Wing & Prayer

Description

Clarinet in Bb, Violoncello, Percussion, Piano — Wing and Prayer is a one-movement work comprising three easily distinguishable contrasting sections.xa0 The first begins with a quiet melody for solo cello, to which are gradually added the piano, vibraphone and chimes.xa0 The clarinet joins the ensemble at the beginning of the second section — a fast and furious scherzo.xa0 The third section, a kind of prolonged “winding down,” is characterized by an ostinato figure in the piano (a repeating ascending scale), and a reappearance of the familiar cello melody, now varied.xa0 The piece ends with a long held cello tone, surrounded by somber chords played by piano and chimes.xa0 This work was awarded First Prize in the League of composers/ISCM 1998 National Competition.