About:  Midnight Music represents my draw to the brooding of night. I scribbled down the basic motif years ago, and returned to develop it in the Spring of 2010, composing mainly in the hours surrounding midnight. I wanted a unique set of instruments to give the motif life.  The murky night air was born in the vibraphones. The contrabass and bass clarinet then formed a smooth and breathy foundation. The cello soared above and groaned beneath the mix, and the harpsichord sparkled amidst all this velvet sound.

The first movement can be thought of in four waves, each growing bigger and collapsing into the next. It ends in a peacefulness disquieted by a smear of the beginning F-minor. This leads attacca into the slower second movement. In arc form, it both opens and closes with a high cello and bass clarinet duet, as well as harpsichord flourishes. The middle of the movement is a lilting adagio, exchanging material between instruments. The final movement, also attacca, is an optimistic and heroic recollection of the primary motif.

Premiere:  Ruth Langworthy, Nathan Cottrell, Evan Eliason, Trevor Gomes, and Kevin Brown on May 4th, 2010 at Biola University’s Lansing Auditorium, La Mirada, CA.

Instrumentation:  2 vibraphones, bass clarinet in Bb, violoncello, contrabass, harpsichord

Duration:  ca. 23 minutes