Description
Recording sample from “Vibrant Colors: Brass Music of Douglas Hedwig” (MSR1811)
for six trumpets
Highly lyrical in affect and style, this work found its inspiration in a poem by Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) entitled “I had no time to Hate.” Originally composed for soprano and piano (part of the composer’s Dickinson song-cycle, “A Species Stands Beyond”), this version for trumpet ensemble makes extensive use of a variety of mutes, often in combination with each other. This produces subtle dynamic contrasts and overlapping shifts of tone color and harmony. The transition from minor to major toward the end reflects the poem’s progression from solemnity to a spirit of hope. Composed for the Altus Trumpet Ensemble.
– Douglas Hedwig
Commissioned by Eric Siereveld and the Altus Trumpet Ensemble.
Douglas Hedwig:
The music of Douglas Hedwig (born 1951) has been performed throughout the U.S., Italy, Germany, England, Scotland, Belgium, South Korea, Thailand and Indonesia. Praised for the “coherent, yet adventurous character of his compositions” [Opus Klassiek, Netherlands), his music embraces “a wide range of musical styles…and showcases the eloquent sincerity of a contemporary American voice” [International Center for American Music].
Winner of both the Gaetano Amadeo Prize (Italy) and The American Prize in composition, Hedwig is recipient of awards and honors from the Siena Art Institute (Italy), Brush Creek Foundation for the Arts, and the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Prior to turning his full creative attention to composition in 2012, he was a trumpet player with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra for 27 years.
Dr. Hedwig is Professor Emeritus at the Conservatory of Music at Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, and was formerly on the faculty of The Juilliard School (NYC).
https://www.douglashedwig.com/
