Hero’s Journey
This piece was read and performed by the Second City Winds, a Chicago based wind quintet (2018). It was also awarded the Illinois All-State composition Honor (2019)
Hero’s Journey is designed to follow a true hero’s journey, such as that of Odysseus’s. The work is largely in a dorian scale, as to me, the raised sixth represents a sense of hope out of the darkness that is the minor key. The piece opens with a bold yet not strong/aggressive theme which reoccurs as a motif throughout the work. The piece offers rhythmic and ensemble complexity when the horn and bassoon come in on displaced beats. This all gets resolved in a huge ascension. Then the hero’s journey begins. The somewhat boring horn ostinato represents the hero “plodding along”, and the fun interjections of the other instruments represent trials. After these, comes DANGER. Hitting the triangle beater against a stand produces a metal on metal sound, kind of like a sword fight. With extremely difficult fast runs, flutter tongue, and dissonant patterns, the section represents the imminent danger of a “final boss”. Later comes the death of the hero. With an extremely expressive and moving horn solo, we move on to the resurrection. The horn solo is repeated, yet the flute and oboe play with the horn a counter part which offers major chords and almost a sense of fragility. The hero is coming back, but he is not ready to defeat the boss yet. Then the tempo picks up, and the bassoon comes in with the ostinato. The hero has returned. The finale ends with a final return of the Hero’s theme, but that which resolves immediately, giving a sense of conclusion to a good story.
Elements, I. Air
The first movement of a piece exemplifying the natural elements (air, fire, earth, water) grooves at a steady beat throughout, utilizing heavy woodwind action, fast moving notes and hocketing in a bluesy style, interesting techniques for blowing air, and minimalistic development to paint a soundscape of sorts.