Dr. Leroy's Dirge & Dance by Tom Schnauber

From a live performance (not great sound quality, but really good performance).

Anyone who spent time with composer Leroy Southers (1941–2003) knows that one of the great pleasures of his company was to listen to music with him. He had an immense collection of records, tapes, and CDs, and the astonishing memory for names and dates that was needed to maintain it. More importantly, though, he was a keenly perceptive and highly sensitive listener—a natural part of his exceptional musicianship. Listening to a piece with Leroy was more than just hearing tunes. It was a learning experience and an act of joy, especially when watching his expressions and gestures as they moved and changed with the music, interrupted only by the occasional observation or interesting fact. As someone who was privileged to be his friend for many years, I have happy memories of days spent at his home enjoying the sounds and ideas he offered so generously.
This piece grows out of those memories. In the first part, the strings play a gentle dirge while the oboe, Leroy’s instrument, weaves in and out of the texture, commenting on and reveling in the tones. In the second part, a playful dance, the oboe continues doing the same for a bit, but then takes on a more active role, eventually becoming part of the piece itself.

Performed by Andrew Price, oboe; and members of the Atlantic Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jin Kim