Lineas En La Caida De La Noche

Lineas en la Caida de la Noche (lines at nightfall) was written for clarinetists Paul Green (USA), Rafael Albert Soler (Spain), and Guido Arbonelli (Italy), who had requested a new work for clarinet and piano that they could include as part of their tours. Completed in May 1998, the world premiere of the piece took place in Madrid, Spain in February 1999. The US premiere took place in April of the same year. Since that time other clarinetists have presented the work at festivals and in recitals in various parts of the world. The title, lineas en la caida de la noche (lines at nightfall), is an allusion to the linear melodic lines found in the work as well as the generally dark timbres heard especially in the latter part of the piece. The work is also an example of my recent interests in the exploration of a less restrictive and more referential harmonic palette. These more referential harmonies when presented in the proper context can be utilized to create a delicate, static, and relatively non-narrative/non-referential music. As in most of my work the counterpoint between register, density, timbre, and pacing as well as the exploration of the point where silence begins and sound ends are aesthetic concerns.