for tenor and piano trio
premiere October 24, 2010
Bell and Barter Theater & Cultural Arts Center
Rockaway, NJ
about 6“00
premiere performance with Dan Foran, tenor
There is a fateful story behind this piece. The melody was written about 15 years ago for a project I never completed, although I did always like the melody very much. I provided the music to Emily Thompson, a lyricist and director (and the executive director of In Mid Air Productions) and suggested she write some original lyrics.
Instead, she came back to me with the inspired idea that Edgar Allan Poe’s classic “Annabel Lee” would fit. To my utter surprise, she was correct. There is an unusual form in the piece, ABCABC, but it was a big hit in its premiere performance at In Mid Air Production’s Fall 2010 concert celebrating Poe.
Because of her inspiration and tenacity in seeing the whole project through, this piece is dedicated to Emily.
Dan Foran performed this piece a second time in February 2011
A great way to support new music is to perform the music you find here.