…to love and be loved

flute, alto saxophone, english horn, and harp (2009)

…to love and be loved was written specifically for my wife, Jessica, on the occasion of our marriage. Musically, the piece takes departure from my usual writing. Instead it reflects on the beautiful, momentous occasion, and our years together, through various musical paths dear to us. The work’s instrumentation incorporates members of the wedding party and guests, highlighting our major instruments: saxophone and flute. The title of the piece makes reference to a quote by Frédéric Chopin’s partner, Amandine A. Dupin. Known best under the pseudonym George Sand, the French Romantic novelist, wrote “there is only one happiness in this life: to love and be loved.”