produced by Stephen Gause & John Wineglass.... strings arranged by JW  Coming soon to you on itunes :)

Confession - Chris Harrell

Produced by Stephen Gause & John Wineglass

Say It Out Loud - Lynette Ruiz

...  the second movement culminates into a sudden roaring halt into what came to me that tragic day as the news reports poured in -  the theme of the third movement, "Diana's Lament".  This final movement in a 'ABA' structure and very tonal in nature, is a deliberately slow Poco Adagio - a 'funeral' procession as she is finally laid to rest in my mind.  This quasi passacaglia explores the theme in different variations eventually shared amongst each instrument.


Death of A Princess Trio No.1 for Piano, Violin & Cello -  "Diana's Lament"

Loosely based on the title and topic of the book by the award-wining author Jill Wolfson and John Hubner, this work is a symphonic poem describing the life and thoughts of incarcerated youth in America today.  Specifically using text from a select number of poems  of The Beat Within - a weekly publication of writing and art from kids in the juvenile detention center of Santa Cruz, California, I was deeply impacted emotionally and musically by my initial reading of these works introduced to me by David Kaun - philanthropist and supporter of the arts - and by my several visits to this guarded facilty with poet and volunteer coordinator Dennis Morton.   The question I raised to these incarcerated youth is,... 'will you RISE, shall you RISE and be FREE again' from your predicament as you will hear in this piece for narrator (actor Charles Holt) 
and full symphonic orchestra. 

Someone Else's Child - 3rd Mvt.

Hailed as 'riveting' by the San Francisco Examiner, violinist Rebecca Jackson & Emmy-Award Winning Composer, John Wineglass embark upon a collaboration of meditative and reflective modern-day hymns. Quiet your soul and take 'your' journey with us.

1 Draw Me Close - Breathe

Predicated on a theme that I wrote for the WB show, “Smallville” under the tutelage of the original composer and friend Mark Snow, this theme which is indicative of the young early rocky life of the superhero Superman is full of twists and turns as different aspects of the theme are explore in mini ‘portraits’.  The inversion and retrograde inversions of the thematic material are intersperse throughout this work with intricate counter-rhythms that play off of one another in the winds. In true ABA fashion, I was impressed to extend this original cue for the show into this overture. 

Portraits Of A Theme

The natural beauty of Big Sur is sacred to many.  This sanctity was shared by Wineglass, who formed many of the themes for his tone-poem 'Big Sur: The Night Sun" while in residence on the grounds of the Glen Deven Ranch and other areas such as Pfeiffer Beach.  The beautiful impressions and warm enlightenments that affected him while on retreat became the root - and soul - of this magnificent work.  The first of four total movements sets the mood for the tone-poem as a whole: the "Mystery of the Night Sun" is divided into three distinct sections, opening with two talking drums, a native flute player, and an Ohlone-Chumash vocalist all contributing in an improvisational manner.  The second section (sub-titled "Path to the Night Sun") begins with the pulse of the timpani and talking drums, and reflects the spiritual experience that Wineglass had while taking a walk during the night at Glen Deven Ranch, where he was transformed by the deep power of a risen full moon.  The third section ("Rise of the Night Sun") is marked by an intensifying brass chorale, with winds and strings joining in a climactic revealing of the full glory of the risen moon ("The Night Sun Revealed"). 

The second movement, appropriately named "Rushing Waters", opens the listener to the loveliness of the crashing waves along the California coastline.  The motivic ideas from this section were derived from student examples:  children from the BSLT children's camp with Bach Festival violinist Edwin Huizinga contributed their ideas, which Wineglass then included  into the completed work.  The second movement pairs well with the third, "Pfeiffer Beach - A Secret Revealed", where a path through the trees opens to an unexpected view of the Pacific Ocean, revealing the overwhelming beauty of the hidden creation by God.  The presence of God and the admiration of beauty are central themes not only to this tone-poem, but to Wineglass himself, and as such his music offers praise and celebration to both.  The fourth movement, titled "The Return" was inspired directly by the brilliant writings of Robinson Jeffers, in particular from the poem of the same name, which Wineglass discovered while on retreat down in Big Sur one year ago.  The movement begins and opens with the Ohlone-Chumash vocalist, reflecting the peoples who preserved and cared for this great land. 

Dr. Tom Samra

Big Sur: The Night Sun

Commissioned originally by the Stockton Symphony conducted by Maestro Peter Jaffe. Cityscapes is a one movement symphonic work in essentially two programmatic tableaus.  The first entitled "Morning Dawn" is a serene description in the classical music sensibility while in contrast, the second entitled, "City People, City LIghts" gives a sonorous vibrancy to the same exact thematic material in a fast-pace jazz score to synergistic lights and action of city life - essentially applicable to any city in America today.   This work is meant to be accompanied by visuals by a local artist in a city near you.

CITYSCAPES for Symphonic Orchestra (Excerpt)

A multiple ®EMMY Award-Winning concert-hall, film, television and multi-media composer, professor, arranger, orchestrator, producer, consultant and instrumentalist.

John Wineglass

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