Blue Heron [Alf:00-24936S]

Imagine the stately bird, the blue heron, in the marshes along Lake Erie. When standing on one leg in the water, the bird is visible to the careful observer, yet their large wingspan makes them majestic flyers. This piece calls for a moderate tempo. After the short introduction, the next 16 measures are played piano, mezzo forte and forte. This is followed by two versions with variations. All players get to play the melody and bowings and dynamics make the music more interesting for the audience and performers as the piece comes to a loud ending.