Shiftin' Around Blues

Writings, artwork, and stories of angels date back thousands of years spanning time, space, and religions. Divine messengers, they connect people to God. An Angel on Earth is dedicated to my daughter, Jacqueline Louise Taylor. With her birth, God sent me the message of His love. Piano is required for this piece, but should be treated as section of the orchestra rather than a separate entity or soloist. Any questions of balance should defer back to this rule and the piano lid should be adjusted accordingly. Phrase markings found in the piano part may be used as a reference for the conductor when deciding on an interpretation for the work. Performers may approach the piece in a romantic style. The performers and conductor, with clear artistic intent, may decide on the use, speed, and width of vibrato throughout the work. Each phrase should be given definite direction. Repeated notes should be given slight space in order to distinguish them unless marked with ties or in the case of the bass harmonics. Instructions for how to produce the bass harmonics and the resulting pitches are provided in the bass part. There is a broad spectrum of harmonies. Triadic harmonies should be identified and tuned accordingly. Non-triadic harmonies can be approached from a contrapuntal perspective or simply aligned with the piano.