Urlicht Fantasy
Fantasy on Urlicht by Gustav Mahler

for orchestra (2021)

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Duration: 12 minutes

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Instrumentation:

picc.2.2(II=corA).2.2(II=dbn)‒4.2.3.1‒timp.perc(2)‒pno‒hrp‒strings

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Program Note:

Gustav Mahler's Lied "Urlicht" is a crossroad of symphony and song for me. Mahler defied genre to create something greater than either song or symphony could communicate on its own by including it in his second symphony. I was inspired by this defiance of genre when I set out to compose a work that reimagines Mahler through the rhythms and textures of other song genres that I love other than German Lieder, namely 1980s rock and 2000s pop-punk. Urlicht Fantasy uses melodic fragments and chord progressions from Mahler along with rhythms from the iconic drum break of Phil Collins’ 1981 hit song “In the Air Tonight” and textures from pop-punk artists like Avril Lavigne, The Early November, and Dashboard Confessional. By weaving these elements together in an orchestral work, I encourage listeners to explore what genre even means; to think about the artists like Mahler, who have challenged and inspire music lovers; and to enjoy the music you love regardless of genre.

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Reading Premiere:

American Composers Orchestra's

EarShot New Music Reading Sessions

Tucson Symphony Orchestra; José Luis Gomez, conductor

Leo Rich Theater, Tucson, AZ

May 17-19, 2022

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