Senchuk, P :: Nighthawks

Peter Senchuk's Nighthawks: A Jazz Suite for Alto Flute & Flute Ensemble.

From the composer:

'Nighthawks takes its name and inspiration from the iconic 1942 painting by Edward Hopper. Even with the simplicity of four people inside a corner diner at night, it evokes a vivid feeling in the viewer, as if you are standing across the street observing this scene first hand.

When I was asked to compose a piece for the great jazz flutist Ali Ryerson and the Los Angeles Flute Orchestra, I knew I wanted to compose a jazz suite. The composition is set in three distinct movements that each represent different times of the night: early evening, late night, and early morning.

The first movement, Nightfall, is a brooding noir-style movement that begins slowly and builds in intensity as it progresses before returning to the slow opening material. The middle movement, Midnight Waltz, is a lively jazz waltz that creates a dialogue that alternates between the soloist and ensemble. The final movement, Crack of Dawn, is an up-tempo movement that features unpredictable syncopated rhythms with many changing time signatures to represent the bustling energy of the city that is about to awake.'

Duration: 15 minutes. For advanced players. Instrumentation: Solo alto flute, piccolo/flute, 3 flutes, 2 alto flutes, bass flute, contrabass flute, optional sub-contrabass flute.