Full orchestra version dedicated to the South Shore Symphony, Rockville Centre, Long Island (NY), 2025.
Originally commissioned for string orchestra by the Tenafly (NJ) High School Orchestra, 2018.
Duration: approx. 8 minutes
Copyright 2018 and 2025 Adam Glaser
Contact: Adam Glaser www.adamglaser.com adamglaser100@gmail.com
updated Sunday, December 28, 2025
Adam Glaser
String Orchestra Version (2018)
Originally commissioned for string orchestra by the Tenafly (NJ) High School Orchestra, James Millar, Music Director
Composer’s Note: String Orchestra Version (2018)
Among the many topics I enjoy discussing over lunch with my friend and colleague, Jim Millar, the Brahms symphonies are among the most popular. We both happen to share a particular fondness for the final movement of the Fourth Symphony, which takes the form of an orchestral passacaglia. When accepting Jim’s commission to compose a new work for his highly advanced string orchestra in Tenafly, New Jersey, it was clear to me that the passacaglia would have to be the guiding framework.
Originating in early-17th century Spain, the passacaglia is “a continuous variation based on a clearly distinguishable ostinato that normally appears in the bass but that may occasionally be transferred to an upper voice” (Harvard Dictionary of Music). True to the form’s origins, the Brahms passacaglia is set in a triple meter, with an 8-note ground bass cast 30 consecutive times in strict 8-bar format before yielding to a rousing coda. While I also begin with the 8-note / 8-bar format, and ultimately cast a few of the variations in triple meter, I have taken some liberties with the concept, exploring a few other keys, tempi and meters. The 8-note ground bass might be stated over 8 bars, compressed into 4 bars, spread over 16 bars, and even fragmented or twisted into other material.
As a tribute to the orchestra’s hometown, I’ve created two musical “signatures” inspired by the town of Tenafly. Like the passacaglia, the town of Tenafly also has its origins in the 17th century. Back in 1688, Dutch settlers came up with the name ''Tiene Vly'’ which means “ten swamps.” The “ground bass” is an 8-note theme that launches with an ascending 10th, an interval that comes to play an important role throughout the work. I also turned to the town's postal zip code for a bit of inspiration, translating 07670 into scale degrees, treating the “wildcard” zero as the 8th scale degree (the top of the octave). The net result: a theme based on the pitches/scale degrees 8-7-6-7-8
Adam Glaser
April 9, 2018, Englewood, New Jersey
Full orchestra version dedicated to the South Shore Symphony, Rockville Centre, Long Island (NY).
Composer’s Note: Full Orchestra Version (2025)
Since 2018, I have often felt that the string orchestra version of Passacaglia packed a lot of material into a relatively compact canvas, and wondered if the underlying composition might warrant an expansion that embraces all instrument families of the orchestra. Inspired by my new “musical family,” the South Shore Symphony of Long Island, New York, I am pleased to dedicate this new version to my friends in the orchestra and honored to conduct the premiere on Saturday, January 31, 2026 in Rockville Centre’s Madison Theatre. This new version makes a few subtle references to a five-note musical signature derived from Rockville Centre’s zip code, 11570 (with “0” as the wildcard, once again).
Adam Glaser
December 28, 2025, Glen Cove, New York www.adamglaser.com
Instrumentation for Full Orchestra Version: 2 Flutes (2nd doubles on Piccolo), 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets in A (Bb transposed parts available), 2 Bassoons, 4 Horns in F, 3 Trumpets in Bb, 3 Trombones, 1 Tuba, Timpani, Percussion (3 players: Bass Drum, Suspended Cymbal, Crash Cymbals, Snare Drum, Tambourine, Castanets, Xylophone), Harp or Piano (optional), Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Violoncello, Double Bass.
Performance Note for Both Versions
In several sections, “optional cello divisis” are included to accommodate an orchestra with a smaller bass section. If utilized, split the section by front/back, so that the Cello 2 desks are closer to the basses.
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