Duration: 7'
Dedicated to Alexander Freund and Luther Enloe
Solstice Sonorities is a brief work dedicated to my colleagues, trumpeter Alexander Freund and guitarist Luther Enloe. As the title indicates, the composition was written at a particular time of year. I began the work at the beginning of June and finished up at the end of the month. However, the bulk of the writing took place right around the Summer Solstice. Aside from its title, there was no real programmatic intent to the piece as I worked on it. When I finished however, it seemed to me that, although a stretch, one might be reminded of the heavy, languid heat that ushers in the summer season (especially in Atlanta) as found in the long, free-flowing melodies of the trumpet both playing solo and while accompanied by a more lilting arpeggiated figure in the guitar. These long lines bookend the work with a more energetic, rhythmic section in the middle. In retrospect, after finishing the piece, this middle section strikes me as reminiscent of evening summer festivities taking place when the sun sets, drinks are poured, and the temperatures cool a bit.