Invictus: concerto for piano and orchestra
The commissioner has sole performance and commercial recording rights until Feb. 1, 2028.
I. Out of the night that covers me,
II. Black as the pit from pole to pole,
III. I thank whatever gods may be
Interlude
IV. For my unconquerable soul.
AUDIO
Marta Aznavoorian, piano, and the Chicago Philharmonic; Scott Speck, conductor
Recorded and produced by Cedille Records
INSTRUMENTATION
Solo piano, 3222 4230 timpani, 2 percussion, harp, strings
YEAR COMPOSED
2024
COMMISSIONER
Marta Aznavoorian, pianist
ORDERING SCORES • ONLINE PERUSAL
Theodore Presser Company
Available after Feb. 1, 2028
PROGRAM NOTES
English poet, critic, and editor William Ernest Henley (1849–1903) was diagnosed with a tubercular bone disease at the age of 12, resulting in the eventual amputation of his left leg. While hospital-bound in 1873–1875 after a surgery to save his right leg, he penned the poem “Invictus” as a testament of his determination to persevere.
The word invictus is Latin for unconquerable or undefeated. Henley named his poem well; its 16 lines speak to having strength and resolve in the face of great adversity. Nelson Mandela, the South African anti-apartheid activist who was jailed for 27 years before becoming the leader of his country, regularly recited the poem while imprisoned. Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, established the Invictus Games in 2014, an international sporting event that promotes the recovery and rehabilitation of wounded service personnel worldwide and celebrates their resilience.
In my concerto Invictus, I focus on the first verse of Henley’s poem, with each line representing a movement:
I. Out of the night that covers me,
The soloist wakes up at the bottom of a pit, represented by the orchestra. The soloist tries to climb out, only to be forced back down by the orchestra. After singing a song to find inner strength, the soloist then climbs again, but is forced down once more.
II. Black as the pit from pole to pole,
The soloist is violently tossed from side to side at the bottom of the pit by the orchestral forces.
III. I thank whatever gods may be
Looking up, the soloist prays to the heavens far above.
IV. For my unconquerable soul.
The soloist sings the song again, then climbs, this time placating the orchestra as needed, before triumphantly reaching the rim of the pit and escaping.
Invictus was co-commissioned by pianist Marta Aznavoorian, pianist, and the American Composers Forum. American Composers Forum support is made possible by The Thelma Hunter Fund. Marta and I wish to thank individual donors Alexandra Nichols, Madeleine Plonsker, Jim Stone, and Nicholas Yasillo for making this commission possible.
-S.G.
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HELIOS • 4’30” • 2 tpts/flugelhorns, hn, tbn, tba
PROGRAM NOTES
In Greek mythology, Helios was the god of the sun. His head wreathed in light, he daily drove a chariot drawn by four horses (in some tales, the horses are winged; in others, they are made of fire) across the sky. At the end of each day’s journey, he slept in a golden boat that carried him on the Okeanos River (a fresh water stream that encircled the flat earth) back to his rising place. The cyclic journey of Helios is depicted in this short work for brass quintet. The first half is fast-paced and very energetic, while the second half is slow and serene, representing day and night.
-S.G.