Programme Note
An inspiring commemoration of the centennial (1903-2003) of powered flight. A female narrator portrays the Wright Brothers' younger sister, Katharine, in period costume. The orchestra dramatically underscores her recounting of her brothers' childhood dreams of flight, their early experiments, her fears for their safety and the eventual triumph of the two American heroes. The musical score includes three brief musical quotations: the hymn "Rise Up, O Men of God," as the text mentions "Sundays — our day of church and family"; a fragment from Paul Dukas' The Sorcerer's Apprentice at the mention of "magic"; and the "Avarice" theme from Rodríguez' own ballet, The Seven Deadly Sins at the mention of "other inventors — hungry for fame and fortune." Real airplane "zooms" join the orchestra in the exciting finale: a natural for the Fourth of July or other patriotic celebrations.