PROGRAM NOTES
“Suite for ARMY” is a classically composed work inspired by the musical analysis of BTS’ complete discography and research into their classical influences. Its name pays homage to the ARMY and gives form to the piece while the interwoven movements chronical the philosophical and personal developments of BTS & ARMY.
Suite: a series of distinct instrumental movements or sections with some element of unity, usually intended to be performed as a single unit
I. No More Dream …what’s your dream
II. Boy in Luv …hold me tight before I kiss you
III. Baepsae …change the rules
IV. Blood Sweat and Tears …it’s okay if it hurts
V. Spring Day …until the flowers bloom again
VI. Fake Love …in a dream that can’t come true
VII. Boy with Love …but your pain is my pain
VIII. Ugh …the truths may become false
IX. Young Forever …I endlessly run toward my dream
X. Dynamite …I’m in the stars tonight
Classical music’s influence on BTS can be heard directly - in Fake Love, Blood Sweat and Tears and Euphoria, the band quotes Chopin’s “Farewell” Waltz Op. 69 No. 1, Bach’s Mass in B minor – Kyrie, Debussy’s Clair de Lune, and Buxtehude’s Passacaglia. The Suite for ARMY takes these direct quotes from Chopin and Bach while using Debussy and Buxtehude as inspiration for orchestration and color. The philosophical beliefs, compositional techniques, and personal stories of Wagner, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, and Stravinsky are the sonic glue that binds BTS and Classical Music.
Henry’s Notes - form and structure
“Youth” Exposition
No More Dreams - Wagner and BTS – opening motive is the return to the origin – the journey of identity, acceptance, responsibility, and growth. - undercurrent for Suite for ARMY.
Boy in Luv – “youthful love“ No more dreams leitmotiv underneath & Tchaikovsky Orchestration – melodic apotheosis - epic cresc. Tchaikovsky's melodies – especially in symphonies – are not often repeated - loved each melody so passionately - each containing its own climax
Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto + BTS - when he first composed it, fought an uphill battle. Rejected by Nikolai Rubenstein, Hans van bülow premiered it, only later to be celebrated by Rubenstein as one of the greatest works and a champion of Tchaikovsky.
Baepsae – CHANGE! - used as a musical transition – for change +Boy in Luv – both as transitions
“Growth” Development
Blood Sweat and Tears – Bach’s Kyrie “Lord, have Mercy” quoted in MV for Blood Sweat and Tears V, Taehyung’s favorite composers, Chopin, Bach, Rachmaninoff
Rachmaninoff orchestration – classical Horn solo, Clarinet Solo, slow triplet strings, and duple rhythm
Spring Day – use of piano foreshadow of “Fake Love” – Rachmaninoff + BTS Hn solo from his 2nd Piano Concerto - transient nature of life(spring day) – Rachmaninoff coming out of depression for 3 years.
Fake Love – quote Chopin’s Farewell Waltz Op. 69 No. 1 – No more dream motive – taking styles from everything that came before - honesty and love…
“Return” Recapitulation
Boy with Luv – foreshadow with snares – of UGH – coming together of everything before and after – different themes coming together – mature love – every little thing matters, complexity
Ugh – Mahler & klezmer – judgment – brushing it off – transitioning into something greater - the search for the meaning of life in Mahler’s Symphony 1-4
“Epilogue” Coda
Young Forever – Stravinsky Firebird – the rebirth through the fire + Mahler orchestration - the answers or questions to the meaning of life
ARMY’s dedication of Young forever in the 2019’s world tour London Wembley Stadium – “Speak yourself tour”
Dynamite – Giving hope – dynamite single released the week before finishing the composition – to paint a future of hope during this covid time.
additional credits
Ari Fisher - co-composer
