PROGRAM NOTES
The Scent of Light is scored for flute, viola and bass clarinet,
a rather unusual instrumental combination which has a unique
sound that I find beautiful in its velvety smoothness. The title
comes from a poem by Hafiz, the 14th century Persian poet. The
work is divided into four movements, in which I tried to capture
the qualities of the light at different moments of the day. Each
movement begins with one of the three instruments playing alone,
to be joined later by the other two. The first, "Birds at
Dawn", features the flute, and has a playful and joyful
character. The second, "The Heat of Noon", features
the bass clarinet, and has an aggressive and energetic character.
The third movement, "The Calm of Dusk", features the
viola, and is more pensive and somber, while the fourth movement,
"Moon-glow", has all the instruments together in a
melancholic ending. The piece was commissioned by and is dedicated
to the Darkwood Consort.
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