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Desert Light: Four Episodes for Chamber Orchestra
Classical/Symphonic music • 1987
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Desert Light: Four Episodes for Chamber Orchestra
Instrumentation |
Flute, Clarinet, Bassoon, Oboe, Horn, Trombone, Trumpet, Tuba, Violin, Viola, Cello, Harp, Timpani, Bass viol |
Scored for |
Chamber orchestra |
Type of score |
Full score, Parts |
Movement(s) |
1 to 4 from 4 |
Publisher |
Michael Mauldin |
Difficulty |
Difficult |
Duration |
12'10 |
Musicologist Jack Loeffler, a close friend of Edward Abbey, gave me an autographed copy of Abbey's "Desert Solitaire." I was so smitten by his writing that I later took my sons to Arches National Monument, where Abbey had written his journals while serving as a park ranger. I didn't entitle the movements, and I won't describe the four episodes. The piece was premiered in 1987 by the Santa Fe Symphony, conducted by Stewart Robertson. Licensed by ASCAP, #340282322.
“Clarity of texture and lingering images of brilliancy and shimmer characterized (the work). (It) began with delicate, brief sound patterns that suggested Chinese evocations by Stravinsky or Ravel, although their continuing reiteration took on the quality of Minimalist repetition. Other textures and rhythms emerged, all sketched with exquisite clarity, and with distinct but disruptive contrast with what preceded. All these events had an exalted, light-shot quality about them. Melodies soared over these textures at times, played by string sections or solo winds. These tunes all had a flowing, slightly anonymous quality, as if they were intended to suggest passage of time rather than to characterize it too specifically.” –ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL
Free clips of all four movements can be heard & downloaded at https://soundcloud.com/michael-mauldin/sets/desert-light.
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