Aspen Winds
Scored for Clarinet, Violin, and Piano
Completed in 2009
Duration: 6 minutes
Premiered on August 20, 2009 in Aspen, Colorado
Aspen Music Festival Chamber Ensemble
Completed in 2009
Duration: 6 minutes
Premiered on August 20, 2009 in Aspen, Colorado
Aspen Music Festival Chamber Ensemble
Program Note
Aspen Winds was originally conceived and titled as a set of abstract variations, but I realized after finishing the work that it had become something a bit different from a set of variations... In in the end it felt more like a freely-evolving exploration of a melody and an accompanying underlying Chaccone-like harmonic progression. When I was at Aspen, I quickly discovered a favorite "composing spot" at the edge of the music academy's campus under a few trees and overlooking the lake that runs through the campus. I found the setting very inspirational in the shade, with the soft sound of the running lake, and with a constant gentlewind rustling through the trees. As I was pondered a new title for this work here, I realized that many of the textures and moods in the piece to me evoked images of this place, and decided to re-title the work Aspen Winds to reflect the connection that I had come across and the inspiration that I experienced in that place.
Aspen Winds was originally conceived and titled as a set of abstract variations, but I realized after finishing the work that it had become something a bit different from a set of variations... In in the end it felt more like a freely-evolving exploration of a melody and an accompanying underlying Chaccone-like harmonic progression. When I was at Aspen, I quickly discovered a favorite "composing spot" at the edge of the music academy's campus under a few trees and overlooking the lake that runs through the campus. I found the setting very inspirational in the shade, with the soft sound of the running lake, and with a constant gentlewind rustling through the trees. As I was pondered a new title for this work here, I realized that many of the textures and moods in the piece to me evoked images of this place, and decided to re-title the work Aspen Winds to reflect the connection that I had come across and the inspiration that I experienced in that place.