American composer Juliana Hall specializes almost exclusively in writing art song, monodrama, and vocal chamber music. Similar to her vocal music, the few instrumental works Hall has composed for musical family and friends are also based on literary texts (although in these instrumental works the texts are not sung, but simply serve as inspiration for the music). “A Certain Tune” was originally composed in 2009 for English Horn, the instrument played by Hall’s best friend, Janet Popesco Archibald (Hall’s first roommate while studying at Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music who until her recent retirement served as the San Francisco Opera’s English Horn soloist for more than thirty years). “A Certain Tune” is a set of five instrumental “songs” based on poetry by early 20th-century American poet Sara Teasdale that speak of nature and humanity, life and death, friendhip and love. The music of “A Certain Tune” is meant to evoke the feelings and images embodied in the five Teasdale poems on which Hall based these instrumental songs. The English Horn version of “A Certain Tune” was premiered by Margaret Marco (oboe faculty at the University of Kansas), who also recorded the work on her independently produced CD “Still Life: New Music for Oboe, Oboe d’Amore, and English Horn.” The flute version of “A Certain Tune” was created for a concert of Hall’s music that took place when she was visiting composer at the Hartt School of Music in the Fall of 2021, and was premiered by Hartt faculty flutist Janet Arms (also a member of the New York City Opera Orchestra who has performed with the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, and Metropolitan Opera Orchestra). Both the English Horn and Flute versions of “A Certain Tune” are published by Juliana Hall Music and can be obtained through both online and offline music shops throughout the U.S. and U.K.
To listen to a live performance recording visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKJSgJoSQe8
The score is available for purchase ($15.95 + shipping) at: https://www.amazon.com/Sheet-Music-Certain-inspired-Teasdale/dp/B0CC9SHTLN
For more information, please contact JH@JulianaHall.com. And, to explore more of Juliana Hall’s music visit: https://julianahall.com.