"The Eternal Present" Symphony No. 1

"The Eternal Present" Symphony No. 1, for wind ensemble (2024) 20'
Composed by Isaac Mayhew
Arranged by Josh Trentadue

Composer notes:
My first symphony was first conceived of as a chamber work for violin, bass clarinet, and piano—I composed it in 2019 for the then-New York City-based Oasi Trio, who were planning to premiere it sometime in late Spring/early Summer 2020. The inspiration for this work—and the titles of each of the four movements—comes from a quote from William Manchester's book "A World Lit Only by Fire", discussing the ways in which Europeans in the years immediately preceding the dawn of the Renaissance failed to see what was coming:

When we look back across five centuries, the implications of the Renaissance appear to be obvious. It seems astonishing that no one saw where it was leading, anticipating what lay round the next bend in the road and then over the horizon. But they lacked our perspective; they could not hold a mirror up to the future. Like all people at all times, they were confronted each day by the present...with the significant, the trivial, the profound, and the fatuous all tangled together.

I first read this quote in 2019, a time when I thought I understood what it meant to feel uncertain about the future. Americans faced a barrage of shocking headlines, from political chaos to violence, and I was navigating my own transitions—career changes, a new relationship, loss, and self-discovery. Looking back, I realize how naive that was. Just months later, the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the world, and local events in the Twin Cities sparked global protests. Today, with wars, scandals, and climate crises abound, it’s clear that uncertainty is timeless. In times of uncertainty—and this current moment ought to qualify—I find history to be instructive and comforting in that it reminds me that we are all small in the grand scheme of things. Our lives hold meaning because they matter to us, but to worry too much about what is outside of our control is ultimately foolish, since it is really impossible to know where things will lead.

In composing this symphony, my goal is not to suggest that we should not take into consideration the future implications of our actions, but rather remind all of us that the lives that are right in front of us, today, are gifts that should be cherished.

Arranger's notes
I first met Isaac Mayhew shortly after the Millennium Composers Initiative was formed. Since then, I consider Isaac to be a good friend and colleague, whose artistic accomplishments and vision in bringing together community I've admired for years. I was very grateful to have been asked by Isaac to transform his first symphony (originally a chamber work) into this full-fledged version for wind ensemble.

For this arrangement, the skeletal structure of the original version created the foundational groundwork for realizing the symphony for a much larger ensemble. I was granted the opportunity to expand upon Isaac's material in a way which not only built upon his initial ideas, but also provided my own musical interpretations in the process. The symphony, in a sense, therefore provides musical snapshots, as if listening to a concept album or EP. "the significant" grooves and flows with a grungy attitude, while "the trivial" is ethereal, meditative, and ambient. "the profound" joyously celebrates life amidst various concerns and anxieties, while the prelude and scherzo comprising "the fatuous" reveals the inevitable dangers hidden behind the inherent meaning of the word.

I am so grateful to Isaac for entrusting me with this arrangement. My sincerest gratitude goes to Matthew Arau, the Lawrence University Symphonic Band, and the consortium supporting the creation of this arrangement for the opportunity to collaborate with some of the finest musicians in our community for the 150th anniversary of the Lawrence University Conservatory of Music.
--notes by Josh Trentadue

Instrumentation:
Piccolo, flute 1-4, oboe 1-2, english horn (opt. mvt. II), clarinet in Eb (tacet mvt. II), clarinet in Bb 1-4, bass clarinet 1-2, contrabass clarinet (opt. mvt. II), bassoon 1-2, contrabassoon (opt. mvt. II), soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, trumpet 1-4, horn 1-4, trombone 1-3, bass trombone, euphonium, tuba, harp (opt.), piano, double bass, timpani, percussion 1-6

Movements:
I. the significant
II. the trivial
III. the profound
IV. the Fatuous

Commissioned by Dr. Matthew Arau & the Lawrence University Symphonic Band as part of a consortium including Saint Paul Central High School Wind Ensemble (Matthew Oyen, director) and Edina High School Band Program (Paul Kile, director). 

Premiered as part of the 150th Anniversary of the Lawrence University Conservatory of Music.