Bright Lights

Composer

Charlotte Harding: charlottehardingmusic.com

General Information

Year: 2010

Duration: 10 minutes

Publisher: Unpublished (Further details directly from Charlotte Harding)

Instrumentation

Soprano Recorder

Alto Recorder

Tenor Recorder

Bass Recorder

Piccolo

Flute I-II

Alto Flute

Oboe

Cor Anglais

Bb Clarinet I-II

Bb Bass Clarinet

Bb Soprano Saxophone

Eb Alto Saxophone

Bb Tenor Saxophone

Eb Baritone Saxophone

Bassoon I-II

Contrabassoon

Programme notes

Bright Lights conveys the excitement and apprehension felt when moving to a new city for the first time. Many composers, both in the classical and jazz genres, have been affected by such an experience, resulting in a new infusion of influences and ideas into their music.

The first movement admires the stillness and beauty of the bright lights from a distance. Calm, but sonorous; luminous textures are created for the melodic lines to weave between. It features the recorder quartet, who introduce a glinting and fluctuating motive towards the end. The second movement then suddenly takes you into the driving energy of the city. Rhythmic stabs and pulsing bass lines are punctuated by the saxophones and lower winds as the flutes and clarinets' vibrant and colourful lines drive the piece forward.

Performances

Bright Lights received its premiere at the Royal College of Music by the Royal College of Music Wind Ensemble, conducted by Simon Channing.

Recordings

Bright Lights is feautred on an album recorded with the Czech Philharmonic Wind Ensemble, released on 12 January 2024. Full details are avaialble at: shealolin.co.uk/chromosphere

Or stream the album here:

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