World Enough and Time: Rhapsody for Cello and Orchestra

An expression of feelings engendered by the sudden end of The Cold War: Joy and hope mingled with fear and skepticism.

Cellist Terry King and the Monroe (Louisiana) Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Bruce Chamberlain.

Program Notes: This piece was written in 1989 in response to the end of the Cold War. The horror that began in 1914 had finally run its course; millions were hopeful that history could finally get back on track. Perhaps we could now devote our energies to 'betterment' instead of 'armament.' Feelings of relief and joy and tentative hopefulness are expressed in the piece, but also ominous, fearful feelings... Knowing human nature, can the peace endure?

The piece was also inspired by my sense of what kinds of gestures would be worthy of the extraordinary talents of cellist Terry King. His playing has brought to me and to many other delighted listeners a new sense of the marvels that can be fashioned by a human being equipped with a cello and a bow.

In the rhapsody, the cellist represents the individual human being -- tender, passionate, noble -- but just a single, faint voice, after all. The soloist does not bend the orchestra to its will, as in a Beethoven concerto. Rather, the soloist is swept along by the great events occurring in the orchestra and can only comment on them.

No one of us brought about the end of the Cold War, nor can any one of us shape the future. We are almost helpless, and that is where the pathos lies.

Yet we can hope.

The title comes from Andrew Marvel's longing phrase, "Had we but world enough and time..."