Cameron Wilson, guest conductor
Fanfare for the Hour of Sunrise was commissioned by the Aspen Music Festival in celebration of its 40thanniversary and premiered there in the summer of 1989 under the direction of Kenneth Jean.
“Fanfare was suggested by the unique (for me) Aspen sunrises. My home, deeply shadowed by the mountains to the east looks out over Aspen and down the valley. The hot-air balloons are up ... the western range aglow. After a while, the sun clears the ridge and suddenly, it’s morning!”
Program note provided by the composer
The composer uses several unique ideas in the orchestration to paint his landscape, such as the use of organ, celeste, an extensive and diverse percussion section, and the curious omission of saxophones altogether – Nelson capitalizes on the shimmering and airy qualities of the upper woodwinds and celeste, the breadth of the percussion and organ, and the majesty of a full brass section. Additionally, he uses aleatoric methods throughout much of the ensemble in the piece’s introduction before catapulting the listener into a vivacious flourish of sparkling woodwinds and robust brass.
Ron Nelson was born in Joliet, Illinois, 1929 and is best known as a composer of wind band and choral music, having written such pieces as Savannah River Holiday, Rocky Point Holiday, and Passacaglia (Homage on B-A-C-H). Despite having studied music for only a brief period in his early years, he is also hailed as a prolific music educator, having had a thorough education in music pedagogy and teaching at Brown University in various positions for nearly 40 years. His compositions encompass a substantial variety of genres including orchestral, wind band, choral, and chamber works. Additionally, he composed several works for the stage, including two operas and one ballet.
Composer biography researched and written by Cameron Wilson