Sonata

The sonata was inspired in part by the American music, both classical and jazz, of the mid-20th century, and is an homage to the composers of that era. The two outer movements are written for Trumpet in C, and follow the general formal structure of a sonata. The first movement is in sonata-allegro form, contrasting a lyrical first theme with an agitated and chaotic second theme group. The middle movement is written for the flügelhorn, and is in the form of a very simple “lullabye” melody which evolves into a kind of “dream episode” in a lively jazz-fusion style before gradually returning to the tranquil mood of the opening. The third movement is a spirited, light-hearted rondo which conjures up images of the American West. The Sonata is dedicated to the memory of my teachers, Hall Overton (1920-1972), and William Vacchiano (1912-2005).