In 1968, my friend, the baritone Timothy Jerome, commissioned me to write a song for his Masters recital at the Manhattan School of Music. He gave me a choice of two texts, Invictus, by William Ernst Henley, or Jabberwocky. For me, the choice was obvious, as I imagined how much fun I could have with the Lewis Carroll text, combined with Tim's talents: his large range, his dramatic flair, and his sense of comedy.
Tim and I premiered the song at the Manhattan School of Music in 1968. The audio is the recording of that performance.