You have reached the city limits

You have reached the city limits, James M. Stephenson (2024) 12'
for orchestra

I’m a proud Chicagoan, through and through. I was born here, and later in life, when the opportunity came about to relocate, there was no doubt that the Chicago area would become home. As such, I’ve been to hear the Grant Park Symphony many times, and when the opportunity arose to write a piece for the festival, I couldn’t have been more thrilled.

I wanted to write a piece that would recognize the venue and orchestra for which I was writing, as well as the city I call home. One can’t help but notice when attending a GPMF concert that any performance might be accompanied by people chatting, sirens wailing, unexpected weather, and more. I wanted to write a piece that might embrace that, rather than worry about it. Also, I’ve long known (as we all have) that Chicago is well-known for its blues tradition. From the early 1920s with the Red Hot Peppers, through Muddy Waters a few decades later, through today, Chicago is famous for its down-home and gritty blues. “You have reached the city limits” explores the idea of a young couple deciding to “hit the town”. The protagonist (the solo violin) eggs their partner along to have some fun, and make a night of it. The partner (trumpet) complains and hesitates. Finally, they head out, and dash through the city, and happen upon two blues clubs. The first represents the blues from the 1920s, viewed through a smoky lens of history. A solo clarinet, piano, trumpet, and trombone remind us of what that might have sounded like. A little bit later, they enter a club playing the mid-century gritty blues. The music gets a bit edgier, with harmonica-like sounds and again a solo piano representing that era.

Finally they are off again on their own, having a great time, and when the orchestra swells to a giant climax, the truth is revealed that all they needed to do was spend some time together, enjoying one another’s company, to satisfy their urge for fun. Lastly, I’ll mention that I was delighted to learn that Giancarlo Guerrero would be conducting this premiere. I’ve long admired his work on the podium, and it is a true statement that the energy within this piece was in part due to my imagination of what he would bring to this – as he does to all music – on the podium.

My most sincere thanks to the Grant Park Orchestral Association for this fun opportunity, and to my hometown of Chicago, and all of the people who have made it so, for the inspiration.

~ Jim Stephenson; March 15, 2024

Commissioned by the Grant Park Orchestral Association

Instrumentation: 3.3.3.3/4.3.3.1/timp.3 perc/hp.pno/strings

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