Veiled Light for large chamber ensemble (2013)

In the old days, landscape photographers sought for the highest quality in film by shooting slides. After processing such slides in laboratories, photographers view them either by using a slide projector, or setting them on top of a light source with a magnifier. The title of this piece refers to the covered light when viewing slides. Not only does the chemical used in the laboratories have a huge effect on the final color of the slides, the quality of the covered light is crucial as well. This idea of a “veiled” light represents images that the composer had in mind during the compositional process, and it metaphorically depicts the constantly changing instrumental timbre throughout the piece.

Technically, Veiled Light explores the idea of expansion and contraction of a chord progression that, in time, governs the density and intensity of the music. This set of progression is derived from a series of harmonically saturated twelve-note chords. Through limiting and varying the interval classes used vertically within each of these chords, and planning the registral movement through the harmonic progression, the music is characterized with a gradual change of intensity. Transparency of instrumental timbre in the music also plays an important role within this complex harmonic structure.

(07/25/2021)

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