I composed the second movement of Bull Symphony (The Oxherd) while completing a Master of Music degree at the New England Conservatory in 1987. The movement was originally composed for orchestra and chorus, but over the years I have edited and re-orchestrated the music several times. It is based on a Zen Buddhist tale somewhat similar to the classic tale of Siddhartha except that the young man leaves his wealth to find and tame a proverbial ox. The Oxherd is a tone poem depicting his journey. In 2014, I decided to compose a first movement that would focus much more on the ox rather than the oxherd. I imagine a great deal of passion and furor in the ox that will never be tamed. For no reason at all, I decided to name the ox Edgar.