The chance to experience the birth of a composition is rare. The chance to experience the unveiling of a major work by superstar composer John Mackey, created for one of today’s leading virtuosi, the British clarinetist Julian Bliss, is even rarer.
Involvement with Divine Mischief, a concerto for Clarinet and Wind Ensemble, has shaped my recent days, beginning with the interview below. I had the pleasure of conducting it with the composer October 4 while I was still in Switzerland, just twelve days before the premiere.
The premise of Divine Mischief is adorable: a trickster-clarinetist, parodying the story of the German folk-hero Till Eulenspiegel, enters the public square (the ensemble) and proceeds to challenge, beguile, and confuse them. The story of Till Eulenspiegel has served as the inspiration for many works of art across the centuries, most famously the grand orchestral tone poem Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks (1895) by Richard Strauss.
Mackey decided to turn Bliss into his trickster through a dazzling combination of breathtaking virtuosity (impossible-to-play passages that melt like butter in Bliss’s hands), structural cleverness (manipulating and weaving strands of vivid themes through a dynamic orchestral texture), and heart-stopping beauty (exceptionally lovely melodies, many at a hushed dynamic that brought listeners to the edge of their seats).
Mackey’s pieces have always been fantastic, innovative, and inspiring. Players will be the first to tell you how demanding his compositions are. To quote a masterful percussionist in the Dallas Winds, “Mackey often asks us to do the impossible; then we find a way to do it.” But this concerto takes Mackey’s listeners into a new sphere, particularly in terms of color and lyricism.
And yes, the premiere did take place, gloriously! People literally leapt to their feet at the final note. The hours after the concert increased the sense of joy for everyone involved. Even today, two days later, I am still thrilled to recall it.
Whether or not you can hear a performance of Divine Mischief, you may find this interview with Mackey revealing as it opens a window into what composers actually do (both today and in the past). For example, the genesis of a piece often comes from friendship, the schedule is always rushed, and endless details must be handled right up to the last moment. The technical abilities of a soloist either provide limitations for or, in this case, open the flood gates to what a composer can pour into a score.
But when I spoke to Mackey here, all of that lay in the future. He was, of course, hopeful for precisely this kind of triumph, but it is never guaranteed. Also, this interview illustrates why I love working in the world of wind music, particularly with the Dallas Winds, the leading civilian wind band in the United States (and many would say, the world). Being this close to Maestro Jerry Junkin (an astonishing conductor whose great heart shapes all he does) and the stream of fabulous pieces they program, played by terrific players who care deeply, simply is thrilling. I’d go so far as to say it is one of the most exciting things I ever have done.