Philharmonic), and Julian Bliss (international clarinet soloist). In 2014, he became the youngest composer ever inducted into the American Bandmasters Association. In 2018, he received the Wladimir & Rhoda Lakond Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. He resides in San Francisco, California, with his spouse, A. E. Jaques, a philosopher who works on the ethics of artificial intelligence for MIT, and also titles all of his pieces; and their cats, Noodle and Bloop.

Strange Humors (2006)
Strange Humors represents another of Mackey’s works (after “Redline Tango”) that has been transcribed for wind ensemble. The first version of “Strange Humors” was a student piece for string quartet and djembe that Mackey wrote while pursuing his graduate degree at The Juilliard School. It was later adapted for use by the Parsons Dance Company, with choreography by Robert Battle. Its transcription came at the behest of Richard Floyd on behalf of the American Bandmasters Association. The piece represents a merging of musical cultures — the modal melodies and syncopated rhythms of middle Eastern music with the percussive accompaniment of African drumming.

At the heart of the work lies the pulse of the djembe, which remains from the original version. The djembe, an hourglass-shaped drum played with bare hands, is a major part of the customs of west African countries such as Mali and Guinea, where djembe ensembles accompany many functional celebrations of society.

The piece opens with a sultry English horn solo, a line laced with Phrygian influence representing the “typical” melodies of the most northeastern parts of the African continent — most notably Egypt, but also parts of the Arabian peninsula. Later, the saxophones emulate the snaking lines of the English horn. The addition of brass and auxiliary percussion to the original orchestration makes for particular impact during the shout sections of the piece, and the groove of the djembe combined with the quirky rhythms throughout leave an impression that lingers in the listener’s mind long after its conclusion.

-Program note by Jake Wallace

Instrumentation
for Wind Ensemble

Performer
North Texas Wind Symphony
Conducted by Eugene Migliaro Corporon

Your collaboration will be appreciated.
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I spontaneously combusted after hearing and playing such a wonderful piece can't listen I eated it all.

nonexistent
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Playing the djembe is sooo fun I'm so glad I got picked 🙂

AlertShark
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One of favorite pieces to hear and play

lovermuzak
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i made solo and ensemble finals and got to hear my friends play this song, tears ran down my legs

BryanValerio-uo
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Arguably one of the best pieces written for concert band

MaxwellCantrell-ulxf
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This is one piece I didn't mind having almost 80 measures of rest in (horn player)

catpotato_
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Fun fact: John Mackey, the composer of this piece, does NOT play any instruments! That makes this all the more impressive

livingdeadgirlk
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I couldn’t even edge to this!!!! I exploded immediately! Clean up on aisle MY PANTS😂😂😂

jakefromaflac
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i’m playing this piece for a band program outside of school. I’m excited to sight read this tonight, I’ll be a horn 2 for this piece and i’m just waiting for that horn rip tonight

TheBandGuyy
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I couldn't even edge to this!!!! I exploded IMMEDIATELY!!! Clean up on aisle MY PANTS!! 👹😈😭💀

trashgamingclips
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Got to play this in high school. So awesome

Traque
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intro was lowkey giving incantation and dance

summrplumag
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As euphonium I have 123 measures of rest but that's okay because this song is amazing

Romulator
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4:57 the incredibles, cant tell me thats not what that sounds like

achanceofrandom
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Holy hell
This was so awesome to play on bass

painstakinglybad
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By the way, IX should be titled Cliffs of Moher. Not Mother.

LyleFrancisDelp
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I am playing this for my marching band show, we are called the chantilly might marching chargers and our theme is serpent, this is our opening piece to the show

posiedongodofthesea
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I can feel all the Africans with the drums and no water getting set for this peace.

Dbchrisz
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Like this comment to instantly Kellon your Johnsen

gabrielh