THE WIND CAME IN RED

The Wind Came In Red for trumpet and piano was written for Matthew Rosenblatt and premiered on the Randolph Honors Recital at the Music Den in Randolph, N.J., May 2016. I taught trumpet in the Randolph School District for eighteen years and would occasionally write music for the various ensembles and highly accomplished individuals. Matthew Rosenblatt was my most accomplished trumpet student who inspired The Wind Came In Red. The title is taken from a poem by Federico Garcia Lorca of the same name. The work is a single movement, multi-sectional composition which alternates between playful banter and introspective ruminations.

COUNTERWORK

Counterwork concerns itself with dualities: light/dark, optimism/pessimism, extroversion/introversion. Written for and dedicated to Christopher Wilson, it is orchestrated for trumpet/flugelhorn, marimba and piano. Beginning with the extroverted side of this duality, the music is lively, strong and rhythmic. Themes, harmonies and rhythms create a sense of joy and fun along with a bit of mischievousness. After a time, the work sinks into a sense of sadness and loss with the trumpeter changing to flugelhorn which in itself often personifies introversion. We then suddenly revert back to the light and revisit the first section with additional exploration. Later, we are again drawn back into the darkness, but, this time remain for a longer period. Returning for the final time to optimism, there is an added sense of strength and purpose along with a touch desperation. The work ends with a short, mournful return to darkness with a final cry from a muted trumpet.