In the Twilight (piano 4 hands)
By John Peterson
Regular price
$25.00
Piano four hands, c.4'40. In the Twilight attempts to capture the enervated and sometimes lethargic qualities inherent in a sunny late afternoon, as the day begins to give way to the night. There is an effortless and easy flow to music in the opening section, evoking the warmth of the sun and its slow and steady but inevitable movement towards the western horizon. The middle section, set in the Aeolian minor mode on C, is almost dream-like: a simple and languorous melody floats across rhythmically active but delicate bass figurations that provide subtle counterpoint to the main melody. There is beauty in the moment, but also some regret as we realise the sun is disappearing and the day ending. Thus, in the final section, the music returns to that of the opening of the piece, although the main melody now rhythmically set to the rhythm of a waltz: it is as if, drunk on the effects of the last warmth of the sun, we dance briefly in a wistful manner to celebrate the moment. The outer sections of this piece feature the Lydian mode, one of my personal favourites when composing: the key features of this mode are the major 3rd, augmented 4th, and major 7th degrees of the scale, all of which, for me, provide added poignancy to the music.
Recorded on Incantations by Jeanell Carrigan, available online
Composed 2023Download samples
ISMN 9790673144187
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