brass ensemble
12’00”
composed 2012
commissioned for and premiered by Brass in Blue, of the U.S. Air Force Heartland of America Band (Omaha, Nebraska)
Composer’s Note
Portraits of Mt. Rushmore is a four-movement suite for brass ensemble, with each movement representing one of the four United States presidents carved into Mt. Rushmore - George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. Rather than simply evoking the personalities of each president, each movement also evokes musical imagery tied to sculptor Gutzon Borglum's reason for choosing them. Washington was chosen to represent the nation’s birth; Jefferson for contributing to the nation's expansion through the Louisiana Purchase; Roosevelt for his influence in the development of the nation; and Lincoln for his direct role in preserving the Union. These four qualities - Birth, Expansion, Development, and Preservation - are represented by main the musical themes and motives of each movement.
Commissioned by USAF Brass in Blue.