Lullaby: Bells and Prayers for Elliott (2008)
For solo piano
First public performance by Stephen Gosling and Marilyn Nonken, February 29, 2008, New York City
Duration: 3 1/2 minutes
Program Note by the Composer
Lullaby: Bells and Prayers for Elliott, commissioned by the Network for New Music, is dedicated with admiration and respect to Elliott Carter on his 100th birthday.
Written for one piano, played by two pianists: (#1 plays only on the keyboard in a normal fashion; #2 plays only inside the piano, plucking the strings) the work starts on an E (Eb) and a C (C#) for Elliott Carter. This "bell-like" motive returns many times. Marked "elegant and colorful," this piece celebrates the timbres and resonance of the piano, as well as those of the performance space. What is extreme about Lullaby: Bells and Prayers for Elliott is to "sing" with the right colors — to set the correct moods, most of which are extremely quiet. The damper pedal is held down for the entire three and a half minutes of the piece. I decided to seek a type of "Zen," spacious, clean, "less-is-more" sound-world, trusting the beauty of a single, quiet, fragile sound.
There is a poetic stripe to this music that shall remain silent.
It was an honor to work with Stephen Gosling and Marilyn Nonken, who presented the world premiere on (DATE/PLACE).
Augusta Read Thomas
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