Mountaintop March

Written in response to Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech, Mountaintop March explores the dichotomy between the motivational tone of King’s speech and the weight associated with his impending assassination (which occurred on April 4th, 1968, one day after delivering this speech). To create a mood that seemed appropriate for such a response, this work reduces the standard full orchestra down to low brass (horns, trombones, tuba), percussion, and the low string sections (violoncellos, double basses). Being closer to chamber music than most other music for large ensemble, the music balances a fine line between intimacy (reflecting the venue of the speech - the Mason Temple in Memphis, Tennessee) and the broad orchestral color of larger orchestrations.

Performance Time: 4‘15”

Scored for : 4 horns, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion - 2 players, and reduced strings (cello section and double bass section only) [0.0.0.0/4.0.3.1/timp+2/low strings]