Blink
Unveiling
Rhapsody No. 2 is the second of a set of 6 intended solo works, each of which is inspired by an historical composer. This virtuosic piece was commissioned by and written for Michi Wiancko and is inspired in part by Béla Bartók. (note by Jessie Montgomery)
Preludes for Piano
Beginning in 1997, I have been writing short preludes for piano. The first one was written for Peter Henderson, who was performing a recital of nothing but preludes, from the 17th century to the present, and who wanted one composed for the occasion. I wrote several more in the next few years, including No. 4 in 2002. Then, there was a long gap of more than 20 years before the next two were written, in 2024.
No. 4 is concerned with a repeating pattern of chords that grows and changes over the course of the piece. No. 5 is a slower piece with a delicate background and more prominent melodic lines that emerge from it. No. 6 is another piece with a repeating pattern, this time an energetic, irregular one, with groups of 3 or 4 notes alternating, and sometimes groups of 2 or even 5 notes overlapping with them. (note by Jason Haney)
Among the Trees was conceived after a long bicycle ride along a creek path in the Springtime as the green leaves began to unfurl among the trees. Rhythmically, I wanted to depict the motion of the breeze flowing through the leaves, the rustling of the wind, and the sunlit shadows dancing beneath the canopy of trees on the path below. The theoretical “trunk” of this piece is constructed from a single trichord consisting of three intervals: a whole-step, a half-step, and a minor third. I then constructed “interval trees” where permutations of the trichord branch out from this trunk in various directions. The result is a plethora of “leaves” derived from the same trichord. This piece was written for Bluestone Contemporary Ensemble and is dedicated to my daughter, Daphne, who accompanied me on the bicycle ride. (note by David DeVasto)
Painting with Knives
Otoño (“Autumn”) is a short, lyrical piece for alto saxophone and piano. It was commissioned by Timothy McAllister, whom I’ve not only had the great honor of admiring as a performer for over two decades now, but know him as a friend and colleague since our days in music camp at Interlochen.
Otoño is a whistful but optimistic piece. It is a love song to middle age, and all that it brings. (note by Armando Bayolo)