PROJECT : ENCORE™: Advent

Although Valley of Silence is a lengthy one movement work, there are various tempi, colors, and moods in the piece as they follow Rev. Ryan's post Civil War poem. This particular poem  is from Ryan's later writings and is sweeter yet more powerful compared to the earlier bitterness of his post war poems. The poem's message of blocking out the “noise” and busyness of our world applies even more today than the times after the Civil War.

"A Country Boy in Winter" by American poet Sarah Orne Jewett (1849-1909) appeared in Harper's Young People for January 24, 1882. This setting for men's chorus was completed in August 2001 and is dedicated to William Rust Bartholomew. The premiere performance took place at the 2004 Society of Composers National Conference.
The recording heard here is from the May 11, 2008, performance by the men of Coriolis, under the direction of Gregg Skalinder.
 

 based on the Gregorian chant melody

 I composed my Alleluia in memory of the firefighter son of friends of mine. He died at the WTC on 9/11. My response was to create an Alleluia that has a combination of
power, anger and resignation. The singers in the Chicago Chorale heard strong references to the Dies Irae, and I retroactively agree: the intervallic structure I chose is reminiscence of that source. It was, however, an unconscious reference.

I chose this text because I think it asks us to acknowledge the minor misdeeds and omissions we permit in our everyday lives. So often we make small allowances for ourselves, fudge things that are difficult for us, or mistreat our loved ones in little ways. Most of the time we allow ourselves to ignore these things, hoping that nobody, perhaps not even ourselves, will notice. I think that those small things are often far more important than they seem, and I hope that this text, and this piece, will remind us to be more careful of ourselves and of one another.

Commissioned for inclusion in an annual Lessons & Carols service, this short SATB work is based upon an anonymous 15th century version of the story of Adam and Eve.

In this work I try to give musical representations of joyful shouts and jubilant song, the vast calm of the sea, mystical murmurs by rivers and mountains, and human hope in the "strong right arm" of the King of the universe. I am a melodic composer, and I try to use a supporting harmonic language that is interesting and challenging to the performers, yet accessible and comprehensible to listeners.

In some places the composition appears to be more complicated than it actually is in performance. For example, the soprano countermelody to tenor melody at mm 22-25 appears quite complicated, but is really only straight quarter notes over a meter change.

This pieces subtly uses odd time signatures and metric modulation painting a familiar carol in a new light.