Horn Quartet

Based on the J.S. Bach Chorale "Vater unser im Himmelreich", this is a high energy work for a college ensemble that will be a nice challenge for the performer as well a great listen for the audience.

Commissioned by the Alloy Horn Quartet and funded in part by the Meir Rimon Commissioning Assistance Program of the International Horn Society World Premiere, International Horn Society Conference, 2018

In three movenents, this is a great challenge for any college level Horn Quartet:

I. Alpha

II. Beta

III. Gamma

One afternoon while working my summer job at the Air Force Armament Museum in Eglin, Florida, I was asked to dust off some artifacts in display cases. On the last display on the first half of the building I was stopped by one of my co-workers. He pointed out that this final artifact, a navigation tool, was hazardous because of the radioactive radium paint. This was a fact I was briefed on weeks earlier but had slipped my mind.

“There are three types of radiation”, he explained, “Alpha, which is pretty calm; Beta, which is a little gnarly but still alright. Finally, with Gamma – you’re screwed!”

Radicals follows this same concept musically.  Alpha is simple and serene; the quartet bounces between major triads and slight rhythmic alterations. Beta hinges between cute and troublesome in a squirrely scherzo while Gamma goes off the deep end and is extremely treacherous.

Radicals was premiered on April 5^th, 2014 by Josie Wisser, Emily Judd, John Apostolides, and Katie Rudzik at the University of Central Florida.