Joan Tower: Into the Night (for Pierrot ensemble plus percussion)

For flute, clarinet, vibraphone, piano, violin, and cello.

…the music depicted an inner landscape of great affection, bits of hope, and bass-range writing suggesting intractable forces and passing influences, especially Messiaen in his use of octaves and parallel harmonies. No cleverness. Just pure expression. — David Patrick Stearns, MusicalAmerica.com

Commissioned by Collage New Music, Eighth Blackbird, and Bang on a Can. Collage New Music 50th Anniversary Commissioning Fund supported by generous donations from Nick Anagnostis, Paul and Katie Buttenwieser, John Carey and David Oswald. Commissioned for Eighth Blackbird by Harry Santen in honor of the birthday of his wife, Ann. Commissioned by Bang on a Can with support from Raulee Marcus, Leslie Lassiter, & Stephen Block.

Composer note
The title was taken from the last movement of my cello concerto A New Day — which is dedicated to my husband Jeff of 50 years who passed away last year. During his last two years, I never knew whether I would wake up to find him alive or not. So the nights were hard and a new day became a treasured day for us.

— Joan Tower