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Aegis is a work that entertains the theme of fervent altruism. As humans, compassion is a concern that we all experience, yet also struggle with. The concepts of empathy and solicitude seem straight forward, but are actually deeply complex. Sometimes we are faced with the decision of helping others at the expense of our own satisfactions and happiness. At other times we are in need of a helping hand, but refuse to search for it in fear of rejection or possibly that we may be a bother to such people. This work explores the different thoughts and complexities that we experience on the subject of compassion.
The piece opens with rhythmically active flutes supporting the main theme first found in the warm timbre of the lower strings, then is tossed around the orchestra. This introductory section is meant to depict the unlearned capacity for caring that is found in all of us. Despite the warm nature of the idea, the music sounds a little uneasy and restless. Benevolence isn't entirely sweet, it is also fiery and earnest. The B section of the piece, introduced by pizzicato strings followed by brazen interruptions in the woodwinds, paints the internal struggle we undergo when weighing our own satisfactions for the sake of another’s. After much commotion, the piece arrives at a quiet and introspective moment, where a trumpet solo is supported by bowed percussion, harmonics in the strings section, and clarinets. This moment characterizes a realization that no one is truly independent. We are all cogs, and the human race is our machine. The ending soars to the end with a faster tempo and recapitulations of the main theme as a reminder that compassion is the fire that propels humanity forward. |