Rough Edges         - Harry Dempsey

 

Mr. Harry’s Opus

 

Many of you know that in addition to writing this column I am a musician and composer.  I mention this because last Sunday my musical composition “Woodbridge” was premiered by the West Central Concert Band in Ferris State University’s Williams Auditorium.  The musical composition itself is a four movement suite which I was originally going to name “The Once Upon a Time in the Small Logging Village of Big Rapids (Formerly Leonard) a Man by the Name of Ferris Came to Town and Started a University Bossa Nova.”  You can only imagine my surprise when I found out that title had already been taken.  So, instead I decided to just call it Woodbridge in honor of Woodbridge Nathan Ferris.

Writing music is a time-consuming and risky creative business.  It involves the necessity of having to research styles, labor over complex counterpoint, weave complicated and unrelated ideas together and consume many non-caffeinated beverages.  And that’s just to come up with a title.  For the composer, after laboring long and hard over a composition, it is an indescribably rewarding experience to finally hear your work performed live.  It is somewhat comparable to the joy, satisfaction and relief felt by a hamster that has just delivered a camel.

As the composer of the work I’d like to unequivocally thank all of you who came to the performance for your warm response to the work.  I am humbled by your enthusiastic reaction and kindness (not to mention obvious good taste)!   As far as the people who came to the performance and slept through or were bored by the work, may a diseased bovine flavor your mocha.   And for those of you who didn’t show up at all, don’t even worry about the legend that because you showed disrespect for FSU’s founder that the original institute’s cabinet will return from the great beyond and hold weekly tuition meetings in your family room. 

I’d also like to thank all the fine musicians in the band who did such an outstanding job performing the work!  (However for the musicians who missed entrances, "clammed" notes and slaughtered accidentals, I know where you live.)  Ha-Ha!  Just kidding! The band did an amazing job of putting this concert together in a very short period of time.

Even though I conducted the suite at the concert, it could not have been performed without the support of WCCB director Jamie McCleod, who graciously scheduled rehearsal time for the composition.  

The composition is written for concert band in four continuous movements and includes a narration consisting of quotes and ideas from Mr. Ferris in between each.  Since Woodbridge was the first president of the university, I wanted someone of similar stature to read the narration at the performance.  I had considered asking President Clinton, but then remembered that since Hillary was out of town in New York that his evenings were probably going to be taken up with the AFFAIRS of state. 

Since Mr. Ferris had also been governor of Michigan, I considered Governor Engler for narrator.  I then realized that he was probably too preoccupied trying to explain how even though George W. had lost the Michigan primary to McCain, it was actually somehow a major victory for Mr. Bush (spin: “Bush by a landslide in the pivotal primary at Bad Axe!”).

Fortunately for me and for music aficionados everywhere though, the obvious top choice for narrator agreed to read the words of Mr. Ferris (although actually, I guess my first choice should have been Mr. Ferris himself were he not presently indisposed).  FSU President William Sederburg consented to act as narrator and gave a stirring and vibrant interpretation to the quotes of Mr. Ferris.  Off-stage he was, however, trouble by Mr. Ferris’ description of the qualities which make an individual “well-orbed.” 

We are not exactly sure what Mr. Ferris meant by “well-orbed.”  Visions of rotund individuals at buffet tables come to mind. Or perhaps he may have been referring to individuals with Charlie Brown-type heads.  I suspect that it may have even had something to do with his involvement in the practice of “phrenology,” which Woodbridge used to deliver “oral delineations of character” of individuals based on lumps upon their craniums ($.25 per individual session with family rates available).  I don’t hold his belief in this practice against Mr. Ferris because I sort of wonder what people 100 years from now will think about our generation’s preoccupation with new age philosophies, meditation, horoscopes, liposuction, the Psychic Network, Judge Judy, rap music and Regis Philbin.

In any event I want to thank everyone involved for his or her efforts in insuring the success of the performance.  The composition was written to celebrate Ferris State University’s entrance into the New Millennium and to honor the beliefs and philosophies of its visionary founder.  Many talented people came together to help insure that this would be a quality tribute.  Woodbridge, this one’s for you!