Ozymandias for Solo Bass Trombone and Trombone Quartet (2024) - 11 Minutes

Commissioned by Tyler Hatter and the FAU Trombone Quartet, Ozymandias draws inspiration from Percy Bysshe Shelley’s iconic poem of the same name, which reflects on the impermanence of power and the inevitable decay of even the greatest empires. The poem tells the story of a traveler who discovers the shattered remains of a once-mighty statue in the desert—its broken visage frozen in a proud, sneering expression, standing as a haunting reminder of a ruler whose grandeur has long since crumbled into obscurity. The inscription on the statue’s pedestal reads:

"Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!"

Yet, all that remains is vast, empty desert—time and nature having erased the legacy of a once-great king, believed to be Ramses II.

In Ozymandias, the bass trombone soloist embodies the voice of this long-forgotten ruler, exploring his character in both his strength and his ultimate insignificance. The music showcases the bass trombone’s expressive range, shifting between bold, aggressive statements and lyrical, hauntingly beautiful melodies. The trombone quartet provides an evolving sonic landscape, utilizing a variety of mutes to create shifting textures that reflect the passage of time. As the piece reaches its conclusion, the muted recap of earlier material evokes the distant echoes of a lost civilization—fading into memory, swallowed by the sands of time.

Through its dramatic contrasts and evocative colors, Ozymandias captures the grandeur, vanity, and ultimate fragility of human ambition.