Going to the Sun: Snapshots from
Glacier National Park (2016)
Program Note by Jenni Brandon
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Going to the Sun: Snapshots from Glacier National Park for oboe and bassoon explores the beauty of Glacier National Park in Montana in a single work comprised of many sections:
Early morning on the Road Fifty miles begin… Sunrise on Lake McDonald Driving the Loop The Weeping Wall Stepping onto Jackson Glacier Overlook Jackson Glacier Sunset at the end of The Road I liked the idea of exploring this vast park by looking back at snapshots you might take on your vacation to remind you of these natural and manmade wonders in the park. The many travelers that traversed the 50 miles of the Going to the Sun Road come in contact with lakes, weeping walls, animals, meadows, the Continental Divide, and the power of the glacier that now moves closer and closer to extinction due to climate change. The oboe and bassoon are great story-telling instruments, lending their voices and character to each of these sections, painting the landscape with texture, range, and song. And while the vastness and beauty of this park is too big to capture in any work of music, it is my hope that the listener can travel this road with us through this natural wonder and remember the importance of supporting our National Parks. This work was commissioned by Jennifer Gookin Cavanaugh with the support of a grant from the Provost's Office at the University of Montana and Elizabeth Ball Crawford with the support from the Great Falls Symphony Orchestra. They premiered the work during the International Double Reed Society Conference in Columbus, Georgia in June 2016. |
MaryBeth Minnis, bassoon
More available on the YouTube PlaylistMusician InterviewInterested in performing the piece? We got together via Zoom to discuss the piece and our experience with it.
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