I received a phone call somewhere around 1992 from composer Thomas McKinley. He was enthusiastic about his unique model of a different kind of record label designed for the contemporary composer. It was called MMC, Master Musician's Collective. He suggested that I write a work for clarinet and orchestra for his friend, Richard Stoltzman. He explained that he had already booked time with great Eastern European orchestras and the composers who contract MMC (at a dollar per minute rate according to which orchestra) would receive a great recording distributed through Albany and, possibly, get radio play on a few key US classical stations.

Thrilled that I could write a piece that Mr. Stoltzman would consider, I discussed the opportunity with my wife, Joy. We were just beginning a family on my teaching salary (not much), yet, she supported the idea. Tom helped me come up with a financial plan by breaking the fee up in 3 payments. He also went out of his way to help by hiring me for one MMC engineering gig for the label. Thanks, Tom!

The original work was called "Falling Rain", inspired by a dream described by my twin brother, Kevin, about falling through the night atmosphere without fear. As I worked with the idea, I imagined what it would be like to be a raindrop: long falling into my lover - the earth. Being a saxophonist helped me intuit how to compose the glissandi but I needed to be positive they would work. I called Dr. Keith Koons, Professor of Clarinet at the University of Central Florida for help. Dr. Koons was open, kind and gracious to me, inviting me into his home and bringing these ideas to life for the first time. Without his help, the work may have been too awkward for the soloist. Thank you, Keith!

But, as I considered the sound-gesture of the falling, I could not help but hear it more as a wailing cry, instead. The new manifestation of this dream-vision matured into a distant lover's cry over a dead earth: like an angel in space looking down at a dead earth wailing over the loss of its infinite beauties and mysteries - including everything Mankind hoped for and loved. A rewrite allowed this very strong idea to find pure expression. And, the concept of a dead Earth - a concept that was within the realm of possibility - but unheard of, needed to be voiced. "Earth Caoine" became alive with soul and purpose it had not previously had.

When the work was finally to be recorded in June of 1996 in Warsaw Poland, Kevin paid for my travel. Thank you, Kevin! Joining us were brothers Rob and Randy. We met in Chicago and flew to Warsaw for a most memorable 11 day trip! (during this trip, Joy was at home alone with our newborn and two children ages 6 and 4 - thank you, Joy!) The Philharmonia Hall is a fantastic acoustic space, and the orchestra had the sweetest string sound I'd ever heard. Many composers were there with MMC. Earth Caoine, being the most lightly scored of the concertos was, for sound economic reasons, always scheduled last. This put "Earth Caoine" at a disadvantage - could Richard get through the huge embouchure demands of these extreme glissandi at the end of 8 hour recording sessions? Just listen to the CD - every work is demanding. The day we finally got to my piece, Richard was too tired, so the first run-through, which totalled about 20 minutes, was just orchestral, and the orchestra did not 'get' the music. It was a mess, and I recall hearing the Polish producer saying to Tom McKinley that he should never have subjected the Warsaw National Philharmonic to this terrible music. The first night was very hard for me - I questioned myself deeply. Thankfully, my brothers were upbeat and reassuring. I recall being quite depressed when we got back to the hotel.

The next day, "Earth Caoine" was again put on the shelf until the other pieces were done. But, that afternoon, Richard requested I see him in the green room while he was preparing for this yet-another heavy recording day. He asked me what kind of sound I wanted, as, up to this point, glissandi were associated with vaudevillian comedy sounds. I told him they were cries; crying over the death of our beautiful planet from afar. I think he already had an interpretation and was testing me a little, because the artistry he poured into the piece later that evening was so sublime. Again last of the day's recording, Richard was to finally play his part with the orchestra. Almost magically, everything changed, and I don't think the orchestra expected it, but, when Richard moved into that high A and fell so gracefully, so emotionally - the work finally made sense to them. Their musicianship moved in and the music immediately gelled. But, the session ended too soon! Only 25 minutes was devoted to my piece that night. It wasn't enough. The performances were just beginning to come together. After the session, the concertmaster found me to tell me how amazing the thought the work was and how it needed more time. I pleaded with Tom to give the work more time - we disagreed about whether or not enough good performance was captured for an edit. I thought that the orchestra was just beginning to understand the work and it needed more time. But, Tom would have to ask the orchestra to come in earlier than originally scheduled - and, that he had hoped to record his own new clarinet concerto. I appealed to Richard, who was unhappy with his own performance of the work so far. He agreed that the work deserved more time. I can only imagine that Richard and Tom discussed this, because I was told that evening by Tom that we would continue recording "Earth Caoine" that next morning for special half session. Thank you Richard! Thank you Tom! The fact that Tom was open enough to sacrifice his own new piece for me, a total unknown, should tell any other composer considering recording with MMC that their collective heart is in the right place.

The longer length of the work, along with the needed session time cost me another $1200. Lack of communication and personnel changes haunted MMC then - and, the recording would not see the light of day for nearly 10 years. I had given up on the label by that time and counted my investment and sacrifice a costly mistake.

Amazingly, the record, called "Reflections" was released by MMC in 2005 to rave reviews (see the Reviews page). I'm very proud of being on a Stoltzman release and included among this group of fine composers. Plus, MMC has been very generous and responsive in the last years - and, I can say, finally, it was worth every single penny and more. Thank you MMC!

Richard was so supportive of this music that he came to my hometown to performed the world premiere "Earth Caoine" with Hal France and the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra alongside the Copland. Our orchestra, at that time, was re-emerging from the ashes of bankruptcy and I can't imagine that they could afford a musician of Richard's status. This meant a great deal to me and my whole family. Again, Richard, I cannot thank you enough.