STACY GARROP • COMPOSER

The commissioners have exclusive performance rights until December 15, 2019. They also have exclusive recording rights until December 15, 2020.

COMMISSIONERS
Christopher Creviston, Samuel Detweiler, and Justin Rollefson

PROGRAM NOTES
I have always been fascinated with the concept of archangels – huge, supernatural beings with gigantic wings who visit earth to carry out their heavenly tasks. Archangels are the “chief” angels in Judeo-Christian and Islamic religions. The precise number of these high-ranking celestial beings varies from one religious source to another (typically from four to seven). The three movements of Archangels depict Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel—the three archangels most commonly referenced.

Michael is a warrior who is ever vigilant to march into battle against forces of evil. In art, he is often portrayed with his wings spread open in mid-flight and wielding a large sword that is raised into an attack position. The first movement begins with the foreboding sound of his large, beating wings. Suddenly, Michael appears in all of his terrible glory and wreaks havoc on an army of demons.

Raphael is a Hebraic name that translates to “God heals,” and he is in charge of all manners of healing. Artwork of Raphael typically shows him holding a staff, and he is often pictured with the round cheeks associated with a young cherub. In this quiet middle movement, Raphael gently makes his rounds to tend to the sick.

Gabriel is the heralder of news. In Christianity, Gabriel’s purpose is quite significant: he appears to Zechariah and Mary to announce the forthcoming births of John the Baptist and Jesus, respectively. Gabriel is often depicted holding a scepter, a stem of lilies, or an unfurled scroll. In this final movement of the piece, Gabriel trumpets his news for all to hear.

This piece was commissioned by saxophonists Christopher Creviston, Samuel Detweiler, and Justin Rollefson.

-S.G.

LISTING FOR CONCERT PROGRAM
Please list the piece as follows:
Archangels
I. Michael (Warrior)
II. Raphael (Healer)
III. Gabriel (Heralder)

Akropolis Reed Quintet, Calefax Reed Quintet, and the Brigham Young University Reed Quintet have exclusive performance rights until December 31, 2019.

COMMISSIONER
Rites for the Afterlife was commissioned by the Barlow Endowment on behalf of the Akropolis Reed Quintet, Calefax Reed Quintet, and the Brigham Young University Reed Quintet.

PROGRAM NOTES
The ancient Egyptian empire began around 3100 B.C. and continued for over 3000 years until Alexander the Great conquered the country in 332 B.C. Over the centuries, the Egyptian empire grew and flourished into a highly developed society. They invented hieroglyphics, built towering pyramids (including the Great Pyramid of Giza, the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the World), and the created many household items we still use today, including toothbrushes, toothpaste, black ink, and the forerunner of modern-day paper.

Included among their achievements were a series of highly developed funerary practices and beliefs in the Afterlife. As the average lifespan of an Egyptian hovered around 30 years, living past the death of one’s physical body was a legitimate concern. Egyptians believed that upon death, their souls would undertake a harrowing journey through the Netherworld. If they survived the horrific creatures and arduous trials that awaited them, then their souls would be reunified with their bodies (hence the need to preserve the body through mummification) and live forever in a perfect version of the life they had lived in Egypt. To achieve this, Egyptians devised around 200 magical spells and incantations to aid souls on the path to the Afterlife. These spells are collectively called The Book of the Dead. Particular spells would be chosen by the family of the deceased and inscribed on the tomb’s walls and scrolls of papyrus, as well as on a stone scarab placed over the deceased’s heart. Subsequent collections of spells and mortuary texts, such as The Book of Gates, assisted a soul in navigating the twelve stages of the Netherworld. Not only did these spells protect and guide the soul on this dangerous path, but they also served as a safeguard against any unbecoming behavior an Egyptian did while alive. For instance, if a person had robbed another while alive, there was a spell that would prevent the soul’s heart from revealing the truth when in the Hall of Judgement.

Rites for the Afterlife follows the path of a soul to the Afterlife. In Inscriptions from the Book of the Dead (movement 1), the soul leaves the body and begins the journey, protected by spells and incantations written on the tomb’s walls. In Passage though the Netherworld (movement 2), the soul is now on a funerary barque, being towed through the Netherworld by four of the region’s inhabitants. We hear the soul slowly chanting incantations as the barque encounters demons, serpents, crocodiles, lakes of fire, and other terrors. The soul arrives at The Hall of Judgement in movement 3. Standing before forty-two divine judges, the soul addresses each by name and gives a “negative confession” connected to each judge (i.e. “I did not rob,” “I did not do violence,” and so on). Afterwards, the soul’s heart is put on a scale to be weighed against a feather of Ma’at, the goddess of truth. If the heart weighs more than the feather, it will be eaten by Ammut, a hideous creature that lies in wait below the scale, and the soul will die a second and permanent death (this was the worst fear of the Egyptians). But if the heart is in balance with the feather, the soul proceeds onward. The final stage of the journey is the arrival at The Field of Reeds (movement 4), which is a perfect mirror image of the soul’s life in ancient Egypt. The soul reunites with deceased family members, makes sacrifices to the Egyptian gods and goddess, harvests crops from plentiful fields of wheat under a brilliant blue sky, and lives forever next to the abundant and nourishing waters of the Nile.

Rites for the Afterlife was commissioned by the Barlow Endowment on behalf of the Akropolis Reed Quintet, Calefax Reed Quintet, and the Brigham Young University Reed Quintet.

-S.G.

AUDIO
Ambassador Duo
Illuminations • Equilibrium Records EQ 77 • Purchase recording

COMMISSIONER
Otis Murphy

ORDERING SCORES
Theodore Presser Company
114-41107 • $36.95 • full score and sax part • click to order
Sheetmusicplus.com
PR.114411070 • $36.95 • full score and sax part • click to order

ERRATA
Performers, the following mistakes are in the printed scores. Please correct:
Mvmt 1
- mm. 19-21 - piano LH is missing an 8vb.
- mm. 178-184 - piano RH is missing an 8va.
Mvmt 2
- m. 7 - the note below the piano LH should say hold to measure 17 (not 87).
- m. 17 - at the end of the measure & below the staff, there should be an asterisk for a piano pedal lift.
- m. 29 - piano LH, the grace note to the last beat should only have the lower pitch (strike the upper pitch).
Mvmt 3
- m. 61 - the sax trill should have a flat above it instead of a natural. (It is correct in the sax part, since that’s transposed.)
- m. 137 - the piano is missing a Pedal indication - this begins on beat 1.

PROGRAM NOTES
Tantrum has the formal structure of a traditional sonata, but its connection with the historical form stops there. The first movement (Obsession) obsesses continuously on a four note figure, which is introduced immediately following an extended slow introduction. Lost, the second movement, actually began as a piece for voice and piano; it subsequently lost its text, and the saxophone sings forlornly in its place. The third movement (Fits and Fists) takes a quirky bit of music and modulates it up an interval of a perfect fourth every chance it gets. This high energy piece presents a playful challenge for both the saxophonist and pianist.
-S.G.