Judith Shatin

Flute and Chamber Orchestra 0110 - 1110 - perc - flute solo - strings

Composer's Note:

Ruah, with the ‘h’ pronounced like the ‘ch’ in Bach, is a flute concerto inspired by the Hebrew word that translates as air, wind, or breath. In Cabalistic mysticism it also refers to the part of the soul that mediates between the body and the spirit. Both the colloquial and spiritual meanings are at work here. The images of breath and air inform the timbral stretching of the flute's sound, with the flutist using the voice and its breath flow in conjunction with played tones. The image of the wind is captured particularly in the swirling lines of the first movement, marked Soaring, and in the third, titled Impassioned. The second movement, Tender emerges from a dynamic stillness, with far-flung registral limits, and large internal spaces. Its three-part organization mirrors the larger-scale three movement plan of the entire piece. The final movement is a more furious spin through space, and reflects a more tightly wound, assertive character than the first two movements. However, it also refers to them. The spiritual reference is embodied in the role of the flute as it variously springs forth from and mediates between the instruments of the ensemble. Ruah was composed for flutist Renée Siebert, who premiered and recorded it for the CRI label with the Prism Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Robert Black. Its composition was made possible in part by an NEA Composer Fellowship and by a residency at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. This version of the piece includes a percussion part which I added at the request of conductor Timothy Weiss for a premiere performance by the Aspen Contemporary Ensemble at the Aspen Music Festival on August 3, 2019. It may be performed in either version.

Percussion Needed:

Bass drum. large tam-tam, med. sus cymbal, snare drum, tambourine, small triangle, 3 wood blocks (L, M, H) Castanets, mark tree, marimba, vibraphone, crotales .