Lutherspiele

Description

“Lutherspiele,” or “Luther-Game,” is a set of eight variations and a fugue on Martin Luther’s hymn “Ein feste Berg is unser Gott” (A Mighty Fortress is our God). The idea for the set was a commission by the Cedarville University Concert Band for an Introit for an upcoming tour, though the work was never used as the piece was actually far beyond what the conductor had envisioned (both in scope and skill). The composer learned a valuable lesson that communication is everything when writing for specific needs. The piece sat in a drawer for a number of years, until a request for a new flute choir piece from a local group found it back in the composer’s creative mind, re-envisioned as Theme and Variations with concluding Fugue. The work is advanced in its skill level and requires doubling by the performers to other members of the flute family: piccolos, C Flutes, Alto Flutes, and Bass Flutes. The full set gives every player a chance to shine and explores the timbral palette possibilities of the entire family.