Lilac . Star . Bird

Program Notes

I. Lilac (sweet lilac air)
II. Star (transparent star, wandering light)
III. Bird (the woodpecker)

Lilac . Star . Bird is a solo guitar composition dedicated to guitarist Tracy Anne Smith.
The piece unfolds in three movements, each one a sonic painting that vividly evokes the essence of its namesake.

The opening movement, Lilac, portrays a purple lilac tree gently swaying in a Spring breeze with perfumed afternoon aromas tenderly swirling about in irregular, rhythmic patterns. The second movement, Star, highlights the rich timbre of the guitar and reflects the ethereal beauty of a star’s distant light in the night sky. The interplay of guitar harmonics and true tones mimics the celestial body’s flickering glow, capturing its elusive and fragile beauty. The final movement, subtitled the Woodpecker, is a fast and energetic movement. Rapid, repetitive tremolos emulate the woodpecker’s frenetic energy as it hops from tree to tree. The dynamic rhythmic patterns intend to paint a vivid picture of the bird’s tireless search, each note a peck against the bark, echoing through the forest.

Ying-Chen Kao

Reviews

Britain's Classical Guitar Magazine, August 2010 | By Chris Dumigan
"The title of the CD comes from the three-movement work of Ying-Chen Kao. The style of the music is one of almost beautiful-sounding dissonance. Its high-roving melodies reminded me of the Hans Werner Henze Three Fragments in style... This is no doubt a major work that demands attention."

Soundboard Magazine UK, Vol. 35 No. 3 (2009) | By Al Kunze
"Two particular treats were the title track Lilac.Star.Bird by Ying-Chen Kao and a Suite by Jacques Hetu. The former is a piece developed by the performer and composer together, suggested by the famous Walt Whitman poem "When Lilacs Last in the Door-Yard Bloomed." It is in three movements, the first two rather delicate and melodically abstract, the last, "Bird,” more athletic. The movement "Star (transparent star, wandering light)" is sparse in texture, but exceedingly beautiful."

Those Who Dig, December 7, 2010 | By Dave DeDionisio
"The sophistication, originality, and worth of this composition are immediately noted by this performance. The ambitions of this composition have found a voice in the hands of Tracy Smith as she brings to life the range of intended images and sounds. New repertoire is inspiring and refreshing, especially when it as effective as this composition."

Minor 7th: Reviewing the best in non-mainstream acoustic guitar music | By Timothy Smith
"...At the core of this recording is the work to which the CD owes its name, "Lilac.Star.Bird", which was composed for Smith by composer Ying-Chen Kao in 2007. It is an evocative and surreal soundscape, drawing influence from a poem by famed American writer and poet, Walt Whitman. Each movement is meant to evoke a lilac, star, or bird, and they go beyond mere imitations of their titles, rather serving as prolonged meditations on each topic..."

CD Universe Customer Review
Album: "Lilac.Star.Bird - Tracy Anne Smith: A collection of twentieth and twenty-first century masterpieces for solo guitar."
"...The playing and the pieces selected evoke pleasant emotions at the surface but with careful listening define more complicated and stirring emotions. Lilac.Star.Bird - This work reveals great talent, intelligence and feeling. This is why I listen to music."