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commissioned by River City Brass Band, |
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Reflections Hometown Miniatures was begun in the morning of Sunday, March 3rd, 2002. I "penned" the first notes into my computer at 9am in the morning, before leaving the house to go to church. I must admit, my mind was far from the church that morning. During the following ten days, I worked ten to fifteen-hour days, finishing the piece. I completed it on the evening of my thirtieth birthday, March 13th, 2002, and began copying parts that night. With the help of my friend, Dave, I got all the parts completed for its first rehearsal on March 14th. I tell you all of this not because I think it is particularly interesting, but because I think it shows how the creation of a piece like this can underscore a period of your life. For me, my thirtieth birthday will always be connected to the completion of Hometown Miniatures. I remember completely the moment I started and the moment I completed the piece. And I definitely remember the first time I heard the piece; they say men can't give birth, but I imagine (aside from the absence of physical pain) hearing for the first time a piece you wrote feels just a little like that. I feel I got pretty lucky with this piece - beginner's luck. It seems to speak to people. And I think it tells them something kind of reassuring: that amid all the turmoil of the world today, we all have a warm and safe place we call home. That was my intent with the piece, and, happily, it came through in the music. The piece talks about my experiences, which were not all that long ago. Many of the best memories of my hometown stem from the summer of 1987, during the Centennial Celebration of my little town. I was fifteen, and the events surrounding our Centennial seemed almost "Norman Rockwell-ian" to me then (and even moreso now).
*Right click on the link and choose Save Target As... to download the file. Program Notes Hometown Miniatures is a single-movement work, divided into four distinct episodes. All are motivically linked by a single theme, plaintively stated by the horn at the outset. What follows is the descriptive narrative for each of the four segments. Every little town seems to have a statue, perhaps memorializing the founding fathers, or veteran heroes. My hometown of Ford City, Pennsylvania does. You never really notice it until you are visiting the park on Memorial Day or Independence Day, but it’s always been there. And with the exception of that ever-increasing tarnish and the perennial visits from birds, it never really changes. It is the ideal representative of the town and her people. Like the aforementioned memorial, most small towns seem to have a festival – a celebration. In my little town, it is called “Heritage Days.” There are lots of crafts for sale, food, games and there’s always a parade. You run into a lot of people you know at these events. Some people seem to have changed, but no one really does: they are the same good people you always knew – and that is as it should be. Just like the town, her people are solid, strong and unchanging. The sun sets on the little town. Few things compare to a walk through a small town at dusk. You see people you know walking along, others sitting on their front porch, and children playing, mere silhouettes, in the fading light. There is a choir rehearsing at the church. It is quiet and wonderfully peaceful. Nothing creates excitement in a small town quite like a firework display. No matter the lure of the show put on by the larger town down the river, the fireworks in your little town are always the best (even if they aren’t, really). Those few minutes when the sky is alight are almost sacred. Everyone is joined by a palpable sense of patriotism, pride and genuine awe. Duration: approximately 7 minutes
*Right click on the link and choose Save Target As... to download the file.
Wind Band Instrumentation |
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Woodwinds Piccolo 1st Flute 2nd Flute Oboe Bassoon 1st Clarinet in Bb 2nd Clarinet in Bb 3rd Clarinet in Bb Bass Clarinet in Bb Contra-Alto Clarinet in Eb Contra-Bass Clarinet in Bb 1st Alto Saxophone in Eb 2nd Alto Saxophone in Eb Tenor Saxophone in Bb Baritone Saxophone in Eb |
Brass 1st Trumpet in Bb 2nd Trumpet in Bb 3rd Trumpet in Bb 1st Horn in F 2nd Horn in F 3rd Horn in F 4th Horn in F 1st Trombone 2nd Trombone 3rd Bass Trombone Euphonium T.C. or B.C. Tuba |
Percussion (4 or 5 players) Timpani Percussion includes: glockenspiel xylophone vibraphone chimes wind chimes bell tree triangle suspended cymbal tam-tam snare drum bass drum |