About the Book
Having German, Folk-Irish/English, Italian, and Russian movements, Symphony No. 1: "The cultural symphony" allows a cultural concert symphony with an American style of composition. Symphony No. 1 "The Cultural Symphony" The first movement of "the cultural symphony" is an Allegro moderato written in the German style in four-four time and starts with its main motive with the strings, brass, organ, and percussion, the winds respond, and the orchestra drives forward. The primary motive of a minor third to a major third back to the tonic causes an uprising of the intervals in the orchestra and the competition between major and minor keys begins. Melody is abundant and the main motive appears and keeps the competition of major and minor keys going. Before the movement is through there are horn calls, then silence, then the orchestra answers. The orchestra comes to a high point and the main motive ends the movement with a crash and a boom. The second movement of "the cultural symphony" is a Moderato written in the English, folk-Irish style and is in four-four time. A sense of longing and strength is heard in the main melody of this rondo of ABA'BA. As the melody unfolds the orchestra uses timbre to play a quiet melody of joy and the primary melody returns full of life. This leads to the B section of the movement. The high strings and winds play a simple melody, while the low strings and winds support. Then the sections trade places and upon completion, move to the variation on the A section of this rondo. This variation uses grace notes to give a folk-Irish melodic sound to the orchestra. This section being shorter in length then the original A section leads to the B section with a short transition in sound. After the B section is complete, a simple transition of sound is used to bring the orchestra back to the original and final melody of this movement and the rondo is complete. The third movement of "the cultural symphony" is a Presto in the Italian style. It is the only movement of this symphony without the organ. The main theme is in three-four, however, it is written over eight measures to give it the feeling of a procession. Variation after variation of this theme arises and the orchestra ends this movement in full voice minus the violoncellos and contrabasses, giving it a sense of quickness and sounding light. The fourth movement of "the cultural symphony" is an Allegro written in the style of the Russians. It uses hymn-like melodies and repetitions of sounds to show the spirit of a nation that has seen dissention and has returned back to oneness. The primary melody starts with a solo instrument, the horn, much reminiscent of Tschaikovsky's 2nd Symphony "The little Russian". The difference in this symphony is that it is in the last movement and not the first and, secondly, it is answered and supported with a melody which shows the harmony of not being alone. Having a sense of fullness in culture, the orchestra ends Symphony No. 1 "The Cultural Symphony".
About the Author: Stephen John Macko - b. July 05, 1969 in Spokane, WA - Being an only child of his parents, Joseph John Macko and Joyce Arlene Macko, at the age of 7, the young Macko began studying violin in his elementary school orchestra under the direction of Gordon Ogo. When at the age of 10, he began lessons on the trombone with Mark Williams, he continued in both orchestra and band for two years. At the age of 12, he focused his studies to the trombone. After five years of playing the trombone only, the young Macko, now age 16, auditioned for and was chosen as the principle trombonist in the state of Washington's All State Orchestra. During his 16th year, he began attending Spokane Symphony rehearsals, where he was able to study orchestral scores and learn orchestration techniques from Stefan Kozinski. In his 17th year, he became the Drum Major for his high school band, as he attended Gonzaga University, in a dual enrollment program, studying the third semester of University level calculus and analytic geometry. For his work as a Drum Major, he received a national honor award. After graduating from high school, he was accepted to Washington State University, where he studied trombone with Gordon Hallberg, the former bass trombonist of the Boston Symphony. He then choose to attend Eastern Washington University, where he studied music and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in music. At the age of 21, he had learned enough conducting technique in order to be accepted as an auditing conductor at the Festival at Sandpoint, directed by Gunther Schuller. At the festival he was able to meet and learn twelve tone techniques, with a group of young composers, from Milton Babbitt. After the festival he then went on to study trombone performance in a master's program, with Stuart Dempster, and conducting, with Peter Eros, at the University of Washington. After one year at the university, Macko then became an assistant to Stefan Kozinski, a former prodigy of Nadia Boulanger. Since, Mr. Macko has continued in music as a composer and in 1998-2000 completed his Symphony No. 1 "The Cultural Symphony", in 2001 completed his Symphony No. 2 "The Children's Symphony", and from 2008 to 2013 completed his Symphony No. 3 "The One Movement Symphony". During this time Mr. Macko also developed Tetra Chord Structuring which can be demonstrated with his orchestral works "Instancy: The Spirit of Time", "Buoyant Air", and "Fluent Harmony".
