To Fly Unbounded
Steven Winteregg
About this work:
To Fly Unbounded was the first in a series of compositions commissioned by the Dayton Philharmonic to commemorate the 100th anniversary of powered flight in 2003. I was asked to write the piece for the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus. The text includes the poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar and Walt Whitman, as well as a quote from Wilbur Wright. I chose these poets not only for the quality of the poetry but also for the fact that the Wright Brothers would have probably known them. Of course there is the obvious connection between Dunbar and the Wright Brothers.
To Fly Unbounded is in four sections or tableaux. The first movement, “To Flee the Bounds,” reflects the dream of flight. “Dreams of Youth” reflects the Wright Brothers’ childhood. “Hymn of Determination” is a tribute to both the Wright Brothers’ father, Bishop Milton Wright, and also to their determination in the face of many difficulties. The last section, “Flight into the Unknown,” represents the actual flight at Kittyhawk. The shape of the flight theme in To Fly Unbounded mimics the artwork “Flyover,” which is on Main Street in downtown Dayton, which itself is patterned after the first successful powered flight of the Wright Brothers. To Fly Unbounded was funded through the generous support of the Miriam Rosenthal Memorial Trust Fund.
To Fly Unbounded is published by MMB Music of St. Louis and is recorded by the Dayton Philharmonic on the Albany label.
Year composed: 2003
Duration: 00:16:00
Ensemble type: Orchestra:Standard Orchestra
Instrumentation: 1 Piccolo, 2 Flute, 2 Oboe, 1 English Horn, 2 Clarinet, 1 Bass Clarinet, 4 Horn in F, 3 Trumpet, 3 Trombone, 1 Tuba, 1 Timpani, 4 Percussion (General), 1 Piano, 2 Violin, 1 Viola, 1 Cello, 1 Double bass, 1 Harp