Mighty River

Program Note: "Mighty River premiered at London’s Holy Trinity Church as part of a concert commemorating the Bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act passed by British Parliament on 25 March 1807. The wife of Rev. John Wates is a direct descendant of William Wilberforce (1759-1833), a politician, and member of the Abolitionists movement whose efforts led to the repeal of the Slave Trade Act. The Abolitionists often met at Holy Trinity Church.

Wallen’s love for waterways inspired her to view the rivers’ inexorable flow as a metaphor for 'the relentlessness pursuit of freedom...It is an innate human instinct to be free, just as it is a law of nature that the river should rush headlong to the sea. That is the concept behind Mighty River.'

Mighty River opens with the horn’s invocation of 'Amazing Grace.' That beloved hymn returns throughout the work, alongside quotations of various other spirituals. Repeated motifs portray the irrepressible energy of the flowing river, and yearning for freedom. All of these elements are embodied in a work notable for its glowing and transparent orchestration." - Errollyn Wallen

Melody / Ornamentation: (Click below to hear any of these sections on their own)
   -0:47-1:26 The french horn opens the piece with the melody of Amazing Grace, soon joined by piccolo and clarinet.
   -13:01-13:43 The violins play the melody of Amazing Grace, over a pulsating orchestral texture. The trumpets and flutes eventually join in as well. 
   -14:58-16:19 The french horn closes the piece out by playing this melody with some ornamentation, over a sparser texture of cello and percussion.