Gowans Music

Joy Comes in 'Mourning' is a piece for three string players that serves as a reflection on the experiences of a music student in the collegiate environment. The piece, alluding to a phrase found in the Hebrew Psalms, reflects on the inner turmoil and eventual overcoming of pain, process of recovery, and result of joy in the end. Structured in Rondo-allegro form, the piece guides listeners through the composer's introspective journey. It begins with a dodecaphonic canon that pictures the composers internal reflection acting as the first two themes motivic material. It then transitions to a frenetic section of pizzicati, and concludes with a broad statement of hopeful anticipation looking into the future.