Love Songs (PDF)

Love Songs is a work inspired by three different types of love.  Agape, also called parental love, is one of several Greek words translated into English as love. Many have thought that this word represents divine, unconditional, self-sacrificing, active, and thoughtful love. Although the word does not have specific religious connotation, the word has been used by a variety of contemporary and ancient sources, including Biblical authors and Christian authors who explain that this love is the greatest love. Philia is the brotherly love, a love of friendship and one’s love and dedication to a profession. This movement was especially inspirational to the composer and inspired by Philip Wharton, who was McAllister’s high school band director. Eros in Greek mythology was the primordial god of physical love, beauty and chaos. The music emulates fast, wild and disjunct gestures along with a 12-tone theme McAllister used in many works during high school and early college. This work is in one movement starting with the Agape music, Philia, Eros and back to Agape.