Notturno (flute and strings) (2005)

Composer note
Notturno evokes the lyrical world of Italian music. Its shape recalls concert arias, “études de concert” and salon pieces — creations of a bygone world that I hold in great esteem. I remember the care and attention that cellist Gregor Piatigorsky and violinist Jascha Heifetz lavished on such pieces. Some of the seemingly effortless charm of that genre can be found in this work.

The piece has a subtext. It’s about the role music plays in the life of a musician and the role we musicians play in life. It’s about first discovering the wonder of music and then finding one’s own unique voice. Then there’s the profession: the concerts, gigs, the routine, and the wear and tear that can lead you to ask, “Why am I carrying on with all this trilling and arpeggiating?” But we play with excellence and commitment, even if it drives us nearly over the edge. When we have the chance to take a breath we discover that the wonder never goes away.

Notturno was written for the flutist Paula Robison, who introduced it in 2005 with the New World Symphony. I composed it in tribute to Paul Renzi, who was principal flutist of the San Francisco Symphony for fifty years.

— Michael Tilson Thomas

World Premiere for flute, harp, and strings: April 2005. Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall. Paula Robison, flute, Michael Tilson Thomas, New World Symphony

World Premiere of flute & piano version: September 2006. Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. Paula Robison, flute; Ken Noda, piano