An Exaltation of Larks

Jennifer Higdon (b. 1962) is a winner of the Pulitzer Prize and Grammy award, and is one of the most performed living American composers working today. Ms. Higdon's upcoming work includes an opera on Charles Frazier's book, 'Cold Mountain', for Santa Fe Opera and the Opera Company of Philadelphia. This recording feature three recent chamber works: In Scenes from the Poet's Dreams (composed for the performers who play it here) the piano left hand (virtuoso Gary Graffman) takes a prominent part in the unfolding of this highly contrasted work, bearing unusually descriptive titles: "Racing Through Stars", "Summer Shimmers Across the Glass of Green Ponds" etc.. Light Refracted is a meditation on light. The composer describes a first movement "that reflects on our inner light, and how we take that light in; and a second movement that is the opposite, our projection of light out to the world." She also writes about An Exaltation of Larks: "The first time someone told me that a collection of Larks is called an 'Exaltation', I immediately thought, 'What a sound an exaltation of larks must make!'--How to capture the beauty of the idea of exalting and singing? A string quartet seemed perfect!" This disc marks the debut of the Lark Quartet on Bridge.

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An Exaltation of Larks
 
15:58
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Scenes from the Poet's Dreams
I. Racing Through the Stars
 
02:13
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Scenes from the Poet's Dreams
II. Summer Shimmers Across the Glass of Green Ponds
 
07:02
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Scenes from the Poet's Dreams
III. I Saw the Electric Insects Coming
 
03:49
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Scenes from the Poet's Dreams
IV. In the Blue Fields They Sing
 
07:05
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Scenes from the Poet's Dreams
V. The Fast Dancers Dance Faster
 
03:30
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Light Refracted
I. Inward
 
11:31
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Light Refracted
II. Outward
 
04:07