3 Lais for flute solo
Allen Brings: 3 Lais: No. 1 for flute solo was written in 1975. The other two pieces of this circle he added in 1985, completing the set.
The term "lai" or "lay" refers to a medieval lyrical poem, especially one in the French tradition, which often tells a short, romantic story. The use of this term by Brings connects the improvisational and storytelling qualities of his composition to this historical poetic form.
According to Brings, he imagined Three Lais as "a poem in an ancient tongue read aloud ... by a solitary poet".
Brings Allen
Allen Brings (1934) is an American composer, pianist, and educator known for lucid craft, contrapuntal clarity, and an accessible, modern tonal language. A Queens College (BA), Columbia (MA), and Boston University (DMA) graduate—with additional study at Princeton—he taught for decades at the Aaron Copland School of Music (CUNY), ultimately Professor Emeritus. His catalogue exceeds 240 works across solo, chamber, vocal, and orchestral genres, with recordings on Navona, Centaur, Capstone, and Vienna Modern Masters.
Among his compositions for flute: Three Lais for solo flute (1975-1985); Duo for Flute and Piano (2017); Concert Piece for flute quartet (1985), and Trialogue for Flute, Viola, and Piano (2018).