Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern for saxophone orchestra (2002)
8-9 minutes
In the 1970's, I wrote a short chorale prelude for organ based on Wie Schön Leuchtet der Morgenstern for my father-in-law, Lynn Wilke. That work was performed three or four times; I eventually came to realize that its musical language was too challenging for liturgical use, but that the piece was too short for recital programs.
When Lawrence Gwozdz asked me to consider writing a piece for the Sax-Chamber Orchestra of the University of Southern Mississippi, after some false starts I turned to the old organ piece. The outer slow sections of the current work are a slightly reworked transcription of the organ piece; the central faster section is newly composed.
After I'd sent him the work, Larry acquired a sopranino for his ensemble, and asked me to add a part for it. Although that part is fairly unobtrusive, it really seemed to me to make a significant change for the better.
8-9 minutes
In the 1970's, I wrote a short chorale prelude for organ based on Wie Schön Leuchtet der Morgenstern for my father-in-law, Lynn Wilke. That work was performed three or four times; I eventually came to realize that its musical language was too challenging for liturgical use, but that the piece was too short for recital programs.
When Lawrence Gwozdz asked me to consider writing a piece for the Sax-Chamber Orchestra of the University of Southern Mississippi, after some false starts I turned to the old organ piece. The outer slow sections of the current work are a slightly reworked transcription of the organ piece; the central faster section is newly composed.
After I'd sent him the work, Larry acquired a sopranino for his ensemble, and asked me to add a part for it. Although that part is fairly unobtrusive, it really seemed to me to make a significant change for the better.