Byron Adams

Illuminations

Each movement of my suite 'Illuminations' was inspired by a poem by Arthur Rimbaud (1854-1891). The first movement ('...vieilles fanfares d'héroïsme') opens the suite in a festive manner; the second ('...la tristesse amoureuse de la nuit') plunges into a sensual melancholy, while the third ('la mer mêlée au soleil') mentions the reflections of the sun on the sea. The fourth movement ('Petite veille d'ivresse') offers a sensual view of a rapturous darkness and as a conclusion ('... de mélodies nocturnes') comes a meditative one in the twilight that ends in an extraordinary calm. I have dedicated these Illuminations for piano to the excellent pianist Armen Guzelimian. Byron Adams, July 2012, Santa Monica, CA, USA P.S Although the composer prefers that the 5 movements be played in sequence, a single or multiple movements may be chosen at will, so long as the first movement is never performed alone, but is always played as the opening before any other selection. This work was premiered in Beverly Hills, California, USA, on October 17, 2010 during a chamber concert by pianist Gary Burnett.