Program Note:

In my native language of Farsi, “Aleph” is the name of the first letter of the alphabet. To me, Aleph represents the first step of a journey, but also its ultimate destination, similar to the way every language starts with a limited collection of sounds and letters that eventually come together to form the most endearing and timeless stories ever written. 

The three short movements that comprise this piece are tightly related musically, even though they each convey distinctly different sound worlds. The first movement, “Lament,” is built around an open string drone which gradually propels what is one of my favorite compositional techniques in writing for string instrument: the effect of two- or three-voice textures for a typically single-voice instrument.

The second movement, “Ascent,” is a through-composed interlude that exhibits the unwavering directionality suggested by the title. And finally, “Float” seals the end of Aleph with a calming and nostalgic effect - a short, melodic line becomes the prominent trait of the movement through distant echoes of its fragments.

Aleph was written for cellist Paul Dwyer.