My Brother

"My Brother" is for Stanley Joseph Woods Junior, my older by seven years, big bro! He went away in the early 40's to join the Navy and served his country honorably. He took part in the Anzio and Normandy invasions as a carpenter's mate on a LCT (landing craft troops) and also attended deep-sea diving school in Manhattan, working on the sabotaged ship, Ile de France, at pier 53. He also served in the Pacific. When he was mustered out he became a firefighter for the city of Springfield, Mass., our home town. He is now retired and lives in the Pocono's not far from us. He is a big jazz fan and I love him dearly. This piece is meant to be performed on the clarinet.