Airs of Awe and Affection, was written during the first three months of my son, Elias’s life. I often wrote with him in my hands or sitting or laying nearby, contemplating the special bond between a father and a son, and the hopes and dreams that are present at the beginning of life. The first movement, “New Beginnings,” explores possibility, promise, and ambition, marching forward with a sense of quiet determination through a series of musical landscapes. The second movement, “Sacred Dreams Sarabande,” a lullaby-like Sarabande, meditates on gratitude, love, and a serene sense of sanctity with echoes of Beethoven’s Heiliger Dankgesang eines Genesenen an die Gottheit, in der Lydischen Tonart. The final movement, “Wide-Eyed Wonder,” explores a feeling of awe and appreciation for the beauty in the world that is beyond comprehension.
Airs of Awe and Affection was commissioned by Edward Gelman
Cello and String Quartet version, courtesy of Eastern Festival of Music:
Julian Schwarz, solo cello
Uli Speth, violin
Courtney LeBauer, violin
Diane Phoenix-Neal, viola
Marta Simidtchieva, cello
Bass and String Quartet version courtesy of the Appalachian Chamber Music Festival:
Sam Suggs, solo bass
Suliman Tekalli, violin
Audrey Gray, violin
Sam Kelder, viola
Schuyler Slack, cello
