On today's date in 1988, a new chamber work for viola and piano by Minnesota composer Stephen Paulus received its premiere performance in that state. Entitled "Five for the Flowers near the River," it was written for violist Cynthia Phelps, who was then principal violist with the Minnesota Orchestra, but who now holds that post with the New York Philharmonic.

The work's title was inspired by a poem of the 8th century Chinese poet Tu Fu that Paulus had read in translation. "The movement titles are phrases taken from various sections of the poem," said Paulus. "My intent was to create something colorful and evocative, romantic, and also technically challenging. This poem about flowers provided the perfect phrases to conjure up both images and emotions."

The opening movement, for example, is entitled "The riverside flowers are driving me crazy," and the last, "You flowers have pity on a white-haired man."

In addition to a body of chamber works, Paulus has written orchestral scores, operas, and a sizeable body of choral pieces, large and small, that have proven especially successful, and many of these are collaborations inspired by poets from our own time.

One choral work by Paulus, “Pilgrim Jesus,” setting a text by Kevin Crossley-Holland, was premiered during the 1996 “Festival of 9 Lessons and Carols” BBC live broadcast from King’s College Chapel in England, and marked the first time that an American composer had been commissioned to contribute a new carol to that famous Christmastime service.