<Eagles> is a soaring piece (quite literally), inspired by images of
eagles copulating in midair.  Rorem is nothing if not sex-obsessed.

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra has recorded it along with Rorem's <Sunday
Morning>, both conducted by Louis Lane, and his <String Symphony>, an
ASO commission conducted by the late Robert Shaw.  The CD is available
on the New World label.

<Sunday Morning> is a bit astringent and cerebral for my taste, but
the <String Symphony> is a delight, fun-loving and not at all high-brow.
(The ASO musicians picked up on a phrase in one of the movements that
sounded like a commercial they'd been hearing on TV, and took to singing
it to the words, "Hot Dogs, Armour Hot Dogs.") When we premiered the
piece (hot dogs and all:^) in about 1985, it proved so popular with our
home audience that we took it on tour and played it in Carnegie Hall.

Nick Jones
Program Annotator
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra