Hush Profound (2012)

For Flute, Bass Clarinet, Bassoon, and Alto Saxophone

Duration 6'00

Premiered by Andrew Schlaf and Christopher Newport University musicians on March 17, 2013 at the Ferguson Center for the Arts in Newport News, VA. 

Program Notes

Hush Profound chronicles the hero the Green Lantern. In the mythology of the character the Green Lantern belongs to a corps of similar heroes with the same abilities from different planets all across the galaxy. Each of these corps members has a specific oath that they state. The blanket standard oath is:

          “In the brightest day, in blackest night,

          No evil shall escape my sight

          Let those who worship evil’s might,

          Beware my power, Green Lantern’s light!!!”

One such hero, Rot Lop Fan, resides on a planet that lacks the sense of sight. Thus his oath is entirely different due to the lack of eyesight.

          “In loudest din or hush profound

          My ears catch evil’s slightest sound

          Let those who toll out evil’s knell

          Beware my power, the F-Sharp Bell!”

Movement one introduces the primary melodic motif representative of these heroes. The movement is a short fugal introduction without too much variation before the movement ends.

The final movement of the work is a high octane finally. Each instrumentalist has an independent, highly active line that while unique, fuse together succinctly, like the corps themselves.

-Chris Lamb, November 2012