Composer- Chidester
Length- 5:46
Difficulty- M
Range – ME
Endurance- ME
Finger technique- M
Counting ability- M
Ensemble difficulty- M
I seldom have the time to write original material so when that opportunity does come around, I jump at the chance. All these different notes to work with is like a kid entering a candy store; everything looks great and it is fun trying to see how all these notes can come together. The process is truly amazing when you think about the number of possibilities at one’s disposal.
This piece is entitled Day 1- Servitude and has three sections which represent the beginning of a day in the life of a Negro slave around the time of the American Civil War. Further into the piece the music represents typical “work songs”, “field hollers” as well as the typical call and response used by the slaves during this period in our dark (no pun intended) history. The last section describes musically this person’s religious faith and desire to someday be free. At one point in the music I have two melodies playing at the same time. One theme is a rollicking spiritual being played over a somber rendition of the Battle Hymn of the Republic. When these eventually end, a solo flugel horn represents the lonely slave left to himself at the end of the day. I found this to be the pivotal point in the composition for as the solo ends; it is continued as a duet representing the common pains felt by all slaves. Eventually the piece ends in what I feel is a beautiful choral again representing the common suffering of the Negros at that time.
Length- 5:46
Difficulty- M
Range – ME
Endurance- ME
Finger technique- M
Counting ability- M
Ensemble difficulty- M
I seldom have the time to write original material so when that opportunity does come around, I jump at the chance. All these different notes to work with is like a kid entering a candy store; everything looks great and it is fun trying to see how all these notes can come together. The process is truly amazing when you think about the number of possibilities at one’s disposal.
This piece is entitled Day 1- Servitude and has three sections which represent the beginning of a day in the life of a Negro slave around the time of the American Civil War. Further into the piece the music represents typical “work songs”, “field hollers” as well as the typical call and response used by the slaves during this period in our dark (no pun intended) history. The last section describes musically this person’s religious faith and desire to someday be free. At one point in the music I have two melodies playing at the same time. One theme is a rollicking spiritual being played over a somber rendition of the Battle Hymn of the Republic. When these eventually end, a solo flugel horn represents the lonely slave left to himself at the end of the day. I found this to be the pivotal point in the composition for as the solo ends; it is continued as a duet representing the common pains felt by all slaves. Eventually the piece ends in what I feel is a beautiful choral again representing the common suffering of the Negros at that time.