The second half of the recital opens outward.
Having begun with landscapes, communities, and intimate reflections, this half gradually broadens the conversation from place to people and to the shared ideals that music can express. Performed on the 110-stop Blackinton organ of First United Methodist Church, San Diego (Evensong), the instrument's vast palette allows each composer to speak with a distinct voice while contributing to a larger musical conversation.
The journey begins playfully with Charles Ives, whose wit and imagination remind us that tradition remains alive only when it continues to surprise us. James Horner follows with quiet resilience before Peter Schickele's affectionate satire celebrates another distinctly American quality: the ability to laugh, even within our most cherished traditions.
The emotional center of the recital arrives with Adolphus Hailstork, a work that bears witness to history without ever surrendering joy. Florence Price then offers a moment of tenderness and quiet gratitude—a chance simply to breathe before the final celebration.
Dudley Buck's brilliant reimagining concludes the recital not as a display of patriotic spectacle, but as an invitation to shared celebration. Having encountered many voices, traditions, and perspectives along the way, the familiar anthem becomes a place where they may all sing together.
These works reward listening as a journey rather than a destination. They invite us to discover connections across generations, styles, and experiences—and perhaps to leave carrying something that was not there when we first began.
0:00 Charles Ives — Variations on "America" | Play
5:20 James Horner — A Gift of a Thistle | Resilience
7:04 P.D.Q. Bach — An American Hymn | Wit
8:33 Adolphus Hailstork — Oh Freedom! | Witness
11:47 Florence Price — Adoration | Tenderness
15:29 Dudley Buck — Concert Variations on the "Star-Spangled Banner" (Selections) | Shared Celebration
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