Flower of the Mountain from “Distant Hills” (orchestra version) (1985)

Stephen Albert's "Flower of the Mountain" for orchestra and soprano is a movingly rhapsodic setting of Molly Bloom's sexually charged soliloquy from James Joyce's Ulysses. Conductor and orchestra are so comfortable with the music that the performance had freedom and grandeur.

...expressive, balanced and beautifally crafted. It is also meaningful...the music is tonal (and) achieves a hypnotic effect.

...fresh and contemporary...beautifully crafted, dramatic and superbly orchestrated.