War Stories 1. UnCivil Wars for Flute/Piccolo, Horn and Piano

Commissioned by The Zinkali Trio, Susan LaFever, horn, Elise Carter, flutes and Laura Ravotti, piano, this work begins with the famous Civil War song, Taps, written int he 1830s and officially recognized by the U.S. Army in 1874, In this first movement, the horn portrays the heroic soldier, committed to protecting the lives and honor of the innocent civillians (the flute and picccolo). The beginning is the traditional "Taps" which is in Major. The piccolo then joins the horn in support of their earnest desire to promote the peace.

The music darkens, the piano depicts the army supporting, protecting and battling the imaginary forces. Throughout this movement, there is the taps motif struggling to maintain the peace only to lose with untold loss of civilian life and limb. A tragic end in the name of Civility.