Schocker, G :: Views from Falls House

Views from Falls House

Schocker, G

Views from Falls House was commissioned by and dedicated to The Nashua Flute Choir. The piece is only moderately difficult, requiring no extended techniques. Audiences are sure to respond to its insistent melodies and varied moods as well as its wry humor.

The title Views from Falls House was inspired by the drawing of Falls House, Douglas Worthen's 1750 home in Durham, NH. Schocker had recently seen a production of the play Our Town by Thornton Wilder. The drawing of the Worthen home reminded him of Our Town at an earlier time in our country and inspired the feelings which led to the composition of this piece.

The first movement, Now the Lusty Spring, is seen in the first line of a poem by John Fletcher. Mr. Schocker took the opening musical line from a song he wrote to that poem. The poem is a charming admonition to flowers Ladies if not plucked we die. The second movement title, Too Hot for this Picnic, was his way of describing this wilted waltz. The third, When Autumn Leaves Begin to Fall, is in a similar mood to Johnny Mercer's song Autumn Leaves. 'I'll miss you most of all when autumn leaves begin to fall...' The song is a long look back with mixed emotions. The fourth, Congregation, is a flute prayer meeting, and the fifth, Festivity, is a busy bustling kind of piece.