Aestivalis

Summer is personally my least favorite season of the year. I find the weather to be unlivable, and cannot even stand still outside without breaking a sweat. However, that is not what this piece is about. The beginning of summer is a bittersweet time for many. For children the beginning of summer means joy at school being out, but also missing the opportunity to see their friends so often. The beginning of summer can mean graduating high school, which is a bittersweet and challenging event for many. This also goes for graduating college, which for most people is a distinct closing of a chapter in their lives. These events also effect parents, seeing their children grow up and feeling like their child became an adult so fast. I began writing this piece in May 2024, which is when I graduated from Towson University. I was experiencing satisfaction at the life ahead of me, but was also very sad to leave the life I had up until that point behind. This piece is intended to convey the sense of melancholy that these life events may cause at the turn of a new summer. The main melody of the piece is based on the Bach Chorale Wie schon leuchtet der Morgenstern, which translates to "How beautifully the morning star shines". I chose this chorale melody as a base for this piece because of the summer sun's incandescence, as well as an acknowledgement of the longer amounts of daylight and thriving nature (two things I actually love about summer!).