Bassingthwaighte, S :: House of Doors

House of Doors

Bassingthwaighte, S

From the composer:

The title, House of Doors, comes from a meditation exercise in which you imagine walking through a hallway full of doors, choosing one, and exploring what s inside. The exercise is designed to increase creativity and the ability to make positive changes. To me, this meditation is fun, like being in a dream where I can make some choices. The starting point for the Concerto came from three different rooms I encountered, and each is translated into sound. The piece is divided into two continuous movements.

The opening of the piece reflects the first room visited; The first door opens into a room that at first appears to be a study, but instead of a back wall, is a jungle that goes on for miles. In the Concerto, this is heard as growing, twisting melodic lines, some of it beautiful, and some a bit dark and unknown.

The second movement is urgent and excited. It combines two very different rooms: one door leads to a dark, hot cave, coated in a red light and feeling very ominous and heavy. The other door opens into the blue sky with a cool breeze, welcoming and expansive. As the movement progresses, the soaring and flying of the open sky begin to emerge: the melodic gestures in the flute become longer and longer, until one final extended passage brings the piece to its climax and to the flute s cadenza.

For advanced players.