Atalanta (PDF)

National Flute Association’s 2023 Newly Published Music Finalist in the Mixed Ensemble Category

The origin of the city of Atlanta’s namesake is a circuitous one, but it keeps returning to Atalanta. Atalanta was a Greek mythology character who grew up in the wilderness and famous for her skills as a hunter and speed as a runner. Another prominent figure in Atlanta history was former Governor Wilson Lumpkin whose daughter’s full name was Martha Atalanta Lumplkin. In Atlanta folklore, it seems that Martha was up and running at an early age which concreted her nickname “Atlanta”. Governor Lumpkin eventually got his way, and the city was officially named Atlanta.

The city of Atlanta does share some qualities with the mythological character Atalanta. Atlanta is often called the city in the forest. There are numerous parks and conservation wilderness areas within the city limits. Many Atlantans take advantage of the beautiful parks for a good run. The most popular race is the 10K Peachtree Road Race which occurs every Fourth of July which draws 60,000 runners from all over the world. Atlanta is a city teeming with trees and runners.

Atalanta for flute, oboe, clarinet, viola, and harp reflects the energy and whimsy of a vibrant city in the forest. Fun, intense, and fast paced music that exploits the athletic and virtuosic abilities of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra musicians that make up Merian Ensemble. The piece incorporates a running pace that fluctuates with Atlanta’s rolling hills. A city backdrop that morphs into the wilderness as the runner enters a nature dense park, and then back again as the runner returns to her urban abode. A musical adventure to facilitate a runner’s high without the sweat….well maybe not as much for the listener.