Instrumentation or Chorus: Horn and piano (or trombone and piano)
Difficulty: University
Duration: 8’30”
Epics and Heroes (2007) was first premiered as a trombone sonata, and subsequently adapted for horn in 2013. This work—inspired by the studying of works by Brahms and Hindemith—is one of the earliest in my portfolio that I still consider part of my distinctive compositional voice.
This work has two parts: a slow introduction to the fast main body of the piece. The opening, with its reflective and conversational quality, may be thought of as embodying the epics portion of the title, reciting the poetic tales of ancient legends. The body of music to follow encapsulates the heroes in full action. As a whole, this work aims to emphasize both the need to reflect on the past and take action in the present—yielding great, unexpected results.