The Authors Suite (coming soon)
Concert band, Grade 5. Approximately 15 minutes.
The Authors Suite is a collection of three pieces that each celebrate a favorite author of mine: L. M. Montgomery (Anne of Green Gables), Jane Austen (Pride & Prejudice), and Mary Shelley (Frankenstein). Movements may be performed together or may stand alone.
I. Kindred Spirits
"A bosom friend... a really kindred spirit to whom I can confide my innermost soul. I've dreamed of meeting her all my life."
-L. M. Montgomery Anne of Green Gables
Lucy Maud Montgomery's childhood had much in common with her iconic heroine Anne Shirley. Her mother died when Maud was just 21 months old, and she was sent to live with her grandparents on Prince Edward Island. These early years of her life were quite solitary, so she created imaginary friends to cope with her loneliness. Montgomery credited this time of her life with developing her creativity. "Kindred Spirits" imagines the young future author joyfully romping around Prince Edward Island with her imaginary friend Anne Shirley.
II. My Dearest Jane
“She was stronger alone... her appearance of cheerfulness as invariable, as, with regrets so poignant and so fresh, it was possible for them to be.”
-Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility
To this day, the great novelist Jane Austen is still beloved by many. Her work defies easy categorization of genre, using a blend of romance, comedy, and social satire. Her novels depict her heroine's dependence on marriage to secure social standing and economic security, which was typical during Austen's lifetime. Despite societal pressures, her protagonists find love as they learn to take control of their own lives and happiness. With such insight into her character's hearts, it is hard to imagine Jane's own life would have been completely without romantic feeling, though she died having never married. "My Dearest Jane" imagines Austen alone at her pianoforte, initially with all the appearance of cheerfulness, though eventually her deepest feelings come through.
III. Mary Shelley Meets Frankenstein
"I do know that for the sympathy of one living being, I would make peace with all. I have love in me the likes of which you can scarcely imagine and rage the likes of which you would not believe. If I cannot satisfy the one, I will indulge the other." -Mary Shelley, Frankenstein
Imagine a scenario where the young author meets her own creation, the monster brought to life whom we colloquially refer to as “Frankenstein.” They meet, circling each other in a dance reflective of a tango. Mary is initially curious and sympathetic, while the creature pleads for compassion. In the moment when the two come together, Mary’s sympathy is overwhelmed by horror and she begins to panic, while the creature becomes furious with her rejection. With the final notes, we are left asking ourselves—who is the real monster?
The Authors Suite is a collection of three pieces that each celebrate a favorite author of mine: L. M. Montgomery (Anne of Green Gables), Jane Austen (Pride & Prejudice), and Mary Shelley (Frankenstein). Movements may be performed together or may stand alone.
I. Kindred Spirits
"A bosom friend... a really kindred spirit to whom I can confide my innermost soul. I've dreamed of meeting her all my life."
-L. M. Montgomery Anne of Green Gables
Lucy Maud Montgomery's childhood had much in common with her iconic heroine Anne Shirley. Her mother died when Maud was just 21 months old, and she was sent to live with her grandparents on Prince Edward Island. These early years of her life were quite solitary, so she created imaginary friends to cope with her loneliness. Montgomery credited this time of her life with developing her creativity. "Kindred Spirits" imagines the young future author joyfully romping around Prince Edward Island with her imaginary friend Anne Shirley.
II. My Dearest Jane
“She was stronger alone... her appearance of cheerfulness as invariable, as, with regrets so poignant and so fresh, it was possible for them to be.”
-Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility
To this day, the great novelist Jane Austen is still beloved by many. Her work defies easy categorization of genre, using a blend of romance, comedy, and social satire. Her novels depict her heroine's dependence on marriage to secure social standing and economic security, which was typical during Austen's lifetime. Despite societal pressures, her protagonists find love as they learn to take control of their own lives and happiness. With such insight into her character's hearts, it is hard to imagine Jane's own life would have been completely without romantic feeling, though she died having never married. "My Dearest Jane" imagines Austen alone at her pianoforte, initially with all the appearance of cheerfulness, though eventually her deepest feelings come through.
III. Mary Shelley Meets Frankenstein
"I do know that for the sympathy of one living being, I would make peace with all. I have love in me the likes of which you can scarcely imagine and rage the likes of which you would not believe. If I cannot satisfy the one, I will indulge the other." -Mary Shelley, Frankenstein
Imagine a scenario where the young author meets her own creation, the monster brought to life whom we colloquially refer to as “Frankenstein.” They meet, circling each other in a dance reflective of a tango. Mary is initially curious and sympathetic, while the creature pleads for compassion. In the moment when the two come together, Mary’s sympathy is overwhelmed by horror and she begins to panic, while the creature becomes furious with her rejection. With the final notes, we are left asking ourselves—who is the real monster?