Scenes From Lemuria
Jane Brockman
About this work:
Many years ago, Bill Powell gave me a recording of an amazing improvisation he did, which he had labeled, “From Lemuria”. Lemuria, I learned, was an ancient mythical place which disappeared into the sea much like Atlantis, but in Lemuria, the arts and creativity were the focus of civilization. Bill’s improvisation, done completely extemporaneously, seemed to be pulling magic out of the ether.
That’s really what composition (and perhaps all creativity) seems to be. We study and theorize about much pre-existing music, but when composing becomes ‘flow’, it’s almost as if one is accessing information on another plane.
Version: clarinet quintet
Year composed: 2006
Duration: 13:00:20
Ensemble type: Chamber or Jazz Ensemble, Without Voice:String Quartet
Instrumentation: 1 Clarinet, 2 Violin, 1 Viola, 1 Cello
Instrumentation notes: clarinet quintet