My Cross

Description

Flute, Piano — My Cross (2021) was commissioned as a gift to Boulder resident Laurie Hathorn by her husband Peter Spear and flutist Christina Jennings who gave the premiere. The piece is an exploration in bel canto writing for an instrument I have been in love with since my first forays as a composer.The technical challenges for the soloist lie primarily in breath control and in maintaining a sustained, beautiful tone throughout. Any meaning behind this music will remain a private, long-suffered trial for the composer to overcome. Carter Pann calls this work “an exploration in bel canto writingfor an instrument I have been in love with since my first forays as a composer.” The result is a lusciously haunting and dreamy arioso that flirts with the familiar, yet reveals surprises at everyturn. Equally beautiful with piano or with chamber orchestra,MY CROSS is a 9-minute work whose technical challenges lieprimarily in breath control and in maintaining a sustained,beautiful tone throughout its long lines.