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www.marknowakowski.com --> Score and Audio Samples All audio, music, and text copyright Mark Nowakowski 2009, unless otherwise noted. To obtain a score or full recording, please contact mark.nowakowski -at- gmail.com Aevum -- First twelve pages of score....Full score available on request... ...excerpt from program notes... Immediately after the second performance of Aevum, a middle-aged woman approached me in a high state of excitement. She told me about the deep emotional response to my piece, how it described her recent struggles and troubles in life, and how she "knew what it was all about" before she ever read the program notes. Such moments make the uncertain life of the composer definitively worth it. In seeking the seeds of my compositional thought, I frequently turn to poetic imagery and evocative text. In the case of the word Aevum, the Latin translates ambiguously to words such as "lifetime," "eternity," and "the energy of youth." The work combines the more epic elements found in my Slavic voice, with the orchestrational color and energy found in my more American voice. The piece moves from initial bursts of thematic energy, into a more soloistic piano-driven section, culminating in an orchestrational storm. The final three minutes of nearly silent music that emerge lead us into a new space, beyond the common energy of the every day. I found myself thinking of the curious dichotomy between our desire for security and predictability, and our admiration for those who have risen above such needs in order to live extraordinary lives. Music is capable of reminding us of such things, and I can only hope that Aevum continues to inspire such thoughts (and, as previously seen, comforts) in others. |