A melody from the ashes

A K-State librarian composed a new piece for the Hale Library Concert Series inspired by the 2018 library fire

In May 2018, a roaring fire lit up the halls of K-State’s beloved Hale Library, destroying a large portion of the building. The restoration took about four years.

This tragedy was forefront in Laurel Littrell’s mind when she was commissioned to compose a new song. The melodious composition titled “Hale! Hale! Hale!” rose out of the ashes of the library fire.

A K-State performance

Hale’s song is performed by the K-State Faculty Brass Quintet and features three movements.

“The themes in ‘Hale! Hale! Hale!’ include celebration, inspiration and the familiar alma mater,” said Littrell. “The second movement portrays the sadness and despair using the brass instruments to depict fire alarms and sirens. From this grows a triumphant melody meant to propel us forward.”

The title was influenced by K-State’s Alma Mater, composed by H.W. Jones in 1888.

“Before the fire happened, we had T-shirts that said, ‘Hale Hale Hale Alma Mater!’ and I liked the play on words that connected Hale Library with the alma mater,” Littrell said. “When Dr. Craig B. Parker talked to me about writing a new piece to celebrate the return of the Hale Library Concert Series, I immediately thought of a lively brass fanfare that would include a rendition of the alma mater as a recurring theme.”

Littrell is now working on a new piece of music to commemorate Farrell Library, the first free-standing K-State Library. 

Listen to “Hale! Hale! Hale!”

By Kate Ellwood

Curated from Curating sound and K-State Libraries librarian releases Hale Library-inspired musical composition