Jody Rockmaker

3 Pianos, Celesta, and 6 Percussion

Composer's Note:

Blue Oblivion was written in the spring and summer of 2019. The title comes from the poem, Mid-Ocean by the American writer, William Rose Benet (1886-1950.) The work describes a trip across the ocean by ship. The last stanza reads:
Never was I so at peace, never so afraid.
Like the timeless time it was before the world was made.
Blue oblivion, largely lit, smiled and smiled at me, "”
Atom in the void, on the Western Sea!
The poem took on deep meaning for me. My family was dealing with significant challenges but there was a moment of calmness despite lingering trepidation of what the future may hold. The piece fluctuates between moments of frantic turmoil to a sense of peacefulness, concluding with a slow, serene and unending march into the unknown.