''Stroke'' is an orchestral composition by the American composer Joan Tower. The work was commissioned by the

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra The ''Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra'' (''PSO'') is an American orchestra based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The orchestra's home is Heinz Hall, located in Pittsburgh's Cultural District, Pittsburgh, Cultural District. History The Pittsburgh Sy ...

and is dedicated to the composer's brother, who suffered from a debilitating

stroke A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. Both cause parts of the brain to stop functionin ...

in 2008. It was first performed in Pittsburgh on May 13, 2011, by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra under the conductor Manfred Honeck.

Composition

''Stroke'' has a duration of roughly 17 minutes and is composed in one continuous

movement Movement may refer to: Common uses * Movement (clockwork), the internal mechanism of a timepiece * Motion, commonly referred to as movement Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * "Movement" (short story), a short story by Nancy Fu ...

. Tower dedicated the piece to her younger brother George, who suffered a stroke in 2008 at the age of 60 that left the left side of his body paralyzed. She wrote in the score program notes: Tower concluded, "''Stroke'' is a piece concerned with many emotions, one that hopefully offers a quiet 'hope' at the end. With a stroke, it is hard to tell which way it will go."

Instrumentation

The work is scored for an orchestra comprising three flutes (doubling

piccolo The piccolo ( ; Italian for 'small') is a half-size flute and a member of the woodwind family of musical instruments. Sometimes referred to as a "baby flute" the modern piccolo has similar fingerings as the standard transverse flute, but the so ...

), two oboes, three

clarinet The clarinet is a musical instrument in the woodwind family. The instrument has a nearly cylindrical bore and a flared bell, and uses a single reed to produce sound. Clarinets comprise a family of instruments of differing sizes and pitches ...

s, two

bassoon The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family, which plays in the tenor and bass ranges. It is composed of six pieces, and is usually made of wood. It is known for its distinctive tone color, wide range, versatility, and virtuo ...

s, four horns, three trumpets, three trombones (doubling

bass trombone The bass trombone (german: Bassposaune, it, trombone basso) is the bass instrument in the trombone family of brass instruments. Modern instruments are pitched in the same B♭ as the tenor trombone but with a larger bore, bell and mouthpiece to ...

), tuba, timpani, three percussionists, piano, and

strings String or strings may refer to: *String (structure), a long flexible structure made from threads twisted together, which is used to tie, bind, or hang other objects Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Strings'' (1991 film), a Canadian anim ...

Reception

Reviewing a recording of ''Stroke'', the music critic Leslie Wright called it "a very well constructed piece that grips one throughout its nearly 20-minute length." He added, "I am quite impressed with this work and think it deserves a place on any contemporary programme, especially if it were performed as well as it is here."

Recording

The Nashville Symphony launched a

Kickstarter Kickstarter is an American public benefit corporation based in Brooklyn, New York, that maintains a global crowdfunding platform focused on creativity. The company's stated mission is to "help bring creative projects to life". As of July 2021, ...

campaign on August 23, 2013 to raise $15,500 for a recording of ''Stroke'', in addition to Tower's ''Chamber Dance'' and her ''Violin Concerto'', to commemorate the composer's 75th birthday. The campaign closed on September 22, 2013, having successfully raised $15,585. The recording was released through

Naxos Records Naxos comprises numerous companies, divisions, imprints, and labels specializing in classical music but also audiobooks and other genres. The premier label is Naxos Records which focuses on classical music. Naxos Musical Group encompasses about 1 ...

in May 2015 and was subsequently nominated for the 2016 Grammy Award for

Best Classical Contemporary Composition The Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Classical Composition is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to composers for quality works of contemporary classical ...

References

{{italic title Compositions by Joan Tower 2010 compositions Compositions for symphony orchestra Kickstarter-funded albums Music commissioned by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Stroke