Sunset on the Spire (Introspective Blues #2) is an Art Song for Soprano Voice that is in the tradition of Art Songs by Franz Schubert, Robert Schumann and Johannes Brahms, but with a more modern instrumental accompaniment of a Jazz Quintet of Trumpet, Tenor Saxophone, Piano, Double-Bass and Drum Set. The text is by the early 20th century American poet, Elinor Wylie. The beginning and end of the song are in a Blues style, while the middle section is in a style that is more Brahms-inspired.

The performers were:
Ljiljana Winkler, Soprano (to whom the song was dedicated)
Peter Oswald, Trumpet
Dennis Brandner, Tenor Saxophone
Jai Jeffryes, Piano
Troy Rinker, Jr., Double-Bass
Lee Jeffryes, Drum Set
Gene Pritsker, Conductor

Sunset on the Spire was premiered by Ljiljana Winkler and the CompCord Ensemble as part of Composers Concordance Presents "Art of the Art Song" November 29, 2023 at DROM, New York City.
This audio recording was by James Lane (Hot Indie Media.)

Sunset on the Spire was awarded a National Finalist Honorable Mention in the 2025 Charles Ives Award for Vocal Chamber Music Composition from The American Prize.

Sunset on the Spire by Elinor Wylie (abridged by Aaron Alter)
All that I dream
By day or night
Lives in that stream
Of lovely light.

Here is the earth,
And there is the spire;
This is my hearth,
And that is my fire.

From the sun's dome
I am shouted proof
That this is my home,
And that is my roof.

And I am wooed
From the moon's brink.

And the days go over,
And the nights end;
Here is my lover,
Here is my friend.

Sunset on the Spire (Introspective Blues #2) is published by Universal Edition. For scores and parts, please visit:
https://www.universaledition.com/en/Works/Sunset-on-the-Spire-Introspective-Blues-2-for-S/P0261476

For more information on Sunset on the Spire and other works by Aaron Alter, please visit https://aaronalter.com/compositions .

Sunset On The Spire (Introspective Blues #2) for Soprano voice and Jazz Quintet-Premiere in New York

Aaron Alter is a composer from Carlsbad, California. His music is published by Universal Edition and Silverwinds Publishing. Aaron calls his new music his "New Beginning" because it is an exploration of a new style and energy that defies categorization.    

A native of Chicago, Aaron Alter's musical background was a product of the rich musical life that he found growing up in the Windy City. Aaron received his Bachelor of Music degree from Northwestern University, where he studied piano with Frances Larimer and Gui Mombaerts, and composition with Lynden DeYoung and David Noon. He received his Master of Fine Arts Degree from Princeton University, where he studied with Milton Babbitt and James K. Randall.  

Aaron’s new music was first performed in 2015, with the performance of “Homage to Josquin” for two flutes, piano, electric bass and drum set by The New Mexico Performing Arts Society in Santa Fe, New Mexico. “Homage to Josquin” received an Honorable Mention in the 2016 American Prize competition for Chamber Music Composition.  

Works such as "Solar Rays" and "Vanilla, Chocolate and Strawberry" defy genres and exist in Classical ensemble and Jazz Big Band versions. Both the classical piano trio (piano, violin and ‘cello) and Jazz Big Band versions of “Solar Rays” have received Silver medals at the Global Music Awards. Aaron’s Introspective Blues #1 for Flute and Harp has become his most popular work, with over 16,100 plays on SoundCloud and over 5,200 plays on Jango Internet Radio. Aaron’s music has been featured on the albums “One Minute”, “Two Minutes”, “Gimel” and “Daleth”, by the flutist Iwona Glinka on the Sarton and Phasma Music labels, all of which have won Silver Medals at the Global Music Awards.  

Aaron has received two commissions in the past two years for choral works with an instrumental ensemble from The New Mexico Performing Arts Society.  The first commission, “Together We Create and Sing! (inspired by the music of Franz Joseph Haydn”) was a semi-finalist at the 2018 American Prize competition for Choral Music Composition and received a Silver Medal at the August 2019 Global Music Awards.  The latest commission, “Lo Lanu Ha-Shem” (a setting of Psalm 115) received a Silver Medal from the March 2019 Global Music Awards.  

Aaron is a regular contributor of compositions to the repertoire of the flutist Iwona Glinka, the pianist and Steinway Artist, Susan Merdinger, the pianist Vania Pimentel, The New Mexico Performing Arts Society and Composers Concordance in New York.  

Aaron also serves as an Executive Board Member of the Carlsbad Friends of the Arts.

Sunset On The Spire (Introspective Blues #2) for Soprano voice and Jazz Quintet-Premiere in New York

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