Tuesday's Musical Notes - "The William Tell Overture" (University of Arkansas Marching Razorback Band)

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Welcome to Tuesday and the 1st day of September!!!  We have been reserving the first Tuesday of every month to revisit some of The Notes that were only visioneered in email. Today, however, we depart from our normal first of the month programming so we may bring you this special presentation with limited commercial interruption.  So Welcome To Tuesday and Tuesday's Musical Notes!!!

If you've been reading Tuesday's Musical Notes for very long, you realize that September is one of our favorite months of the year.  As the long, hot summer draws to a close we say goodbye to the humidity that causes discomfort to even those with the coldest natures.  September usually brings relief from the stifling summer that occurs in our great state of Arkansas.  Not only does September bring relief from the heat, it brings relief from our drought of Razorback sporting events that are available to witness on television.  If you just happen to not be a fan of the crimson and white, please understand that Tuesday's Musical Notes harbors no ill will against you.  Yup, because we are Christians, we must also love Tennessee, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, and the remaining SEC fans.  Those of us who are old enough to remember the SouthWest Conference, even have to love the awful orange of Texas...sigh.  But for EVERYONE, it's Tuesday and time for a note or two about a beloved iconic musical interlude.  "Hi ho Silver Away!!!!"...and maybe a little bit of "Go Hogs" to boot!!!!

"William Tell Overture" from the Finale of the opera William Tell by Gioachina Rossini - performed by the University of Arkansas Marching Razorback Band

For 187 years, millions of people around the world have listened to this instantly recognizable theme from the finale in the opera William Tell. This Overture portion of the Finale actually lasts over twelve minutes and commemorates the Swiss army winning a victorious battle to liberate their homeland against oppression from Austria.  William Tell was the last original of 39 opera composed by Gioachina Rossini (The Barber of Seville).  The Overture from the Finale has been used in animated shorts, radio drama, television theme songs, and full length films as a part of their respective soundtracks.  For a generation of modern music lovers,  the "William Tell Overture" has been synonymous with the radio, television and movie versions, of The Lone Ranger.  (Even though the Johnny Depp/Armie Hammer vehicle was critically panned and disappointed at the box office, Tuesday's Musical Notes, holds that it was an entertaining while different retelling of the John Reid Texas Marshall story...and it features, you guessed it...The William Tell Overture at just the right moment).

More importantly, since the late 70's, the University of Arkansas Marching Razorback and Hogwild bands have been using the William Tell Overture as a rallying cry for the faithful fans at football and basketball events.  While other collegiate programs have utilized a form of the overture as a "spirit" song, none have captured the sense of urgency in the moment and increased enthusiasm generated by the U of A bands.  Striking its best "fight song" pose, the William Tell Overture at the University of Arkansas sporting events includes the cheer "Go Hogs!!!" as well as spelling out the name of the state we know and love...A-R-K-A-N-S-(boom, boom)-A-S!!!   As you can see by this week's music video, the fans tend to get whipped into a frenzy just at the time the team needs the boost.  The arranger of this particular version of William Tell was Jim Robken who was an assistant director of bands at the time for the U of A.  The Hogwild band was so popular at the time that local television station KATV did a feature story on the band and its leader.  For all of you RMB/Hogwild (Barnhill Arena) alums...

 

Hogwild Band feature - KATV special halftime broadcast feature

The all too familiar refrains of William Tell musically portray the victory at the height of the battle between the Swiss and Austrians.  All of us face battles.  Some get the exquisite opportunity to battle on a field with a football.  Others have seen the horrors that come with battles in actual wars.  We even may face struggles on the battlefield of our minds.  During any of these battles there is usually a soundtrack playing, probably not literally, but at least in the deep recesses of our mind.  These soundtracks can take on the theme of a rallying cry or a dirge.  It has been well said that we are in 1 of three battle stages at all times.  We are either coming out of, in the middle of, or just beginning the skirmishes that will make up an all out battle.  The question is not always how many of those skirmishes we win, but how we fight them.  What is our strategy? 

There is an excellent faith based film that just released called War Room.  It is a must see if you want the best strategy to understand how you must fight the battles that we all face.  It just happened to hit #2 at the box office this weekend, the best ever for a faith based film in limited release.  Here's the trailer:

 

War Room - Affirm Films in association with Sony Pictures

"Have you considered my servant, Job?".  This was a question posed from God to the enemy at the beginning of the book of poetry bearing the name of the main protagonist.  We've mentioned him before here at The Notes (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Where Have All The Flowers Gone?")  If you think you've had a bad life, check out the 1st chapter of Job:  Job 1 English Standard Version/The Message Paraphrase  It seems that Job was going through some of the biggest battles of his life.  He lost EVERYTHING, well almost everything.  His wife and some of his friends were still around criticizing and opining about what he did or did not do to make God mad at him.  Job was placed in a situation that hopefully none of us will ever find ourselves, yet, he maintained his integrity and purity through having faith and confidence in the One thing he had left...his relationship with God.  42 chapters and several conversations between the friends, the wife, and Job, later we see Job having a final conversation with God.  When Job was sitting in a pile of ashes, with sores all over his body that were festering unmercifully, he received a very strong message from God that put everything into perspective.  Job 38 - ESV/The Message Parallel

 

Eventually being restored in his wealth as well as having many more children,  Job was delivered into victory because he was made to realize that it wasn't his fight to begin with.  God showed Job exactly who he (Job) was in comparison to who He (God) was.  Even though Job was described by God as  "none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil.",  Job was still a sinner that need God to fight for him.  He learned how to do battle the right way.  God had it all under control.  

 

Let me challenge you sometime soon to get a modern translation or paraphrase of the book of Job and read all 42 chapters.  Click on the link in the above paragraph if you would like to read it online.  Then ponder.  What battle stage are you currently in?  Are you fighting the wrong enemy?  Are you fighting in a way that is filled with integrity and purity?  Are you relying on the One who controls everything to fight for you?  Are you living a life of person that God could ask our adversary..."have you considered my servant (insert your name here)?".  "HI-HO Silver!!!"
  

"White Flag" the title cut from the 2012 album by Passion

Til Tuesday,

Serving HIM by serving you,

Randy

P.S. - "Go Hogs!!!  Beat UTEP!!!!"