Serenade

"For many years, I wanted to compose an homage to the great Czech-American composer Karel Husa (b. 1921), who was my composition teacher at Cornell University. I hesitated for a long time, as I was unsure what musical form this might take. The confluence of a commission from Mark Mandarano for the Sinfonietta of Riverdale and Professor Husa's ninetieth birthday in 2011 provided the key that unlocked the portal to sustained invention. I have sought to honor Husa by paying an affectionate tribute to his music in particular and Czech music in general. To make my aim explicit, I have quoted two traditional Czech songs that Husa has used in his own music, as well as the openingbars of Smetana's Má vlast: these quotations are identified at the points in the Serenade when they first appear in their complete form. Finally, I sought to craft a score filled with lyricism, charm, and gentle wit, but leavened by an occasional touch of melancholy." -Byron Adams

Includes score and parts. Duration: 22 min

Instrumentation: Flute, Clarinet (A and B-Flat), Bassoon, Horn in F, Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Violoncello, Contrabass