About this Piece

Having grown up in the shadow of the Smoky Mountains, and having hiked many of our parks, I have come to the conclusion that the National Parks are one of America’s greatest treasures. So, when asked by the Grand Teton Music Festival if I would com- pose a work to commemorate the festival’s 50th anniversary, I jumped at the chance. All Things Majestic is a tribute to not only the Festival and it’s home, the Tetons, but also to the grandeur and majesty of all of our parks.

In this work, each movement represents a musical postcard: the first, the grandeur of the mountain ranges, with their size and sheer boldness, and the solidity with which they fill the ground and air; the second, the lakes and the exquisite mirror quality of reflection upon their serene surfaces; the third, the rapid flow, and unpredictability of the rivers and streams… ever-changing and powerful, yet at times, gentle. The final movement pictures the experience of being in the parks, as in a vast cathedral… the beauty of small details, such as flowers and plants, within the larger picture of forests and fields… every part contributing to the sheer majesty.

— Jennifer Higdon