ITEA JOURNAL VOLUME 51:1 (FALL 2023)
Review by Keith Packman
International Tuba Euphonium Conference 2023 Tempe, AZ
George Alberti, Logan Carnes, Zack Grass, and Dr. Michael Waddell make up the Keystone Quartet, a tuba-euphonium quartet with a clear goal of presenting a wide array of music for the standard tuba-euphonium
quartet instrumentation. Opening with Benjamin Horne's The Magician, the first notes heard are of a single tuba, presenting a thematic statement and being joined in by the other instrumentalists in a fugue. This eerie and foreboding work grows and then bursts into quick rhythmic flares in compound meters, with the ensemble accenting dissonant chords on varied syncopation; a sound that is seemingly adjacent to the metal genre of music. The texture thins out, making way for an ostinato to be established, allowing for compositional creativity to let the other three voices float on top, all before the original fugue statement comes back one last time. Serenity by Reed Hanna is a stark contrast with very long pitches being sustained over time, with any changes in harmony feeling almost burdened by the alteration. Gorgeous counterpoint slowly swirls around the ensemble as the harmonic rhythm increases with a beautiful euphonium solo navigating it all. Keystone has immaculate abilities to balance the four voices in a way that lets so much color shine through.In what might have been the only deliberately funny piece at ITEC, the final piece was an arrangement of Ars Moriendi by Mike Patton, an American metal singer. The work, flowing in and out of a myriad of styles, has lots of vocal effects sung through the instruments, multiphonics, and hyperactive tendencies to throw away an idea right after it begins; it was quirky and very different than anything else heard at the conference. Bringing something new to the table, Keystone Quartet is a group to watch out for in the future, as they are sure to continue bringing such fresh ideas to the community and to the public!
Keith Packman
ITEA JOURNAL VOLUME 49:4 (Summer 2022)
Review by Evan Kelsick
Sweet Appalachia
Sweet Appalachia is the first album recorded by the Keystone Quartet, a tuba-euphonium quartet founded in 2019 by Mike Waddell, Logan Carnes, George Alberti, and Zack Grass. The album contains ten previously unrecorded works, many of which are original pieces or arrangements written by the performers themselves. According to the group, the album is a tribute to the Appalachian region of the United States. The music covers everything from the Appalachian Trail to traditional folk melodies known to the people of that region.
The opening work, Appalachian Trail Overture was written by Zach Collins, Professor of Tuba and Euphonium at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), where all members of this quartet have studied. This piece is an appropriate way to start the album, not only because it is an overture, but because it contains a nice variety of styles and textures, including some of the most impressive technique on the album.
Suite Appalachia was written by Keystone Quartet tubist Zack Grass. The work contains three movements. The first movement, “Sweet Appalachia,” opens with connecting recitative-like melodic lines that yield to a slightly faster modal melody. “Rumspringa” opens similarly to the previous movement, but it transitions to a quintessentially fun and quick melody with off beat accompaniment. “Mothman” is the third movement, and it opens with an alternating tritone in a single tuba voice, which is the basis for an ostinato that is heard throughout.
Shake and Bake by Anthony O’Toole begins with the all-familiar shaker melody, but quickly spins off, becoming a sort of fantasy based on the classic tune.
Both Little Dance and Serenity were written by Reed A. Hanna, bassoonist and composer who also studied music at IUP. These works were originally written for bassoon quartet (Correction from KQ: These works were commissioned for tuba-euphonium quartet by the group and the composer made the decision to publish these for bassoon quartet). The ranges work well for this group, and there are audible folk influences within the melodic content of the works.
Heartsease was originally composed for solo piano by American pioneering composer Amy Beach, who grew up in the northern Appalachian region. Being one of the first American composers to have a successful compositional career without the aid of European training, she was able to create distinctly American sounding pieces. Heartsease is one piece from the collection From Grandmother’s Garden, a set of four pieces each named after a common plant in a Victorian garden. These impressionist pieces arranged by tubist George Alberti work well for the ensemble.
Mount Katahdin is the tallest mountain in Maine, which makes Katahdin a fitting title for a work by Jonathan Boudreaux. Although based on a traditional folk melody, euphoniumist Logan Carnes’ Appalachian Hymn sounds far from a traditional hymn. Typically, hymns involve more unison rhythms and thick textures. This work frequently features the voices offset from one another, which is a refreshing twist on a traditional hymn.
The last track of the album, tubist Zach Grass’ arrangement of the traditional folk melody “Down to the River to Pray,” contains some added nature sounds, which are a welcome addition to this evocative work.The range and technique of these works are not overpowering to the listening experience, and the members of the Keystone Quartet ably and admirably present a multitude of musical styles. This variety is especially surprising considering the album is centered around the rather specific theme of the Appalachian region of the United States. I also discovered that there are three paintings by artist Rebecca Shearer that are associated with certain pieces, which is a really neat and unique idea. These paintings (as well as recordings) can be found on the quartet’s website (www.keystonequartet.com), and they are based on the works Appalachian Trail Overture (by Zach Collins), “Mothman” (by Zack Grass), and Katahdin (by Jonathan Boudreaux).
Evan Kelsick, Eastern Illinois University