| Catalogue #: | JWS-005 |
| Instruments: | Orchestra, Violin |
| Duration: | Approx 4'15'' |
Fantasy in G for Violin and Chamber Orchestra, commissioned by Hofstra University for the African American Music program and dedicated to the wonderful violinist Asley Horne, is a short violin concerto composition for orchestra which can be performed by professional to community orchestras.
The piece transforms itself into the energetic African American Spiritual “Gospel Train” and lands into a gospel music style reflecting the close relationship between a traditional spiritual and traditional gospel. It finally returns to the composed melancholy melody of the opening violin statement. The opening movement begins in a haunting A♭ modal sound with an emphasis on G arriving to C major and finally arriving to the G major. “The Gospel Train” is a traditional African-American spiritual first published in 1872 as one of the songs of the Fisk Jubilee Singers. A standard spiritual, it is found in the hymnals of many Protestant denominations. Slaves knew that when they heard the spiritual “The Gospel Train’s a Comin’,” a conductor was among them or fleeing slaves were nearby. The Underground Railroad was associated with the song “This Train is Bound for Glory,” with glory referring to freedom.
This is a beautiful work with a haunting melodic violin solo. It requires a good violinist to give it the necessary sound and focus.
Price includes full score and parts. (Strings: 4,4,3,2,2 – to order additional string parts @ $3.00/ea, please contact [email protected].)
$40.00
