Memento for solo bassoon
Follow this link to see Janet Harris performing my solo bassoon work Memento.
Follow this link to see Janet Harris performing my solo bassoon work Memento.
This Christmas season (2014), there was a performance of my string orchestra arrangement of the carol The Angel Gabriel.
As commonly happens, there didn’t appear to be enough rehearsal, so the performance is a bit tentative, and the tempo a little too slow, but you can get the idea of what it should sound like.
Listen to: The Angel Gabriel.
My largest work to premier this year was for a patriotic program, I Hear America Singing. It’s written for Baritone soloist, mixed chorus, and orchestra. The text is from Walt Whitman.
I wrote it with the wonderful voice of Thomas Potter in mind, and was very fortunate that he was available for the performance.
Listen to: I Hear America Singing.
You can also download the text here.
Last year, First United Methodist Church of Orlando liked one of my Christmas carols (originally for chorus and organ) so much that they commissioned an orchestral arrangement.
I probably wouldn’t have considered doing that on my own, and it turned out really well. Thanks, Bill!
Listen to: A Christmas Carol.
You can also download the text here.
Can you tell I write a lot of religious and Christmas music?
Here’s another original Christmas carol for string orchestra (or string quartet), What Sweeter Music Can We Bring.
Often, after completing a work, you are just too close to it to be able to assess it’s quality. And you have to believe in it while you are working on it! So it’s only after some time has passed that you can look at it with a more objective eye.
Usually, for me, listening to things I wrote later, all I hear are the “flaws”, what I’d do differently now, etc.
This is one of my few pieces where my opinion of it has actually risen over time. I’m very happy with it. I especially like how the excitement and energy of the climax generates such momentum that it carries on through the final statement of the theme.
Listen to: What Sweeter Music Can We Bring.