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  David Stybr: Life and Afterlife: I. The Last Time (7:50)
     
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David Stybr: Engineer and Composer

It's Left Brain vs. Right Brain: best 2 falls out of 3

Life and Afterlife: Four Elegies
for Soprano and Orchestra:
I. The Last Time (7:50)

The Bereaved:
The last time I saw your eyes,
I saw the glow of a summer sunset.
How soon the glow then shaded and was gone.
And now you sleep.

The last time I touched your hand,
I felt the warmth of a summer zephyr.
How soon the warmth then faded and was gone.
And now you sleep.

How can I live without you?
Many are the paths we have walked together.
How can I stand without you at my side,
As my guide?

The last time I breathed your kiss,
You filled my heart with life majestic.
How soon your breath then faltered and was gone.
And now you sleep.

The last time I felt your embrace
You filled my soul with love eternal.
How soon your arms then weakened and were gone.
And now you sleep.

Now I must walk without you.
Which is the path which should be taken?
Now I must stand without you at my side,
As my guide.

You have not left me.
With ev'ry coming of the dawn,
You have not left me.
With ev'ry dusk I gaze upon,
You are my Sun and my Moon and my Stars.

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Left Brain: "My song cycle Life and Afterlife is a set of 4 Elegies for soprano and orchestra. The first movement 'The Last Time' is in G Minor, based upon a single theme which evolves into 2 further themes. The cantabile main theme is presented quasi berceuse as an elegy to the loss of a loved one, above shifting harmonies which elude repose. The music is also permeated by a rhythmic motive, or rhythmotive as I call it, which manifested itself in January 2001 when my wife Denise & I were in Caracas, Venezuela. The rest of this music was composed during my travels for engineering projects, and completed in May 2001 in Washington, DC."

Right Brain: "It was fun to discover details from my subconscious. For example the exquisite horn countermelody, as the soprano repeats the main theme, evolved from my rhythmotive. I love the final pages, which skirt the G Major/Minor tonalities with chords based upon G-Bb-Eb-G."

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Orchestra / *String Or. Quintets Miscellaneous
Andante Cantabile (5:00) *

Rosie: Walzer für Orch. (6:00)

Scumble River Legend (1:00)

Theme and Vars. in G Minor Contrabassoon & Or. (17:45)

Life and Afterlife: 4 Elegies for Soprano and Orch. (26:30)
I. The Last Time (7:50)
II. Nocturnal Procession (6:00)
III. Dreams (3:30)
IV. Farewell (8:50)
String Quintet No. 2 in B Minor
I. Variation-Sonata (5:00)
II. Andante cantabile (5:00)
III. Intermezzo & Anthem (5:00)
IV. Finale: Allegro (5:00)
Brass Quintet in C Minor
I. Allegro moderato (7:00)
II. Scherzo: Allegro (3:30)
III. Romanze (5:10)
IV. Finale: Allegro (5:10)
& Cortège in A Minor (6:25)
"Bad Boys and Blondes" Bossa Nova for Brass Quintet (1:10)
Ellmenreich: Spinning Song arr. for Brass Quintet (2:00)
Rolling River Rag for Piano (4:10)
Dance of the Three Witches for Organ (1:00)
Wedding Belles for Trumpet, Organ, Glockenspiel and Chimes (1:00)
Tango: Summer Night in Montevideo for Accordion and Piano (3:20)
ContraBassooNova for
Contrabassoon and Piano (3:00)
2 Brazilian Dances for Wind Quintet
Prélude à la Muse (et à l'Amuse): A Passacaglia for Rock Band (3:30)
Händel: Arrival of the Queen of Sheba transcribed for Tuned Percussion (3:30)

© 2001 David Stybr * Updated 5 May 2001
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