About:  This piece was born out the evocative combination of alto flute and harp.  The instruments have a particularly “hypnotic” sound, so I crafted music exploring the three main stages of hypnosis.

The first stage is Hypnoidal, “a light stage of hypnosis, characterized by fluttering eye movements.” The second movement reflects a deeper state — Cataleptic — characterized by side-to-side eye movements. The final movement, Somnambulistic, demonstrates the deepest stage of hypnosis, characterized by the eyes rolling back into the head (also described as sleepwalking).

Premiere:  Peter Speziale and Eileen Holt on August 4th, 2012 at the Mission Viejo Community Center, Mission Viejo, CA.

Instrumentation:  alto flute, harp

Duration:  ca. 13 minutes

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