The Good of the Earth & Sun

ensemble oboe, clarinet, violin, viola, bass
written winter 2026
duration 10 minutes

for JP & friends

program notes

The Good of the Earth and Sun grows from the lusty greens of Leaves of Grass. Despite the celestial implications of its title, this piece grounds itself in the earthliness of the body - a seeming contradiction Whitman himself explored with rich beauty and sensuality. I wanted to charge the music with dance and song, and so it is filled with folklike, bluegrass energy and transparency. Much gratitude to JP Bernabe and friends for commissioning the piece.