Casey at the Bat

For Orchestra and Narrator
 
 Casey At The Bat for Orchestra and Narrator. This rousing setting of Ernest Thayer’s epic poem brings the action to life, with swings of the bat, applause signs for the “crowd”, and a ragtime version of Take Me Out To The Ball Game. The narration is woven throughout the twists and turns of the music. Originally commissioned by Kathy and Martin Blocki for flute, piano and narrator, Diane then wrote a band version of the piece, premiered May 6, 2015 by the Manchester University Symphonic Band. Their conductor, Prof. Scott Humphries then asked Diane to rescore the work for the Manchester Symphony Orchestra.  This orchestral version premiered April 24, 2016 in the Honeywell Center, Wabash, Indiana, with Bruce Haines of PBS Channel 39 narrating. Running time for the work is approx. 9 minutes.