Robert Stern

2 Clarinets, Soprano Saxophone (Doubling Alto), Horn, Percussion (Glockenspiel and Vibraphone), Piano, and Contrabass

Composer's Note:

Each of the three ballads and the gymnopédie in this program were written for people who have been especially meaningful in my life.

The furst ballad, Mel’s Song, was composed in honor of the late Mel Strauss, a fine musician and dear friend, on the occasion of his 75th birthday.

The second, Song for Judith, was written for my wife, Judith Glaser.

The final ballad, Return to Star Lake, was originally composed for my colleague, bassist Salvatore Macchia, with me at the piano; in this arrangement, it appears in an expanded version enriched by clarinets, saxophone, horn, and percussion.

The ballads draw inspiration from the rich tradition of American musical theatre—Gershwin, Porter, Bernstein, Berlin, Rogers and Hammerstein, Eubie Blake, Noble Sissle, and so many others. Each is connected to the next by a brief transition, creating an unbroken musical arc.

The gymnopédie belongs to a different lineage altogether. The form was introduced by French composer Erik Satie in his Trois Gymnopédies—quiet, languid pieces in 3/4 time that avoided dramatic contrasts in tempo or intensity.

My own gymnopédie, written for my friend Elaine Bowdich, begins in the spirit of Satie’s model, but gradually diverges—gathering momentum, building to a large climax, and finally returning to the calm simplicity of its opening.

I am grateful to Lynn and Laura Klock, who patiently awaited this work, and for whom it has been my pleasure to rework and link these pieces into the form presented here.

New engraved 2nd edition from Michael Golzmane.