Instrumentation: 3233 / 4331 / timp., 3 perc. / pno-cel / strings

 

Duration: 6 minutes

 

World Premiere:  Commissioned and premiered by the California Symphony, Barry Jekowsky, conductor, on May 6 and 8, 2007.

 

Program Notes:

As the title may suggest, this work exhibits contrasting ideas: one of quiet lyricism (air), and one of faster, more aggressive music (fire). The “air” music comes first and features the percussionists bowing their instruments in order to create a wafting, ethereal sound. This gradually turns into the “fire” music and features the percussionists playing various sets of drums in a more pulse-oriented, rhythmic manner. This work was written for the 20th anniversary of the California Symphony under Barry Jekowsky, and has also been performed by the Boston Symphony and Houston Symphony.

 

-- Pierre Jalbert