Catalog of Scents in the Garden at Night
Elizabeth Brown
About this work:
Catalog of Scents in the Garden at Night was commissioned by the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival for Elissa Lee Koljonen and Roberto Diaz. Like many of my pieces, it is intimate and personal.
When I’m away from home, or homesick, or simply distressed about something, I close my eyes and imagine my favorite scents in the garden, one at a time; this is my version of taking deep breaths, or counting sheep. I imagine these scents drifting on the air in my Brooklyn backyard on a summer night: roses, lilies, heliotrope, jasmine tobacco, four o’clocks. The piece isn’t a literal aural list of scents, but a musical representation of how I calm myself, and how my mind races and circles. Published by Quetzal Music, available from the composer.
Year composed: 2001
Duration: 00:08:00
Ensemble type: Chamber or Jazz Ensemble, Without Voice:Other Combinations, 2-5 players
Instrumentation: 1 Violin, 1 Viola
Instrumentation notes: duo for violin and viola