Four Preludes for Piano (1999)
Duration: 10'
Program Notes:
Each of these Four Preludes is a reflection on a experience I shared with one or more friends during my time studying at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ. They are, for me, like home videos that immediately bring back the nostalgia of a very happy time. The first of these, October Surf, is a meditation on an autumn walk on the Jersey shore. Franklin Street is where I lived and for a year with a wonderfully colorful group of guys prone to serious music making, more serious party- throwing and the most serious goon-thrashing on NHL ‘96 ever seen on a Sega. Blues for Laurie is dedicated to Laurie Altman, wonderful composer, jazz pianist and beloved teacher. Lastly, I have rarely laughed as hard as I did one fateful afternoon ride on Space Mountain with two dear friends. Crazy, fun, dark, twisting and exhilarating. These pieces were first premiered by pianist Shannon Hesse in Wilmington, DE in the Fall of 2004.
[For versions of Blues for Laurie for bassoon & piano or violin & piano, click here.]