Sean Donnelly A Testimony

American composer Sean Hickey's three-movement concerto for recorders, winds, brass and percussion, 'A Pacifying Weapon'. Composed as a response to recent, turbulent events, Hickey sought to convey the idea of a 'tool or instrument that was capable of providing an instant and irreversible peace.' In turning to the recorder, 'an ancient instrument passed down unchanged through the years', Hickey invoked many aspects of the ancient instrument's personality, from the bucolic, the melancholic and even the militant. An extensive percussion battery enjoys second-billing in Hickey's score, adding both drama and providing an effective foil for the recorder's solo displays.