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Program Notes
Desert Spirit began as four separate jazz compositions by
Mr. Marohnic: The Narrow Door, January Rain, On
Your Way and Wonders of Old. These compositions and the
Concerto will be released by Summit Records on a CD entitled Desert
Spirit, the Music of Chuck Marohnic in late 2000. Chuck originally
wrote these compositions for worship services at the Fountains,
a United Methodist Church in Fountain Hills, Arizona, where Mr.
Marohnic served as music minister for five years.
In the mid-1990s, long-time friend and jazz pianist Bob Ravenscroft
encouraged Chuck to compose Desert Spirit. This led to a grant from
the Jazzbird Foundation of San Diego, CA. Later, Chuck selected
Joey Sellers, a respected Los Angeles arranger and educator,
to write the orchestrations of his original music. The inspiration
for Desert Spirit came from the parable of the Prodigal Son.
The movements are played without pauses between them.
Movement #1 : Acceptance 
This is when man realizes and accepts that God is working in his
life. The music is a delicate waltz. First, woodwinds create the
sense of awakening. Next, the orchestra unfolds the opening melodic
statement. Then the orchestra turns the theme over to the jazz trio,
which improvises variations of the original melody.
Movement #2: Purgation
This is the cleansing process one must go through to let go of man's
sinful nature and separation from God. This movement begins with
chaotic bursts and ends with the jazz trio's fierce energy.
Movement #3: Communion
This is when man relinquishes his will to God. This alignment of
God's and man's wills leads us to true happiness. The music begins
with a pleasant, peaceful melodic statement that turns into a new
melody of majestic proportions. Once again, the trio improvises
on the new theme. The Concerto concludes when the orchestra and
jazz trio combine to form one powerful union.
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22 minutes (approximately).