Symphonic Poem - THE SUN

This work wants to paint the rising of the sun, the sun beaming through the clouds and mirroring in a mountains brook, it's merciles power in the desert, it's life giving power and it's sunset at the end of a day. Just as well it may describe the rise, splendour & passing of a man . . . one of my favourite works . . .

http://gerdprengel.de/the_sun.mp3

Gerd

Very cool and engaging! Love the pedal in the beginning, makes me think of Bartok, Ravel, Haydn, and others who have painted a similar scene., albeit all in different ways. I like music that tells a story well, and IMO this does - I wish it were paired with other movements to make a suite, since you can obviously portray many moods/feels and make appropriate transitions from one texture/movement to another. To me, this is clearly an 'intro' or 'prelude', to be followed by a slow movement (happy or sad or both, see Beethoven's famous 7th Symphony, for example) and a light, allegretto movement with much lighter textures than in this 'first movement' you have posted, and with a tempo in between it and the slow movement. Then a finale however you see fit, to make a suite/symphony/tone poem/extended work - as is, it's just too little of a good thing! You could even bring back this exact movement, almost note-for-note, with a rousing ending added! It would bring the house down. Love the choppy high strings, very dramatic. The brief clarinet solo is very nice. I think the sound of the virtual orchestra is also very good. Thanks for posting, and I'm glad it's one of your own favourites.

An excellent piece; airy, open spaces and you have definitely captured the light. Superb orchestration and development.

Most enjoyable to listen to.