Groan was composed in 2005 for the Radnofsky Saxophone Quartet, supported by a grant from the Fromm Foundation. Everything in the piece is derived from a melody to an earlier song I composed for voice and alto saxophone, Crows. From a poem by Xue Di, the line is: “What can undo the crime of humans who insult the soul?” Groan, as defined by the American Heritage Dictionary, is “to voice a deep, wordless, prolonged sound expressive of pain, grief, annoyance, or disapproval”. It perfectly captures the many concerns which swirled in my head as I began to compose the piece, concerns about the environment, war, and the reprehensible way many people, especially those in positions of leadership or power, treat their fellow humans. - John Morrison