Pastoral on a Sunday Morning

A short piece inspired by Asher Brown Durand's "Sunday Morning" that is highly lyrical in nature while not being overly technically challenging, making this piece suitable for advanced students and professionals alike. With a short cadenza at the end, allowing performers to explore their own musical creativity in relation to the piece, this piece makes for a great addition to any recital! Also available as a version for Viola and Piano. Program Notes Nature has always been a huge source of inspiration for me and I've always appreciated the Hudson River School's pastoral landscapes. When I first saw Asher Brown Durand's painting Sunday Morning I was instantly hooked on its summer landscape. The soft, warm colors, reminded me of relaxing outside in the warm summer sun. The distant church instantly reminded me of Debussy's La cathedrale engloutie, which is given homage at the very beginning of this piece. The same church, and the individuals heading towards it, also inspired the chorale-like prayer section towards the end of this piece. This piece combines these various elements of inspiration to create a relaxed meditation. This piece was written for Christopher Smith, as part of the 2022 Hartt Community Division and NBMAA collaboration, who premiered the work on April 1st at the Greater Hartford Academy for the Arts recital hall.