Lackey. October Sunrise (reading, The Peabody Conservatory) by Mark Lackey

(This is a recording of a reading during rehearsal, not a performance, of The Peabody Conservatory Wind Ensemble under the direction of Dr. Harlan Parker.)
I love the quiet sense of possibilities in a sunrise, a sense that is especially keen in autumn as a new school year gets underway and the holidays are not far off. On an especially clear chilly morning in October I stood on the corner near our city apartment and watched the sun rising over the university. I was struck by the immensity and gradualness of the event. It is almost impossible to perceive the change in brightness from moment to moment, and yet the difference between the dayspring and the full daylight is so vast that it seems the sun will overfill the sky.
While this was the scene that set me thinking about a sunrise composition, I also invite you to find your own mental imagery as you listen. Undulating clarinets and saxophones set the stage for the brass to peal out a massive, majestic melody, and a series of vibrant contrasting themes ensues. Later, a quiet, mystical, eerie tune played by piccolo and contrabass rises above unusual percussion effects, followed by a colorful, joyful, global celebration. –ML