Category Symphonic Music

Jack and Jill at Bunker Hill

American story piece for narrator and orchestra

Immensely entertaining, “Jack and Jill” combines an action-packed story of American history and idealism with music irresistible to young people. It is especially appropriate for programs on American music, storytelling in music, and family 4th of July concerts. For fun and musical excitement, this piece is hard to beat. It has been performed by the Buffalo, Dallas, and Detroit Symphonies, and many other American orchestras from the Anchorage Symphony to the Florida Philharmonic.

Russell has composed a variety of narrated pieces appropriate for a broad range of ages. These works have been performed throughout the United States, Canada, and in Europe and Asia.

“gusto and flair . . . enthusiasm soars at children’s concert”
Grand Rapids Press

“the Milwaukee Symphony soared . . . snippets of blues . . . brass passages reminiscent of Motown . . . all integrated within a more classically derived framework”
Milwaukee Journal

“joy rings out at children’s concert . . . Peck left the stage to cheers of a standing ovation”
New Orleans Time Picayune

duration: 9′

(1997/1976)

3(3rd db. picc.)/2+E.h./2+b.cl./2+cbn. 4/3/3/1
timp. 2 perc. (incl. drumset) harp strings
narrator

[The full-size orchestra may be reduced by the omission of any or all of the following instruments: fl. II, E.h., b.cl., cbn., tpt. III, harp. Cues for these instruments are provided in other parts.]

A chamber orchestra version (using different score & parts) has instrumentation as follows:

1+picc./2/2/2 2/2/1/1 (tuba is optional)
timp. 1 perc. (incl. drum set) opt. harp strings
narrator

Introduction

Battle/Declaration of Independence

Liberty Bell

The Glory and the Grandeur

This concerto for three percussionists has been performed across America – by the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Cincinnati and Indianapolis Symphonies and many others. The opening is a paraphrase of the composer’s Lift-Off for percussion, reviewed by the N.Y. Times as “the hit of the evening . . . smashingly propulsive.”

The Smashingly Propulsive opening drum cadenza

The entertaining spectacle of performance by interwoven percussionists makes this piece ideal for video productions, and performances have been broadcast nationwide-The West Virginia video production won first prize in the prestigious Houston International Video Competition in the live music category.

Excerpt #1

Excerpt #2

Finale

Signs of Life II

Signs of Life II (formerly Signs of Life) for string orchestra is rich with engaging rhythms and gorgeous melodic lines. Movement I is a spirited Allegro which grabs attention with it’s persistent rhythm and clear nod to Americana. Movement II is an Arioso, heart-stopping in its melancholy beauty. Movement III displays amazing energy and exhilaration.

The Los Angeles Times said that Signs of Life II is “filled with all manner of string techniques applied in imaginative ways. The piece is so engaging as to make one wish to hear it again, and soon.”

“fresh, accessible, well-written music”
Grand Rapids Press

“an inventive piece of music”
Salt Lake Tribune

“the rare ability to entice listeners without writing down to them…deftly scored…invigorating and deserving of repeated hearings.”
Detroit Free Press

Orchestras around the world agree. The complete work and various movements have had hundreds of performances by orchestras across the United States, and in Brazil, Canada, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Norway and Romania.

Signs of Life II was originally Signs of Life, a two movement piece, Arioso (6′) and Scherzo (6′).
Signs of Life II added the Allegro first movement (3’30”) to create the three-movement work.

total duration: 15’30”

(1983/1986)

full symphony strings or reduced to minimum of 3,3,2,2,1

in Compositions / Orchestral Works

Mozart Escapes

I. Allegro maestoso (Revolutionary Brass) 4’30”
II. Andante cantabile (Amadeus Meets Stradivarius 7’00”
III. Allegretto scherzando (Woodwinds a la Wolfgang) 5’00”
IV. Allegro vivace (Mallets and Mozart) 6’00”

In this unusual concerto for orchestra each movement is based on a famous Mozart piano sonata movement scored for full orchestra, with emphasis on one of the instrumental families. It explores the adaptability of W.A. Mozart’s great piano compositions to varied scoring using all the resources of the modern orchestra.

“equal measures of wit and serenity . . . a worthy addition to the repertory”
Greenville News

total duration: 22′ 30″

(1997)

LISTEN to audio samples
2+picc./2/2/2+cbn. 4/3/3/1
timp. 3 perc. strings

in Compositions / concerto / Orchestral Works / Symphonic Music

Don’t Tread On Me

For string orchestra

Don’t Tread On Me begins in a formal Mozart-ian way, but quickly develops its true rock n’ roll character with bluesy swinging style. Special feroce string crossings give this piece its insistent, pulsing energy. The rhythms are straightforward and everything is idiomatic, making this piece sound more difficult to play than it is. The easy-going American feel of this piece, as well as its short, but sweet length, makes it a nice inclusion on many programs.

duration: 3’30”

(1995)

Don’t Tread On Me is Movement I of the 3-Movement string orchestra piece Signs of Life II, and is also available for string quartet.

in Compositions / Orchestral Works / String Quartet / Symphonic Music

Gabriel

Concert Overture for Orchestra

The story of the angel Gabriel, rendered with emotional intensity in this concert overture for orchestra, evokes a glimmering celebration of three angelic events.

As messenger from God, Gabriel told Mary she would be the mother of Jesus, sparking Christianity
As messenger from God, he gave the Quran to the Prophet Mohammed, sparking Islam
When the world ends, Gabriel will be playing his horn for us, one last time

This music traces these three moods for the angel: lyric, dramatic, and apocalyptic. Your audience feels the beating of angelic wings, soaring and gliding, while the score calls upon the trumpet to be the airborne voice of love, struggle, and obliteration.

Originally the first movement of a trumpet concerto commissioned in 1988 by Doc Severinsen and the Phoenix and North Carolina Symphonies, The first movement was given a “second life” as Gabriel, through the Nashville Symphony’s American Encore Series.

– duration: 6′

– (1997)

3(3rd db. picc.)/2+E.h./2+E-flat/2+cbn. – 4/3/3/1
timp. – 3 perc. – strings

in Compositions / Orchestral Works / Symphonic Music

The Upward Stream

The original version of The Upward Stream with orchestra has been performed throughout the United States, as well as in Berlin, Warsaw and other European cities, and Canada, Czech Republic, England, South Korea, and Taiwan/R.O.C.

The Symphonic Band arrangement of The Upward Stream
was premiered by the Indiana University Symphonic Band,
February 5, 2013.

in Compositions / concerto / Music for Band & Wind / Symphonic Music / Tenor Saxophone

Harmonic Rhythm

The writing of this concerto, which premiered in 2000, was inspired by the largest commissioning consortium to date in music history—39 orchestras. It was also sparked by interest among timpanists based on the composer’s well-known percussion concerto The Glory and the Grandeur and percussion trio Lift-Off. It is visually stimulating due to the unusual variety of mallets and brilliant sticking. Harmonic Rhythm requires 5 drums (4 standard sizes plus a piccolo drum).

A primary feature is the melodic writing for the timpani, which shows the instrument’s expressive range extending into areas of surprising lyricism. There is powerful action, too, of course, with jazz and rock influences, leading to a very big ending.

Section I: excerpt

Section II: beginning-excerpt

Section III: beginning-excerpt

Section IV: excerpt

Section IV: excerpt-end

Peace Overture

Russell Peck’s programmatic tone poem about the struggle for peace. A musical tribute to all the people who have struggled against conflict itself toward a just and lasting peace for all of us.- commissioned by the Birmingham International Festival.

Recorded by the London Symphony.

Adagio

Allegro

Ending