Concertos
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Bob Milne grew up playing French horn in Michigan orchestras. He became a virtuoso while still in high school, actually playing with a professional orchestra for three years starting in the 10th grade. At age 17 he went to the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, eventually becoming ass't 1st horn in the Rochester Philharmonic. Hence he had (and still has) orchestral music in his head all the time, which made it easy for him to compose pieces for his friends and himself.
Below is a selection of concertos, Art songs, and more. Bob performed the thundering piano concerto on several occasions with orchestras or double piano versions.
The concerto has an interesting story behind it as you will see.
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A Labor of Love
Bob wrote all kinds of music like this "because he could." It was fun. He gave it to his friends to play and a lot of it he played himself on his concerts. He wrote everything from grand opera to country songs. He was always making up music in his head while driving long distance somewhere, and often he played it that night on a stage somewhere.
"Composing" music is creating it in his head. "Writing music" is putting it down on paper so someone else can play it.
Please scroll through the sections below. Press a sound button if you like and listen to some of these. And most importantly...
Thank you for being here on Bob's page.
Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra
Dave Greenhoe
Dave Greenhoe is a lifelong friend of Bob. Bob, being a French horn player in those days, grew up with Dave playing in all kinds of orchestras around Michigan. Then they went to the Eastman School of Music together.
During their time at Eastman Bob composed a trumpet concerto for Dave. He (Bob) found, however, that he was unable to write it out due to hand cramps. Decades later, with the invention of the computer and music writing programs, Bob was finally able to put it into print and get it to Dave in its orchestrated version.
The opening of the concerto consists a brass choir playing what almost sounds like a hymn. This is typical of Bob's style, as if the music is politely introducing itself to the listener before taking to the stage.
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra consists of 3 mov'ts.
Mov't 1 opens with a horn choir. Then it moves into a series of beautiful melodies all woven together.
Mov't 2 is likely the only piano concerto in the world to feature a bagpiper. Bob's father came from Aberdeen, Scotland, so Bob decided to pay homage with a wild bagpipe dance accompanied by virtuoso piano playing and orchestra echoing going on around the howling pipes.
Mov't 3 is an up-tempo, syncopated ride from beginning to end. After the initial themes, a minor key rag enters, only to be followed by a fugal duel between the piano and orchestra. It ends by going back to the initial theme with a finale' that seemingly breaks all thunder-house barriers.
This is the live score of the 3rd mov't of the concerto. Feel free to listen.