Flute, Alto Flute and Piano
3 min duration
Purchase: here (usa) or from the publisher (canada) here

COMMISSIONED BY CHRISTOPHER LEE AND DENIS SAVELYEV WITH ASSISTANCE FROM THE CANADA COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS

Where Branches Tangle the Sky

This composition for Flute, Alto Flute and Piano mixes polyphonic flute writing with more homophonic chorale-like textures in the piano. The harmonies in the piano are both stable and unstable at the same time. There is a tension in the work created by balancing various voicing of added note sonorities in both the harmony and melodic gestures. These contemporary idioms bring both a modern freshness to the traditional phrasing and structure of the work. The music frequently uses thirds and sixths taking inspiration from O Canada. Where Branches Tangle the Sky evokes images of life during COVID-19; moments of fragility, hope, anger, tension, passion, questioning, meandering – all inspire the gestures in this composition. The title is a recontextualization of a line from a usually unsung verse from Canada’s national anthem: where pines and maples grow; the evocative title alludes to the imagery of Canada’s rich landscape and natural beauty, as well as opening possibilities for reflection and reconciliation.

To be premiered virtually fall 2020, live 2021