Johann Baptist Strauss Jr. (October 25, 1825-June 3, 1899) 

Tales from the Vienna Woods (Geschichten aus dem Wienerwald), Op. 325 (1868)

Johann Strauss Jr. was born into a musical family. His father Johann Baptist Strauss Sr. (1804-1849) was an astute businessman and an excellent showman, equally adept at composing appealing waltzes and compiling delightful programs attractive to various social circles. He passed these abilities on to three of his sons, Johann Jr., Josef, and Eduard, each of whom led their own dance orchestras. 

Tales from the Vienna Woods features the zither, a folk instrument with tuned strings stretched across a hollow wooden box. Some have fretted fingerboards, like a guitar, and can be strummed or plucked to play melodies or accompany. The addition of this instrument adds a sentimental mood to this piece, even though it is featured in only a few phrases.

There are five waltzes in this piece, each with its own character, yet clearly related to each other. There are short transitions between each, allowing the dancers to catch their breaths. Strauss’s showmanship is evident throughout, with many contrasts in pacing, orchestration, and melodic inflection, all with a witty character that socialites must have found delightful. The ending is especially unique in its use of the zither, and the combination of nostalgia with free-wheeling dancing would have been much appreciated by party-goers and critics alike.

—Dr. Jeffrey Snedeker

Jill Haley (b. September 9, 1960)

National Parks Suite No. 2 (2022)

Jill Haley is an oboist and English horn player with the York Symphony Orchestra, among other groups. National Parks Suite No. 2 is composed for oboe/English horn and chamber orchestra, inspired by residencies at Badlands National Park, South Dakota, and Glacier National Park, Montana. Orchestrated by David Himes, it was premiered June 1, 2022, at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Kempton, Pennsylvania, by the Berks (PA) Sinfonietta conducted by Dr. David McConnell. The composer was the soloist.

According to the composer, the weather at Badlands National Park during her residency was very windy. The first movement, titled “Sage Creek Basin,” has a steady upbeat rhythm and the oboe melody floats above the orchestra, reflecting a rolling landscape with waving scrub and grasses and an occasional tree. In the second movement, titled “Wind Hymn,” the wind is calmer with more involvement from the woodwinds accompanying the flowing, mellow sound of the solo English horn.

The last two movements embrace water in all its forms, which was prevalent in Haley’s visit to Glacier National Park. “Clouds Over Apgar Range” is the slowest movement, inspired by images of snow and ice, with the English horn capturing foggy majesty and somber beauty. “Running Eagle Falls” follows the melting water into streams, with the oboe once again floating on top of the orchestral texture.

—Dr. Jeffrey Snedeker

Ludwig van Beethoven (December 17, 1770-March 26, 1827)

Symphony No. 6 in F major,  op. 68 "Pastorale" (1808)

Beethoven was a lover of nature, spending a great deal of time walking in the country. He composed Symphony No. 6, also referred to as “Recollections of Country Life,” for a large a benefit concert in Vienna on December 22, 1808, that included the Fifth and Sixth Symphonies, the Fourth Piano Concerto with Beethoven as soloist, portions of the Mass in C, Ah! Perfido, and the Choral Fantasy.

The five movements are subtitled as follows: Awakening of cheerful feelings upon arrival in the country, Scene by the brook, Happy gathering of country folk, Thunderstorm, Shepherds’ song; Cheerful and thankful feelings after the storm. The first movement begins with a serene yet cheerful movement depicting the composer’s feelings as he arrives in the country. At the opening of the second movement, the strings play a motif that clearly imitates flowing water. A cadenza of birdcalls includes a nightingale (flute), a quail (oboe), and a cuckoo (clarinet). The third movement is a scherzo, depicting country folk dancing and revelry. The party is abruptly cut short by a thunderstorm, i.e., the fourth movement. The weather eventually clears and everyone comes out to celebrate the beauty and freshness of the world around them. After a plaintive shepherd song, the music gradually builds to an exciting outpouring of happiness, goodwill, and a sense of gratefulness for the time spent in nature. 

This symphony has been an audience favorite since its premiere and was an important early catalyst for programmatic music in the 19th century.

—Dr. Jeffrey Snedeker

Logan Esterling

Logan Esterling currently holds the title of English Horn and 3rd Oboe with the Yakima Symphony Orchestra and Symphony Tacoma. He also plays Principal Oboe with the Bellevue Symphony and Seattle Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra. He regularly performs with orchestras throughout the Pacific Northwest, including Seattle Symphony, Seattle Opera, and Pacific Northwest Ballet.

Mr. Esterling’s freelance career has led him to perform with internationally acclaimed artists, including Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban, Evanescence, The Who, Lindsey Stirling, and "Weird Al" Yankovic. He has recorded music for the video game Destiny 2, the DreamWorks short Bird Karma, and prominent modern composers such as Christopher Tyler Nickel.

Mr. Esterling graduated from the University of Washington, where he studied with Mary Lynch. A passionate and dedicated teacher himself, he serves on the faculty of Central Washington University, University of Puget Sound, DigiPen Institute of Technology, and Marrowstone Music Festival.

Jill Haley

“Haley conveys peacefulness and serenity through long held notes and tonal rising melodies. She has excellent breath control and the warmth of her tone, especially on the English horn, is inviting.”

—Megan Woodward, The International Double Reed Journal

"Jill Haley makes music for those quiet moments, drifting her oboe, Cor Anglais and piano melodies in those liminal spaces between night and day, wakefulness and dreams."

—John Diliberto, Echoes Radio Program

Jill performs on oboe and English horn in both improvisational and classical settings as well as composing her own music inspired by the beauty of our National Parks. She has been an Artist in Residence at 10 National Parks over the last decade, which has afforded her the opportunity to live in a park while creating music about the park.

Jill has released several recordings of National Park music on her own label which have been placed on numerous radio and music services, including several tracks on satellite radio, Sirius/ XM Radio. These recordings are available at Amazon.com and on numerous digital services.

Her National Park music with video is shared with audiences throughout the country. Her music has been performed at National Parks, artist concert series, and Carnegie Hall.

Jill is also an artist on the Spotted Peccary Record Label creating ambient music with the founder of this label, Deborah Martin. The duo has released 2 recordings with a 3rd planned for release in September 2025.

She also has recorded and performed extensively with the founder of Windham Hill Records, Will Ackerman, as well as appearing as a guest artist on many other musicians’ recordings that were produced by Ackerman at his Imaginary Roads Studio. One of these recordings by Laura Sullivan, “Love’s River”, won a Grammy.

In the last few years, she has begun to have arrangements created for some of her National Park music to be performed as a soloist with orchestras. Three National Park Suites as well as a Suite of music drawn from her pandemic project, “Wrapped in Light,” have been performed by the York Symphony, Providence Chamber Orchestra and Berks Sinfonietta. She is the English horn player with the York Symphony, PA.