Everything Beautiful In Its Time (2013)
Symphony Orchestra
Instrumentation: 3332 4331 timp+3 str
This work was commissioned by Shizuo Z. Kuwahara and Symphony Orchestra Augusta to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the sister city relationship between Augusta, Georgia, of the United States, and Takarazuka, Japan. To compose a piece for this occasion was a great honor, especially because Augusta is my hometown.
The piece can be heard as a sonata form, with exposition, dramatic development, and significantly modified recapitulation. The first theme area presents the principal fanfare motive within a volatile atmosphere shaped by sudden shifts of tempo and harmony. The second theme area settles into a slow tempo and features the solo violin, viola, and cello. After a closing theme in the full string section, a flute solo signals the end of the exposition. The development begins with the principal motive sounded in the woodwinds, followed by jolting tempo changes and vigorous ascending gestures in the strings. The development continues at an allegro over a constant snare drum pulse in which the instruments of the orchestra accumulate to a climactic restatement of the principal motive, which marks the start of the recapitulation.
The piece is abstract, and has no extra-musical story; however, I hope that the listener will derive a meaning from the music that is personal, just as I do. The title was chosen retrospectively from a well-known biblical passage that I believe has universal meaning. This music evokes many affects and feelings. Just like many life events, these musical images all have their place and beauty either in the moment, or in memory.