Just something a little different, a melody I improvised one day years ago, sitting at my new grand piano.  Wrote it down much later, just now got around to recording it.  It doesn't pretend to be anything more than s-i-m-p-l-e..... because in music, more often than not, that is enough.

Of all my works, including orchestrally massive movements, this is my personal favorite and most clearly reflects the emotional and  moving power of music.

WILSON "Simple Ayre"

This is a joyful celebration of the beautiful state of Utah and its history with LDS pioneers leaving religious persecution behind and coming out to "the tops of the mountains."  It includes a salute to Brigham Young's declaration that  "This is the place!" upon their arrival at Salt Lake Valley, and a nod to the great LDS hymn that ends with "All Is Well!"

UTAH with vocals

This is an example of one of Handel's many flawless lyrical melodies.  i firmly believe Handel was the greatest melodist of all time.  He manages to combine large and small intervals into an organic whole that is just a pleasure to sing, tho played by the oboe here.

HANDEL "Where E're You Walk" from Semele

This is the complete movement, partially posted long ago.The Fugue is just the second half of the movement.  This update fixes a lot of problems and errors in the earlier postings. Here's the whole thing, with muted strings on the repeat of the opening section.  

HANDEL "Overture" from Messiah

GABRIELI "Canzona Septimi Toni" demo

Instrumental version of the magnificently lyrical second movement.

HANDEL "Comfort Ye" from Messiah

A movement from a larger  musical work, this is for children on stage.
It was commissioned by the city of Price, UT for its Centennial celebration,  
“A Century of Dreams" by Russell Wilson.  The production was presented 
by the Castle Valley Community Theater.

This is a live recording of a performance by the Price Children’s Choir

Let Them Dream

A favorite of string players, though difficult to perform up to tempo.  Thought I would see how far I could push Concert Strings 2.  Unlike real string players, they didn't complain about the tempo.  Nice.

This is my first use of QL Spaces convolution reverb, and it performed beautifully, warming up and expanding the sound of the orchestra while still maintaining the detail that is so critical to this piece.

GRIEG Holberg Suite - Prelude

This suite was commissioned by Whitehorse High School for its concert band. Each movement is about one of the Four Sacred Mountains that surround the Diné Nation:  Black, White, Turquoise and Yellow.  The main theme is drawn from the relative heights of those peaks from North, South, West and East.

Score & Parts are available from the composer.

4. White Mountain (Mt. Blanca)

3. Turquoise Mountain (Mt. Taylor)

2. Black Mountain (Mt. Hesperus)

1. Yellow Mountain (San Francisco Peak)

This is the entire work of Prelude To Glory, commissioned by author Ron Carter for the release of his historical books of the same title.

Written for chorus, orchestra and soloists. premiered in Constitution Hall in Washington DC by the National Symphony.  This recording is not of that performance, but a rehearsal, and is not intended for commercial release.  The singers are college students from Utah State Eastern.

11. Yankee Doodle

10. Woman - In - The - Field

7. Declaration Of Independence

6. Lexington

5. Kathleen's Song

4. Tea - Time In Boston

Thus duet is sung by two immigrants from the bow of a ship as they begin their voyage to the Americas.

3. Where Is My Dream

2. Prelude To Glory

This is the brass Fanfare that opens PTG. It introduces the 7-note theme that appears through the various movements.  It is followed by the Hymn of Freedom, which reappears in the final movement, but with chorus singing the lyrics.

1. Fanfare & Hymn of Freedom

This is a recording of my best-selling piece, performed by one of my fabulous students I was privileged to know in my college teaching.  ...And yeah, that's him on all eight parts, through the magic of music technology. Thanks, Scott Anderson!

OnQ Tracks

The Peace of God - SATB choir demo from www.onQtracks.com

This is a demo of the new Cinematic Strings 2.0 in a short Baroque piece that has lovely, crisp string writing, by Antonio Vivaldi.

I used the same sequence with both KHS and Cinematic, for a direct comparison.  Both recordings are the sounds "out of the box," with no EQ, processing, or extensive editing, using the built-in reverb at the default setting. KHS is using the mf accent, while the Cinematic is using its marcato patch, the closest corresponding articulation.

VIVALDI "Qui Sedes" Cinematic Strings 2 demo

VIVALDI "Qui Sedes"

This well-known piece for string orchestra, which arguably may be the most significant piece in all of string literature, although it was not originally written for full string orchestra, but string quartet.   The pivotal 1971 recording of the expanded version by the NY Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein virtually changed the way audiences have come to think of orchestral strings, and would also prove to change string writing for film scores forever.  It's no coincidence that its climactic peak  features what is probably the longest, loudest, highest chord ever required in classical string literature.  No wonder audiences insist on hearing it from their orchestras on a

BARBER "Adagio for Strings"

Impressions of Utah, my gorgeous home state..

Russell Wilson Album

Utah orch version

My midi-therapy session for today....... another Vivaldi.  Man, I just love that guy.....  so much beauty in so few bars!  The interplay of the oboe and flute is pure genius, Vivaldi-style.

The strings here are Kirk Hunter CS2 "Legato" patch with solo cello on the bottom.


VIVALDI "Domine Deus" from Gloria in D

I have written several pieces for children's choirs. It is one of my favorite ensembles, and I have established two of them during my career, including one at Utah State University, the Cache Children's Choir, now boasting some 180 singers in five choirs. in Logan, Utah. They just celebrated their 30th year.

This is a demo of a newly commissioned piece for children's choir (or SSA women) and strings. It has mostly unison singing, with optional solos and 3-part writing.  The text is adapted  from The Beatitudes in Matthew:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, who come unto me, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed Are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall have mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the makers of peace, for they shall be called the children of God. Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven. Rejoice and be glad, blessed are they."

If you are a Baroque music fan  you may find the style a bit familiar.  This is indeed a takeoff of the style of Handel's many Largos, which often start with a single sustained tone.... My humble Homage to Handel.  -- RW

WILSON "Blessed Are They" for children's choir & strings

This is the same sequence as the KHS version, but it required some extra editing to get it this far.  The sound of the Cinematic Strings 2 library is wonderful and quite different from the Kirk Hunter Concert Strings 2.  After working with both libraries, I find the KHS library to be very convincing for up-tempo string lines, while CS2 is extremely powerful for slower, lyrical and dramatic string music. (See the Adagio for Strings below.) However, many listeners prefer the Cinematic Strings for this piece.  I am using both libraries on a regular basis for my clients.

HANDEL "Messiah" Fugue - Cinematic Strings 2 demo

This is just my latest project for fun.  It's a work in progress, and this is really my third draft, so to speak.  I'll work on a better mix as time allows.  
    It's such amazing music! When I discovered this piece I was a young kid of nine or ten. It took my breath away.  I heard the horns on the high moving parts, the suspensions and on those marvelous triplets against duples and I was smitten.  I had to play horn.  And so I did.
   This sequence uses Kirk Hunter's Concert Strings 2, horns from his Concert Brass 2 and a bassoon from VSL.  I have played the Horn part of this movement in performance, and it is thrilling. I will never know exactly what it feels like to play the violin parts on a real instrument, but playing them in on a keyboard with today's amazing sample libraries has got to be pretty close.  I find it exhilarating. Playing ALL the parts in one at a time --- every note Bach wrote --- gives me an incredible understanding of his music and perhaps a glimpse into his soul and musical mind.

BACH "Brandenburg Concerto No. 1"  - Allegro

Simple, orchestral track of my arr. of Silent Night, for my choir at FFUMC

Silent Night  instrumental

Russell Wilson is currently a free-lance composer. He served as the Director of Music at Fullerton First United Methodist Church (California).He is a retired professor of Music from Utah State University Eastern, where he conducted choir and orchestra, and taught Music Theory and Composition.  He is a prolific composer, and his most popular large work is Prelude To Glory, for chorus and orchestra.  It was premiered by the National Symphony in Washington DC. 

He is also a photographer who specializes in Abstract images and Floral portraits, at
www.russell-wilson.artistwebsites.com

Popular tracks by Russell Wilson - composer