One of the recipients of these Sunday morning emails, a Canadian, kindly responded to my recent mid-week announcement that I hope to produce seven new CDs of my music with this wise and timely caution:

<< Here in Canada, CD players are no longer sold. You can buy one elsewhere, they are very rare. There are no more CD players in new cars even, so let me suggest something : why make cds when you can convert your music to mp3 on a USB key ? >>

When I say that I want to produce 7 new “CDs”, it’s shorthand for the equivalent of that amount of recorded works. A more accurate word might be “album” instead of CD, connoting that the music will be available in multiple formats. Some radio stations no longer accept CDs; they want aiffs. Then there the various music providers: Youtube, Spotify, etc.

I am going to record about 500 minutes of new music this year, the equivalent of seven full-length CDs, and then share them with you, the recipients of these messages. And I am going to send them to about 160 American classical music radio stations. You will hear them broadcast, too, I hope.

Times change. Technology, too. How thrilled I was when the first LP of my music was issued back in the 1980’s. But CDs soon supplanted LPs and now CDs are in their twilight.

Yet the sort of music you and I favor is “evergreen.” There is no “shelf time” for this music. It’s not like milk or cream. The music I wrote in the 1970’s is as fresh as this morning’s snowfall.

But getting it recorded and “out there” where people can hear is still a heavy lift. That’s why I’m grateful for any contributions you might send to assist me.

Right now you can watch and listen as I introduce, in person and on camera, my new composition “Reconciliations” for flute, oboe, viola and cello. It was premiered one week ago in our worship service at Mt. Auburn Presbyterian here in Cincinnati; it was filmed.

I love this combination of instruments and have just finished another piece for it titled “The Folk of Field & Glen.” (“Folk” refers to birds.)

Here are the movement titles, keys and durations:
“The Folk of Field & Glen” Suite for flute, oboe, viola and cello
I. Wood Thrush - in D major 4:37
II. Thoughtful Owl - in D minor - slow, sad 5:26
III. Zany Mockingbird - D major - scherzo 2:10
IV. Meadow Lark - slow fugue in C major 4:48
V. Exuberant Cardinal - finale in D major 4:26
Total duration: 21:27

Looks promising, don’t you think? Once I get the suite recorded, I’ll send out the movements in these emails, one at a time. And for free.

Rehearsal time for today’s offering was limited and the performance is a little rough around the edges -- a few wrong notes here and there -- but the joyful, tender spirit of the music is abundantly evident and that’s what counts!

Fifty years ago, after my first week on the job as a twenty-something classical radio broadcaster, I admitted to my new boss that my live segments on the air “weren’t very smooth.” She wisely said, “Smooth is over-rated. Warmth is what’s important.”

The musicians playing this music with such endearing warmth are: flutist Julie Morris, oboist Yo Shionoya, violist Rose Gowda and cellist Michael Ronstadt. To view a video of the worship service, copy and paste the link below, and then scroll to my brief introduction, which begins at 51:09.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvLOnTPG9H8

To see a PDF of the score for "Reconciliations," the earlier piece for this combination of instruments, click on the link above.

I'd love to know what you think about this music; reply if you're inclined. But please don't feel that you are expected to reply. I'm just glad to share my work in this way.

As always, feel free to forward this message to friends who might enjoy it.

Anyone can be on my little list of recipients for these mpFrees (as I call these musical emails). To sign up, people can email me at rick@sowash.com, sending just one word: "Yes." I'll know what it means.

Rick Sowash
Cincinnati, OH
Jan. 12, 2025