Glow within (2018) by Maija Hynninen
for flute and bass clarinet
World premiere; Earplay commission

For me the very low and soft bass clarinet pitches seem to gain a glow, an aura from the high overtones that emerge from them. Together with the chords played by the flute, they are at the same time intense and fragile — they seem to glow from within. I wanted to build a chorale out of these elements, a moment where the music flows slowly and peacefully. This is the heart of the piece. A moment for the thought to rest at ease. All around the music builds on fuzzy textures that are full of movement yet not going anywhere. Fragmented breath with a slight vocal quality moves towards longer lines as if wanting to say something, but no words come out.