Mile-High City (string orchestra)
Photo used with permission by David Herrera. "Denver Skyline" on Flickr.com. Creative Commons license 2.0
String Orchestra
8 minutes
Commissioned by
BRANDON MATTHEWS and the METROPOLITAN DENVER HONORS ORCHESTRA
8 minutes
Commissioned by
BRANDON MATTHEWS and the METROPOLITAN DENVER HONORS ORCHESTRA
PROGRAM NOTE
When I think of Denver, Colorado I immediately picture a beautiful skyline. I am fascinated how the angular contours of the buildings stand in stark contrast to the rising, gently sloping mountains. Perhaps the building and the mountains could be thought of as opposites; angular/rounded, man-made/natural, activity/calm. However, I prefer to think of them as complimentary. Denver wouldn't be the city it is without these two elements coming together in a harmonious way. Thus, this composition presents two themes, one representing the city and the other the mountains. Both themes consist of pitch material derived from the numbers 5-2-8-0. Denver has the nickname “mile-high city” because of it's elevation – the steps of the courthouse are said to be exactly 5,280 feet above sea-level. This work was commissioned by Brandon Matthews and the Metropolitan Denver Honors Orchestra. It is with much thanks that I dedicate this work to Maestro Brandon Matthews, a gifted conductor and a passionate supporter of new music in Denver!
When I think of Denver, Colorado I immediately picture a beautiful skyline. I am fascinated how the angular contours of the buildings stand in stark contrast to the rising, gently sloping mountains. Perhaps the building and the mountains could be thought of as opposites; angular/rounded, man-made/natural, activity/calm. However, I prefer to think of them as complimentary. Denver wouldn't be the city it is without these two elements coming together in a harmonious way. Thus, this composition presents two themes, one representing the city and the other the mountains. Both themes consist of pitch material derived from the numbers 5-2-8-0. Denver has the nickname “mile-high city” because of it's elevation – the steps of the courthouse are said to be exactly 5,280 feet above sea-level. This work was commissioned by Brandon Matthews and the Metropolitan Denver Honors Orchestra. It is with much thanks that I dedicate this work to Maestro Brandon Matthews, a gifted conductor and a passionate supporter of new music in Denver!
PERUSAL SCORE
| milehighcity_score.pdf |