Sky Above Clouds
written 1989
inspired by the painting by Georgia O'Keefe
Program Notes
Sky Above Clouds is titled after a series of paintings by Georgia O'Keeffe. I first saw one of these works as a child in the Art Institute of Chicago, and it has always been one of my favorite paintings. In this orchestral piece, I tried to capture the things I loved in her painting: its simplicity of design, its light and airy colors, and its vast sense of space.
I was also specifically interested in O'Keeffe's design: repeating images of clouds that are almost the same, but always slightly altered. In my work, there is a pattern of notes that constantly recurs in every measure, sometimes on the surface, and sometimes hidden in the texture. Each repetition is slightly altered, both in orchestration and actual material, so that the pattern is changed throughout the piece, shaping its form. This pattern is the basis of all melodies, harmonies, and rhythms in the work.
Sky Above Clouds is dedicated to my husband, Seward Rutkove, as a gift in the first years of our marriage.Scored for Orchestra:
3 Flutes (flute 3 doubles piccolo)
2 Oboes
3 Bb Clarinets (clarinet 1 doubles Eb)
2 Bassoons4 Horns in F
2 Trumpets
2 Trombones
Tuba 1Percussion: Triangle; 2 Gongs: High pitched (ca B) and Low (ca Eb);
4 Tom-Toms; Tam-Tam; Vibraphone; Glockenspiel,Tambourine; Marimba; Cymbal on stand, with brush;
Tubular Bells (Eb).Timpani
PianoStrings
Duration: ca 9 minutes
Score in C
