Lamentoso
Diane Wittry
About this work:
Lamentoso
Dedicated to Everyone Who Has Lost a Loved One (2010)
World Premiere – March 13 &14, 2010
Allentown Symphony Orchestra
In these unsettled and violent times, it seems like more and more in the world we are surrounded by death. It comes often unexpectedly and touches close to home for all of us. A friend is diagnosed with cancer; another suddenly has a stroke or heart attack; a group of teenagers are in a fatal automobile accident. Sometimes we have time to prepare, sometimes not. Even when expected though, the news is jarring and strikes like a knife in our hearts. We all fear the phone call, the knock on the door, or, now, the email, that brings us the devastating news that someone very close to us has died.
In my piece Lamentoso I tried to capture the extreme pain, anguish and despair that one experiences with the suddenness of this news. These incredibly intense emotions are followed by a period of collapse, and a period of empty questioning; a haunting ache that seems timeless and never-ending. From this emptiness eventually grows hope, understanding and acceptance. There is a feeling of thankfulness for the place the person held in our life and the bittersweet joy of good memories. It is almost as if they were still there for us, reassuring us that everything is alright. In the end though, the ache is always a part of our life, surging up when unexpected, a memory of what we have lost, waking us up in the middle of the night — an empty void that will never go away.
Year composed: 2010
Duration: 12:00:80
Ensemble type: Orchestra:Standard Orchestra
Instrumentation: 1 Piccolo, 2 Flute, 2 Oboe, 2 Clarinet, 2 Bassoon, 4 Horn in F, 3 Trumpet, 2 Trombone, 1 Bass Trombone, 1 Tuba, 1 Timpani, 1 Strings (General), 1 Harp, 1 Other Percussion Instrument(s)
Instrumentation notes: Harp is optional.