Introspection, for Concert Band "COMING SOON!"

Introspection has an interesting compositional history. First, the composition went through a myriad of names: Alexandra’s Prayer, Alexandra’s Cry, Hallelujah - Glory to Lord God, Judas’s Cry, and lastly Lord, What Have I Done. Next, when I started writing this prayer-soliloquy scene in the original version of my then operetta A Tale of Two Fools, Lord, What Have I Done was to be a vocal canon-quartet, with three of the roles written specifically for my good friends Courtenay Schowalter Casey, Ross Benoliel, and Scott Piper. I had always loved canons since I was a little child; they always mesmerized me. When I started college and learned more compositional techniques, I began to wonder if my love for canons was too jovial and juvenile especially since I only knew of them in children’s music or in cartoons. It wasn’t until I was in a music history class at the University of Michigan that I learned of Beethoven’s only opera, Fidelio. In this opera was ironically a canon-quartet named Mir ist so wunderbar (a wondrous feeling fills me).” I was completely enamored that the composer I loved so dearly used the canon in such a historic composition and was equally excited that it was a quartet! Plus, I found myself drawn to the work along with its many Leonore overtures. This work gave me the “pass” to say, “It’s okay to use canons.” In the original concept of Lord, What Have I Done, Alexandra was grieving over her betrayal of her fiancé Eleazar, even after going against her father’s wishes of dating him. Eleazar would brood over her disloyalty, her dad Harrison would brood over losing his daughter to a man he wrongly despises, while a friend would complain over everybody being so miserable.

Unfortunately, I never finished A Tale of Two Fools as an operetta. I eventually came up with the idea to place Lord, What Have I Done as Intermezzo in my Low Brass Quartet for my good friends Kristof Schneider, Todd Shafer, and Anthony Halloin. As with my Tribute to Sinfonia, I always felt I could have done more with the development. Eventually, I rewrote the entire A Tale of Two Fools and came up with the concept with the novical (musical novel). However, Lord, What Have I Done didn’t quite fit in the novical or even the upcoming sequels. It didn’t have a musical home or identity. Enter Timothy Beattie. I ran into my Louisiana State University (LSU) classmate and fellow composer Tim Beattie at the Midwest Clinic. He asked me if I could write a piece for his band in Mobile, AL. Mind you, Dr. Beattie himself is a phenomenal composer. I was honored. I told him I had a piece that’s been buried in the back of my mind for a while and I could make it into a band piece for him. This was finally the kickstart I would need to make Lord, What Have I Done finally complete. After its initial readthrough, Tim came to me and said, “Great piece…needs percussion.” After six perilous months of America experiencing the impact of COVID-19, I would finally take the time to rewrite this piece once again, in particularly focusing on several transitions of this piece and adding percussion. Finally, I chose the title Introspection to parallel Alexandra’s and Harrison’s reflections of their actions of wrongdoing, with a hopefulness that people would reflect on their own actions, take responsibility for them, and fix their respective situations.

Musically Yours, Chad "Sir Wick" Hughes

Piccolo Flutes I Flutes II

Oboes I-II English Horn

Clarinets in Bb I Clarinets in Bb II Clarinets in Bb III Bb Bass Clarinet

Bassoons I-III

Eb Alto Saxophones I Eb Alto Saxophones II Bb Tenor Saxophone Eb Baritone Saxophone

Trumpets in Bb I Trumpets in Bb II Trumpets in Bb III Trumpets in Bb IV

Horns in F I-II Horns in F III-IV

Trombones I Trombones II Trombones III Euphonium Tuba Doublebass

Timpani Percussionist 1 Snare Suspended Cymbal Xylophone

Percussionist 2 Marimba Suspended Cymbal

Percussionist 3 Bass Drum Marimba Triangle

Percussionist 4 Xylophone Tambourine Vibraphone