Alpha Centuri
Bruce Lazarus
About this work:
brucelazarus2k@yahoo.com
beginning of work performed by Storm King Music Festival Chamber Ensemble
Barbara Siesel, flute/Director of SKMF
Alpha Centuri (flute, oboe, cello, harpsichord) was originally commissioned and performed by the New World School of the Arts, Miami. Later, I experimented with the same material as an eleven-minute concerto for harpsichord and string orchestra. After realizing the large body of string instruments would overwhelm the subtle voice of the harpsichord, I decided to rework the entire piece as a quartet for harpsichord, flute, oboe, and cello. The impassioned warmth of the cello and oboe contrast exquisitely with the cool, crystal-clear harpsichord, while the flute contributes needed brilliance.
The three movements are named for the three stars of Alpha Centuri, four light-years from our solar system. Except for the Sun, they are the stars nearest the earth.
1. Alpha Centuri A
2. Alpha Centuri B
3. Proxima Centuri
Year composed: 2000
Duration: 00:11:30
Ensemble type: Chamber or Jazz Ensemble, Without Voice:Other Combinations, 2-5 players
Instrumentation: 1 Flute, 1 Oboe, ,1 Harpsichord soloist(s), 1 Cello