Erik Norby

Illuminations

Illuminations - Capriccio For Flute And Orchestra was composed by Erik Norby in 1977. Programme Note: The title should rightly be pronounced in French (same spelling), as the piece was composed for and is dedicated to French flute virtuoso Jean-Pierre Rampal, who premiered ILLUMINATIONS in connection withhimreceiving the Danish Sonnings Musikpris in 1978. The title reflects my endeavour to create different illuminative effects in sound, for which the flute is an excellent medium, with its apparent ability to transform light phenomena into musical shapes. Tue music in ILLUMINATIONS sometimes sounds like glittering reflections, sometimes like a roaring bonfire. The absence of ordinary flutes in the orchestra further enables the soloist to shine above a darker orchestral background. Several motives and shapes are illuminated along the way, and the music progresses in kaleidoscopic pattems of prismatic refractions. Erik Norby