Update Title: 5D83B57A-7200-4347-9969-A14460243900

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I composed REMEMBRANCE-Elegy for Stephen Albert- in 1993, for William Wolfram.  It is dedicated to the memory of a man who was among the few that can be thought of as the "holding center" of the American music.  His death in 1992 in an automobile accident was a tragedy beyond belief, and Remembrance is my personal response.

It is a work of mosaics.  I have used several quotations from Stephen's symphony Riverrun, in particular the powerful ending of the first movement, with which Remembrance begins.  This, and the driving ostinato on minor thirds heard earlier in the movement, permeate my work.  The other often-used quotation is from Mahler:  the last movements of Song of the Earth and Symphony No. 9.  The latter is also an ostinato of a minor third, identical to Stephen's, but purely a subconscious choice on my part until midway through Remembrance when I realized that I was quoting Albert  quoting Mahler.  At each recurrence of the Mahler theme(s), the word "ewig" occurs in the score-"...foever...", the last word of Song of the Earth.

Two additional mosaics which constantly recur are (1) tic "Aria of Lamentation," a dramatic and somewhat extended pasage for left hand , and (2) "Bells," which speak the language of no particular religion or emotion, but hopefully of all religions and emotions; sometimes they are sorrowful, sometimes triumphant.  At the end of the work, I include the performance note that "Bells should continue, as if they were to ring forever..."

The structure of Remembrance is mosaic:  constantly reappearing motifs blend into a coherent whole, a structure articulated by the sum of the parts.  The pianistic writing is that of a former jazz pianist, with very real echoes of Brubeck, Evans, and Garner ever present.

The music itself is a collection of icons, some of which were the subject of many conversations with Stephen.  In the end, all of the icons can be seen to evolve from one--perhaps new icon?

I would give anything if this piece would not have to have been composed.  But that part wasn't my choice.  I can only hope that, in some small way, this work of remembrances can help keep Stephen's memory alive...
ewig... --Edward Applebaum

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