It was a happy coincidence that the commission for Sinfonia XVI: Transcendental Vienna came from the Henry David Thoreau School located in Vienna, Virginia. Thoreau is one of the "magic" names in American culture: Henry David Thoreau, one of the leading figures of the Transcendentalist movement, centered in 19th century New England, left us a body of unique philosophical and poetical writings. To utter the words Walden Pond is to provoke an America long past in physical actuality, but still pres...