I composed Elegy and Recreations in memory of Hall Overton, my formative composition teacher, who died prematurely in 1972 at the age of fifty. The first movement is a straightforward elegy featuring long romantic melodic lines and a harmony that flirts with but skirts tonality.
The “Recreations” of the title refers to the second movement and its spirit of playfulness, impulsiveness, passion, and occasional relaxation. The movement is in several ways a tribute to Overton, a man who took play very seriously. The tribute extends to the basic melodic material of the movement, which is loosely based on one of Overton’s own themes – a literal re-creation.
In my discussion about this commission with Charles Wadsworth, at the time the Artistic Director of the CMSLC, he wanted to offer me complete artistic freedom, including four rehearsals (!), then moving to Alice Tully Hall for three performances. But as the discussion went on, he had a few specific requests, which I was happy to hear. I like to know what’s wanted of me.
He wanted my new piece to be “substantial,” 15-20 minutes rather than 5 or 10, but please not 35 like last year’s commission – too much rehearsal time. Fine with me. This time should be divided into a small number of substantial movements, say, 1 to 3 or so, rather than 6 three-minute movements, for example. Okay, good.
There should be a substantial number of instruments, but not so many that the piece becomes orchestral – it’s the Chamber Music Society, after all. So not solo or a duet, but not as many as 12 players. Seven would be an ideal size. Agreed.
Also, the CMLSC performers were all great soloists in their own right; and they should have ample opportunity to show their individual soloistic qualities. Great.
I was happy to have all these specific conditions requested of me. It was inspiring, not at all limiting. It meant that many important artistic decisions had been made before I had even written a note. And most importantly, it meant that my music was wanted and would be performed.
There was one more request. The instrumentalists, usually soloists or chamber music players, preferred not to play under a conductor. OK. I would simplify the rhythms that I was working with at the time to make the piece as manageable as possible without a conductor.
It did not work out that way. Although I had tried to keep the individual parts as rhythmically simple as possible, and the players were some of the best soloists and chamber music players of that time, the ensemble problems were more complicated than I had expected. After a couple of unproductive rehearsals, the players reluctantly asked me to conduct a rehearsal, and then the performances. Fortunately, I was prepared for this, the players were cooperative and encouraging, and subsequent rehearsals and the three performances went very well.