Of Stream and Meadow
Kevin McCarter
About this work:
The musical materials heard in Of Stream and Meadow relate to a sunny summer day I spent walking on short trails in Shenandoah National Park. At Land's Run, a small stream attracted my attention. Brown stones about the size of potatoes divided the flowing water into multiple threads weaving a textured surface in motion. Later, at Pass Mountain Overlook, I came to a ridge meadow decorated with small white and lavender flowers. The scene was gentle, rich in texture, moving with the rhythms of a breeze, butterflies, and bird calls.
Of Stream and Meadow begins with a flowing, rippling gesture inspired by the stream at Land's Run. The second section is full of bird calls and reflects a delight in the simple beauties of nature evoked by the scene at Pass Mountain Overlook. These musical ideas alternate through the piece, with some intermixing added during the latter part of the composition.
Year composed:
Duration: 00:05:15
Ensemble type: Chamber or Jazz Ensemble, Without Voice:Other Combinations, 2-5 players
Instrumentation: 1 Oboe, 1 Clarinet, 1 Bassoon