Published in February 2017 by AvA Musical Editions
Written between December 2016 and January 2017, Commissioned by Courtney Miller
It was premiered by Courtney Miller and Alan Huckleberry on February 9th 2017 at 7:30pm at the University of Iowa e recorded in CD by Courtney Miller and Minji Kwon
This piece was commissioned by Courtney Miller and it is inspired by fantasy. It suggests unwritten tales to the listener, who while listening, gives wings to his imagination and makes the tales come true.
The story begins with a medieval style mood, which could have taken place in King Arthur’s reign or in somewhere lost in time, but certainly in the woods as Oboe means wood. Suddenly (bar 29/33) something happens... but the story goes on… Then (bar 35) there is a small oboe cadenza on the low range setting the mood for the surprise... on bar 36 a witch appears. Every oboe piece needs a witch as when oboe players move they look as if they were turning a wooden spoon in the big pot of the magic potion. But still, it is a waltz, we are just seeing what the wicked witch is preparing. On bar 63 there’s DANGER... she starts to fly and then is up to the listener and the performers to decide how the story goes.
On bar 134, there is a section inspired on kulning, a nordic type of singing/livestock calling. Here there are echo effects given by the pizzicato on the piano strings and also by the resonance of the strings and percussive effects, that help to set the atmosphere. The finger tremolo on bar 165 is intended to transmit the idea of the distant sound of animal bells. Each performer can create his own tales based on these suggestions because dreams and imagination have no age.