David Fetter’s Elysian Suite was performed by the Elysian Trombone Consort at the 2020 American Trombone Workshop hosted by the U.S. Army Band.

Fetter composed the Elysian Suite for this trombone  quartet, who premiered it in 2012 at the University of Southern California and presented it at the 2013 International Trombone Festival in Columbus, Georgia.

Their ATW performance is archived on YouTube within

2020 American Trombone Workshop Day 3 of 4 

Start at 5:40, where Peabody alum Nate Siler introduces the performance.  The movements are Fanfare, Wind Chime, Gongs and March.   The other members of the Consort are Timothy Anderson, Chad Arnow and Bret Shuster.

Also, Fetter’s arrangement of Ave Maria by Gustav Holst was performed at the American Trombone Workshop by the Missouri State Trombone Choir, conducted by Jason Hausback.

This performance is archived on YouTube within

2020 American Trombone Workshop Day 2

and beginning at around 2:36:46

Here are sound files of two new choral pieces with words and music by David Fetter, kindly recorded in 2019 by the Chums Chorus of Baltimore:

Charity, Clarity and Truth

and
Sweet Beauty

Here are the song texts, also by DF:

Clarity, Charity and Truth

Clarity, charity and truth,
Open eyes, open heart, open mind.
Accuracy, integrity, reality,
Open eyes, open heart, open mind.
Clarity, charity and truth.

Sweet Beauty

Sweet Beauty, see how we sustain thee.

We use you, bloat, twist you, coat you,
we mimic you, we intone you, we appropriate you.
sweet Beauty, how will you survive us?

When earth unplugs and data dumps,
when neutrons bomb and seas engulf,
when cyber slips and beta blips and hacks attack
and all our bytes are blown light quick among the galaxies.
When black maw of sun sucks in the universe,
Sweet Beauty, how will you abide?

Thinner than air…
Fear not fair friends, your fate is yours alone.
Black holes cannot consume me.
I float pale, above and beyond, untouchable, eternal.
I am everywhere, I surround you, thinner than air.
Fret not, your passing will sadden me, I will remember you.
Thinner than air…

David Fetter has made a two new arrangements for eight-part trombone choir of choral passages in Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony.

The first arrangement is titled Choral Excerpt from the Finale of Symphony No. 2, and is a setting of the hushed initial entry of the chorus, with its assurance of souls rising to a new life.  In the full score the passage extends from Rehearsal No. 31 to No. 39 and occurs at around 1:15:00 in YouTube concert performance videos.

Here is an electronic file of Choral Excerpt from the Finale of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2.

The second arrangement, Symphony No. 2 Finale, begins at Rehearsal No. 42 in the full score and continues complete to the work’s powerful close.  This passage begins in some YouTube concert videos at around 1:28:00.

Here is an electronic file of the second arrangement, Symphony No. 2 Finale.

The arrangements are available from Hickey’s Music Center.

Choral Excerpt from Finale of Symphony No. 2   Time 5:30   Score and parts $16.00

Symphony No. 2 Finale   Time 5:30  Score and parts 18.00

Ron Barron premiered the band version of David Fetter’s Situation Update with The Eagles Community Band in Pittsfield, Massachusetts in November 2016, conducted by Carl Jenkins.

Hear the performance on YouTube.

The video opens with narration by William Corby.  Movement 1 is at 1:27.  Movement 2 is at 4:40 and Movement 3 is at 9:25.

The Eagles Band commissioned Fetter to arrange the piano accompaniment of the work for the concert, which celebrated the Band’s 80th anniversary year.

See Eagles Community Band

Situation Update has been published by Cherry Classics.

RON BARRON PERFORMANCE OF SITUATION UPDATE AT PEABODY

Ron Barron, retired Principal Trombone of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, is seen here as he performed David Fetter’s Situation Update with pianist Lior Willinger at the Peabody Conservatory in a master class in September of 2015.

WORLD PREMIRE OF SITUATION UPDATE

Barron presented the world premiere of Situation Update in March 2015 in a solo recital in Richmond, Massachusetts, seen here with pianist Larry Wallach.

At the recital Fetter offered comments about Situation Update.

The first movement, marked Swift, is The Devil’s Swagger as he celebrates the human fouling of planet earth.  He would lend us a hand, but we’re doing fine on our own.  He can only gloat and strut in agitated envy.

In the second movement, Longing, the human turns inward in reflective and at times passionate meditation.  The human finds great comfort and sustenance in its belief that it is the center of the universe.  The third movement, Exit Music, is the Devil’s struts in triumph as the humans march off the edge.  A poignant art song fills a lull, but it is trampled by more humans.

Eric Ewazen, who took part in Barron’s 2015 concert as pianist in his own Songs of the Sun for trombone and piano, wrote later:

“I had the pleasure of hearing Ron Barron play David Fetter’s exciting and virtuosic new work for trombone and piano, “Situation Update.”  David’s music allows the trombonist to sing and soar in 3 contrasting movements filled with vivid colors, beautiful and expressive harmonies, and a wonderful flowing rhythmic energy.  The outer movements crackle with energy, showcasing the amazing technique of soloist Ron Barron, as the melodic line shifts and changes with playful abandon, while the middle movement is heartfelt and lyrical, with beautiful melodic lines, supported by resonant, gorgeous harmonies.  The work is a real tour de force and rightly deserves to take its place as a significant addition to the trombone repertoire.”