''The Flight into Egypt'' is a composition for solo soprano and baritone, chorus, and chamber orchestra by the American composer
John Harbison. The work was commissioned by the
Cantata Singers and Ensemble
The Cantata Singers and Ensemble is a choir and orchestral ensemble located in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1964 to perform and preserve the cantatas of Johann Sebastian Bach (a body of works largely unknown in Boston at that time), the group ...
, of which Harbison was a former music director.
The piece won the 1987
Pulitzer Prize for Music.
Composition
''The Flight into Egypt'' has a duration of 14 minutes and is composed in a single
movement
Movement may refer to:
Common uses
* Movement (clockwork), the internal mechanism of a timepiece
* Motion, commonly referred to as movement
Arts, entertainment, and media
Literature
* "Movement" (short story), a short story by Nancy Fu ...
. The text of the piece comes from
Matthew
Matthew may refer to:
* Matthew (given name)
* Matthew (surname)
* ''Matthew'' (ship), the replica of the ship sailed by John Cabot in 1497
* ''Matthew'' (album), a 2000 album by rapper Kool Keith
* Matthew (elm cultivar), a cultivar of the Ch ...
3:13-23 of the
King James Bible
The King James Version (KJV), also the King James Bible (KJB) and the Authorized Version, is an Bible translations into English, English translation of the Christian Bible for the Church of England, which was commissioned in 1604 and publis ...
. Harbison described the composition in the score program notes, writing:
Instrumentation
The work is scored for solo soprano and baritone,
SATB chorus, and an orchestra comprising two
oboe
The oboe ( ) is a type of double reed woodwind instrument. Oboes are usually made of wood, but may also be made of synthetic materials, such as plastic, resin, or hybrid composites. The most common oboe plays in the treble or soprano range.
A ...
s,
cor anglais
The cor anglais (, or original ; plural: ''cors anglais''), or English horn in North America, is a double-reed woodwind instrument in the oboe family. It is approximately one and a half times the length of an oboe, making it essentially an alto ...
,
bassoon
The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family, which plays in the tenor and bass ranges. It is composed of six pieces, and is usually made of wood. It is known for its distinctive tone color, wide range, versatility, and virtuo ...
, three
trombone
The trombone (german: Posaune, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the Brass instrument, brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the Standing wave, air column ...
s (3rd doubling
bass trombone
The bass trombone (german: Bassposaune, it, trombone basso) is the bass instrument in the trombone family of brass instruments. Modern instruments are pitched in the same B♭ as the tenor trombone but with a larger bore, bell and mouthpiece to ...
),
chamber organ
Carol Williams performing at the United States Military Academy West Point Cadet Chapel.">West_Point_Cadet_Chapel.html" ;"title="United States Military Academy West Point Cadet Chapel">United States Military Academy West Point Cadet Chapel.
...
, and
strings
String or strings may refer to:
*String (structure), a long flexible structure made from threads twisted together, which is used to tie, bind, or hang other objects
Arts, entertainment, and media Films
* ''Strings'' (1991 film), a Canadian anim ...
.
Pulitzer surprise
When it was announced that Harbison had won the 1987
Pulitzer Prize for Music, the composer wasn't even aware he had been nominated. In an interview with the ''
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
'', he said, "I had no idea anything of mine had been submitted. I was not even conscious of the possibility existing." The work had been submitted by Harbison's publisher, Associated Music, without the composer's knowledge. Harbison said of the event, "I guess you could look at the Zen of the situation: When you care the least about something, it's most likely to happen."
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Flight into Egypt, The
Compositions by John Harbison
1986 compositions
Compositions for chamber orchestra
Choral compositions
Pulitzer Prize for Music-winning works