These Hills of Glory, in 4 movements, was written in 2005 I believe. It later received the NEA American Masterpieces Award, which was a great gift because it enabled me to have the piece performed again, along with a number of other works for various chamber ensembles, at the Nordstrom Recital Hall at Benaroya Hall in 2009.
The piece is scored for string quartet and improviser. Previously a number of musicians had been featured as the soloist, including Beth Fleenor, Bill Frisell, Ron Miles, Eyvind Kang and Peggy Lee. For this performance Carla Kilsthedt takes the chair.
In general I would say the soloist is tacit about 70% of the time and featured during the remaining portion. In movement I, which is featured here, the soloist is heard a little less, but when Carla does join the fray it is astounding.
In the end I have found that, although the instrumentation for the soloist is open, I think the work has the most success when the soloist is also a string player. I hope to take this into the studio someday soon, but in the meantime this is a recording I happily stand by, from the concert in 2009.
The string quartet is theodeonquartet, with whom I had a great working relationship for some time and who are unfortunately no longer a working unit.
This piece will be given another performance soon, in Seattle, as part of a dance concert, with live musicians, by choreographer Karin Stevens. My friend, the clarinetist Beth Fleenor, will be the improviser for this incarnation, and despite my remarks above, the clarinet works wonderfully in this context, and Beth has been, in the past, one of my favorite soloists.
Tickets and info are available here:
on.fb.me/1U65vtH
I hope you enjoy the music.