(band, orchestra, and flex options)
"Heaven's Morning Breaks" is a composition centered around the hymn "Abide With Me" (to the tune of Eventide) is both reflective and joyful. The title comes from one of the closing lines in the last stanza: "Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes; Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies. Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee; In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me."
The author Henry Francis Lyte, wrote the poem after contracting tuberculosis at the age of 54. Just two weeks later, he died and the piece was first performed at his funeral.
Difficulty: Grade 3-3.5
A "Phantasm", while often understood as a ghost or spirit, refers to a general sense of illusion or figment of our imagination. This work explores elements of dream, subconsciousness, and the supernatural with the contrasting sections of heavy brooding melody, ethereal chord progression, and twinkle of the celesta. While an original composition, the concept derived from various inspirations such as the music of Bartok, Stravinsky, and Brahms - a combination that provided a useful combination of sounds and musical devices appropriate for the subject.
Difficulty: Advanced (Grade 5)
