Illuminations

Each of the five movements of my suite was inspired by a phrase drawn from the poetry of Arthur Rimbaud (1854-1891). The opening movement (“…vieilles fanfares d’héroïsme”) is a brief introductory fanfare. The second movement (“…la tristesse amoureuse de la nuit”) is drenched in voluptuous melancholy, while the third (“…la mer mêlée au soleil”) evokes sunlight dancing upon the sea. The fourth movement (“Petite veille d’ivresse…”) is a sensuous vision of ecstatic darkness. The last movement (“…de mélodies nocturnes”) is a nocturnal meditation that ends in extraordinary calm. My Illuminations for piano is dedicated to the distinguished pianist Armen Guzelimian.

Byron Adams, July 2012, Santa Monica, CA, USA

World premiere: Beverly Hills, California, USA, on 17 October 2010 at a Musical Offering Chamber Music recital by pianist Gary Burnett.