20th century
Baroque
Classical
Romantic
20th century
21st century
Solo repertoire
Piccolo
Alto flute
Bass flute
Kernis Aaron Jay
Aitken, Robert
Amirov, Fikret
Amlin, Martin
Amram, David
Andriessen, Jurriaan
Arnold, Malcolm
Arrieu, Claude
Auric, Georges
Babbit, Milton
Bacchus, Peter
Bacri, Nicolas
Baker, Michael Conway
Baksa, Robert
Barber, Samuel
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Bolling, Claude
Bon, Maarten
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Bournonville, Armand
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Kernis, Aaron Jay
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Zgraja, Krystof
Air for flute and piano
Air for flute and piano
Aaron Jay Kernis: Air for flute and piano was written in 1995, originally as a "love letter" to the violin. The version for flute and piano was adapted by the composer shortly after, with the flute version for orchestra and chamber ensemble following in 1996.
While the work was composed for (and commissioned by) the violinist Joshua Bell, it is formally dedicated to his wife, the pianist Evelyne Luest. Kernis has described the piece as a "love letter," a sentiment that applies to both his wife and the instruments for which he has arranged the work: originally the violin and later the flute. Ransom Wilson premiered the flute and piano version in February 2004 at Alice Tully Hall, New York.
By 1995, Kernis was concluding an intense four-year creative period (roughly 1991–1995) focused on themes of war and genocide. This era was defined by his Second Symphony (a reaction to the Gulf War) and works reflecting on the Holocaust, such as Lament and Prayer (1995). Air emerged in 1995 as a deliberate aesthetic break from these darker, "thorny" works. Kernis described it as his "purest and sparest" piece in years, marking a move toward the Neo-Romantic lyricism that would define much of his later reputation.
During this time, Kernis was gaining major national attention; he had already been a Pulitzer Prize Finalist in 1994 for his String Quartet No. 1, setting the stage for his record-breaking win in 1998.
The composition of Air as a "love letter" to his wife, pianist Evelyne Luest, reflects a period of personal stability and intimacy amidst his public success.
While he wrote Air for Joshua Bell, he was also beginning collaborations that would lead to his later concertos for artists like Marina Piccinini and Renée Fleming.
Anne Marshall (piano), recital at the Royal Academy of Music London, September 21, 2018
Air
Kernis Aaron Jay
Aaron Jay Kernis (1960) is a celebrated American composer and educator, recognized for his eclectic and expressive musical style that blends post-Romanticism with minimalism and various contemporary influences. He is a winner of both the Pulitzer Prize and multiple Grammy Awards.
Born in Philadelphia, Kernis began his musical journey on the violin and piano, teaching himself composition at age 13. He studied at the San Francisco Conservatory with John Adams, the Manhattan School of Music with Charles Wuorinen, and Yale University with Jacob Druckman and Bernard Rands.
Kernis achieved national acclaim at just 23 when his first orchestral work, Dream of the Morning Sky, was premiered by the New York Philharmonic in 1983. He has held numerous prominent positions, including Music Advisor to the Minnesota Orchestra for 15 years, and has been teaching composition at the prestigious Yale School of Music since 2003.
Kernis's music is known for its passionate expression, dynamism, and broad emotional range. He is comfortable blending a wide array of styles, from rock and salsa to Mahler-influenced lyricism and jazz, often grounding his compositions in a visual image or concrete idea.