Vincent Persichetti was born in 1915 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he lived out most of his life teaching and composing.  It was there when he was 16 years of age that was appointed the position of organist and choir director at the Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia which he held for nearly 20 years.  He later went on to become the head of the composition departments of the Philadelphia Conservatory and the Julliard School of Music.  Along with these achievements, he has been awarded many prestigious awards and grants for his compositions and contributions to American music.

 

A “pastoral” is a type of musical composition that is suggestive of rustic outdoor scenes.  Persichetti’s Pastoral is a simply delightful piece that he wrote when he was 28. The Pastoral was premiered by Philadelphia’s Curtis Quintet.  This piece is rather tonal compared to his more noted works for winds that lean towards polytonality with contrapuntal density and incisive rhythms.   The folk songs and dances that are integrated into the piece show the influence that Aaron Copland had on Persichetti’s early compositions.  The opening of the Pastoral begins with a tender and flowing flute and clarinet duet that leads to various serene country scenes.  As the piece continues the winds interweave creating a tapestry of sound in the country dance that gives way to the affectionate expressionism of the flute.  Similar to the beginning of the piece, the flute and clarinet duet concludes these pastoral images.