reflective - silky and rough
world premiere, LA Phil commission
At-A-Glance
Length: c. 15 minutes
About this Piece
Typically, the flute has a sound that is as colorful and smooth as the appearance of the instrument itself, resembling the beautiful, shimmering light of the stars. At the same time, I believe that the flute can resonate a contrasting aspect of raw and natural sound. Among the orchestral wind instruments, the flute is unique in that it employs a playing technique in which the lips do not completely cover the mouthpiece. As a result, the sound of the player's breath leaks out and directly contributes to the flute's unique tone, which is both raw and unrefined.
This music can be seen as a direct reflection of the flute's contrasting dual character, as suggested by the title. When the flute is paired with a string ensemble, the flute, as a solo instrument, expresses a smooth and silky quality, while at the same time producing a rough and unrefined sound.