TRIPTYCH PROGRAM NOTES

Triptych is a musical journey through two small cities in Mexico. The work is Spanish in flavor, influenced by the past and present culture and topography of this beautiful country. It is reflective more than programmatic, serving as a living memory for the composer and a testimony to those who might perform it or hear it.

The first movement, Real de Catorce, was named after and inspired by the history of an old silver mining village in the mountains of the state of San Luis Potosi. The origin for the name of the town stems from a time when silver production was thriving.A stage coach would frequently deliver shipments of silver coins to the city of San Luis Potosi, but was often ambushed by fourteen thieves. Hence the name Real de Catorce meaning The Royal Fourteen.

The middle movement Vínculacion takes its name from the Spanish word for liaison, representing the largely picturesque and panoramic scenery during the course of travel between the two sites represented in this collection.

The city of San Miguel de Allende (portrayed in the third movement) is a place of rare beauty. It has all the charm and character of a quaint Spanish village.Though the city is quite progressive, it still maintains an antiquity theme within all its new architecture. To capture the spirit of San Miguel de Allende, the composer has chosen a typically Spanish chord progression as the foundation to this piece in rondo form.