Passage

Program Notes:

Passage was composed without an external impetus. A single movement work, the piece is derived, somewhat organically, from the original musical material itself. Interestingly, the listener does not hear the original motive until two minutes into the piece. Initially written for piano in 2006, prior to graduate school, Passage was like a caterpillar always intending to emerge as an orchestral butterfly. As I began work on its transformation, two additional melodic motives emerged, which interweaved into a two-minute prelude. These elements assert themselves as secondary motives throughout the piece. Passage in orchestral form remains true to the original piano version, while fleshing out its musical elements, explored through the orchestral palette.

-Christina Rusnak 2017