Media
Selected performances and interviews
Adhesions
Greater Lansing Symphony conducted by Gustav Meier on May 2, 1987.
(Commissioned by the Greater Lansing Symphony Orchestra, and dedicated to the orchestra and its conductor Gustav Meier.)
According to Webster’s dictionary, “adhesion” may be defined as follows: “in medicine, the growing together of normally separate tissues”. This definition, in conjunction with aspects of sonata-allegro form (typical of the first movement of a symphony), provides the structure of this short orchestral work. As in the Romantic era’s concept of sonata-allegro, there are three emotionally contrasting ideas; one that is angry, chordal, and “serious”; a second that is lighter, playful, and more consonant, and predominantly scored for winds; and a third, a slowly unfolding melody played by the trumpets (two of which remain off-stage throughout). Each idea is modified, and sectional differentiations are made less distinct, until the three strands are fully joined and all tension is dissolved. The use of resolution of tension to end the work comes from sonata-allegro form, but the means – that is, the specific ways in which melody, harmony, dynamics, and tempi are used – does not. For instance, there are several chords that are used repeatedly. Most of these chords are presented in the introductory section. The three most frequently heard chords are all dissonant, but all contain B-F# (the dominant of e minor). The most prominent of these three – the first sound of the entire work – is a dissonant chord which, by the end of the composition, has stripped away its non-harmonic tones to reveal a consonant core – an e minor chord.
A Free Pen
"A Free Pen” is a cantata-like composition on freedom of speech, written in honor of the 200th anniversary of the Bill of Rights. The entire 33-minute work is for narrator, 4 solo singers, 8 choral singers functioning as a "Greek" chorus and 15 instrumentalists. The libretto, compiled by the composer from historical and literary documents on Socrates, Spinoza, Zenger and others, deals with the struggles for freedom of speech which have been going on since ancient Greek times and which are continuing today.
William Wielgus Interval Untamed: Five Miniatures (oboe transcription)
William Wielgus, oboe
Studio recording, Rio de Janeiro, November 2022
Artwork of Ruth Gikow
Interval Untamed was originally written in 2010 for saxophonist Allen Won and was adapted by the present performer for oboe.
Combined Efforts
SymbiosisDuo (Gail Williamson, euphonium, and Stacy Baker, tuba) and Eunbyol Ko (piano); June 6, 2014. IWBC 2014 Conference
(Commissioned by the IWBC for performance by SymbiosisDuo at IWBC 2014).
The title Combined Efforts is a play on the name of the group for whom the work was commissioned by the International Women’s Brass Conference for IWBC 2014 – the SymbiosisDuo. It is in three short movements. The first movement, Lullaby, presents the original melody and then varies and develops it. Different instruments maintain the melody, while the accompaniment increases in motion and intensity. In the second movement, Anger Abating, the instruments move from loud passages using extreme ranges to quiet passages. The low Ds in the piano lead to the low A at the beginning of the last movement. The last movement, Learning to Play, reverses the progression of the second movement, though without anger. It moves from a slow, low introduction through passages becoming louder and faster and, finally, arriving at a boisterous, loud, and playful end.
Reaching the End of the Dance
Taylor Music Center at Union College, Schenectady, New York.
January 12th, 2025. This performance was in fulfillment of the 2025bHilary Tann Seed Money Grant from New York Women Composers.