Rhapsody, CONCERTO for Orchestra

Composed:  2009 (revised 2021)
Commission:  Detroit Symphony Orchestra in honor of Elaine Lebenbom
Premiere:  Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Slatkin, conductor, January 9, 2009
Duration:  14 minutes
Instrumentation:  3 (3rd dbl. picc), 2, EH, 3 (3rd dbl. bscl), 2, Cbsn; 432 BsTbn, 1; Timp. 3 Perc. Harp, Strings

PROGRAM NOTES

I.   Regrets (2021)
II.   Airs and Rhapsodies
III.  Dance

Rhapsody for Orchestra is a Concerto for Orchestra, featuring principal players, sections, and virtuosic sections for the entire orchestra.  I love the orchestra - its beauty, power and excitement. I take so much pleasure in the endless variety of beautiful sounds and colors it can produce.  In this work, I immersed myself in these sounds and hope a listener will do the same. Additionally, I am so awed by the virtuosity of orchestral musicians that I gave them a chance to show off. The work goes through a range of emotions from sad to romantic to light-hearted and in the last movement even sometimes a bit wacky. 

Originally commissioned by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in honor of Elaine Lebenbom, the second and third movements remain almost the same as the Rhapsody for Orchestra that was premiered by Leonard Slatkin and the Detroit Symphony.  However, the first movement is completely new.  I was not happy with the first movement, and so composed a completely new movement to begin this work.

REVIEWS

"Rhapsody proved to be a compact, cleverly scored concerto for orchestra…latent with romanticism but rippled." - Mark Stryker, Detroit Free Press