“Those who have never owned a dog, cannot know what it means to be loved.” (Schopenhauer) This is the story of a man who, in a society now almost devoid of values, manages to have a better relationship with his pet than with his own kind. Is this, perhaps, yet another signal that our society has come to collapse? Can we still believe in something, or is life maybe less important than many other things? “Prayer for Duke” follows the classical formal structure of the ballade. The poignant introduction performed by the whole orchestra allows for long harmonies and the clear and sincere sound of the trumpet, which invites to prayer. This theme is repeated again by the trumpets with the addition of clarinets, flutes, and oboe while the harmonies begin to move accompanied by the insertion of the percussion. A new theme, entrusted to the soft and graceful sound of woodwinds and euphonium, describes the good old times and then brings us back to the initial trumpet solo that, for a moment, evokes the heartbreaking loss of a dear friend. Subsequently, with the change of key, the two themes return with different rhythmic and timbral qualities, supported by opposite dynamics such as fortissimo followed by an almost immediate piano, which recall the varied moods of a man who cannot accept the loss. The composition comes to an end by sending the message that in life one needs to love and to have spiritual values.

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