In Greek mythology, Daedalus was an inventor who created wings from feathers and wax, so he and his son Icarus could escape Crete by flying away. While Daedalus flew wisely, Icarus flew too close to the sun and he fell to his death as the wax melted. Composed for flutist Julietta Curenton, Harberg's Feathers and Wax soars with a contemporary jazz-inflected flavor.