Cart 0
Cart 0

GOLDEN HOUR


  • Originally for horn and piano; now also available for trumpet, clarinet, tuba, cello, euphonium, and trombone!
  • Duration: 6 minutes
  • Composed in 2020
  • Premiered by Matthew Anderson; reference recording by Brian Barber (piano) and Eric Reed (horn)
  • View perusal score: trumpet / tuba
  • BUY NOW 

Additional recordings:

Here is the clarinet version premiered by David Cook (clarinet) and Ināra Zandmane (piano):



Here is the trumpet version recorded by Chloe Swindler!

Here is the tuba version recorded by Jarrett McCourt (who named his recent album after Golden Hour!)

PROGRAM NOTES

The “golden hour” is the magical period of time just before sunset when the sun is low in the sky and casts a beautiful, warm glow across the horizon. This piece was inspired by an exciting and rewarding journey through Yosemite National Park to reach the Glacier Point overlook before sundown. Driving up the steep mountain roads felt like a race against time, with the sunset already in progress. Along the way, we experienced jaw-dropping vistas over the edge of rocky cliffs; the colours in the sky shifted from vibrant blue and orange to hazy pink and purple. We drove through extensive areas of forest damaged by recent wildfires– a visceral reminder of the impacts of our changing climate and the need for balance in nature. When we arrived at the lookout, we were rewarded with a magnificent and exhilarating view of Half Dome and Yosemite Valley set against a glowing sky (as shown on the cover of the score!) It was perfect timing to witness the last moments of sunset before the sky faded calmly into dusk.

 

Golden Hour was commissioned by the following horn players:

Matthew Anderson (consortium lead)
Inga Augustaitis - Elk Grove Village, IL
Julia Ferguson - Ashland, OR
Matthew Haislip - Starkville, MS
Brandon Houghtalen - Abilene, TX
Alexis House - Fort McMurray, AB
Michael Mikulka - Austin, TX
Eric Reed - New York City, NY
Kristen Ronning - Chicago, IL
Piper Shiels - Richmond Hill, ON
Mike Simpson - Renton, WA
Ryan Wehrle - Winnipeg, MB

A special thank you to Brian Barber for his significant contribution to Golden Hour's piano part, including the beautiful play-along recording provided for all solo versions.

One dollar from every purchase of this piece will be donated to The Nature Conservancy of Canada. Thank you for helping to support this important work.