Lush darkness – glaring light
Instrumentation
Bass trombone, solo
Commissioned
by Clare Farr, with support from The Norwegian Composers’ fund
Durata
5-6 min
About
Clare Farr released a solo album in 2022 and invited me to write a new piece for solo bass trombone for this occasion.
I wrote the piece after having had many conversations, meetings and run-throughs with Clare. I wanted to make a piece that took into account many of her wishes, that explores the instrument and that has some of the challenges of writing a solo piece. It encompasses the lowest and the highest pitches and, while including fast, demanding passages, it concludes in a long and melodic section – perhaps this is what makes the piece?
Quotes from reviews
“Farr’s perceptive appreciation binds everything together; the opening ‘Lush Darkness – glaring light (because the loudmouthed forgot the beauty of a simple tone)’ providing a questioning appraisal of the bass trombonist’s true art – especially a calming awareness of texture and malleability. It is a little masterclass in less is more.”
Iwan Fox i 4 bars rest
“Bente Leiknes Thorsen’s Lush Darkness is a great showcase for the instrument.”
BBC Music Magazine
Recorded
World premiere
by Clare Farr 15th of September 2021 in Uranienborg Church, Oslo
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Performances
Date | Performer(s) | Venue, city, country |
|---|---|---|
| 15.02.25 | Clare Farr | Vinterbrass, Musikkhögskolan, Ingesund, Sweden |
| 16.05.24 | Sam Brown | Royal Academy of Music, London, UK |
| 09.03.24 | Sophia Huf | Leshowitz Recital Hall, Montclair, USA |
| 22.09.22 | Clare Farr | Bjergsted Park, Stavanger, Norway |
| 20.08.22 | Clare Farr | Thein Brass (50th anniversary), Bremen, Germany |
| 15.09.21 | Clare Farr | Uranienborg church, Oslo, Norway |