My Lagan Love

This Irish folk tune evokes an almost magical beauty. Its melodic simplicity lends itself to great freedom in choosing from a lush harmonic pallet. In this setting, the sparse opening harmonies and the solo presentation of the melody in alto saxophone (cued in oboe) precede a gradual thickening of the harmonic textures. The full ensemble presents the melody again with fresh and new harmonic treatment, which leads to a highly dramatic musical moment, and ends with quiet intensity, like the beginning.