Australian Daybreak

Rosalind Carlson OAM

CDs and Scores are available for viewing on line at the Australian Music Centre, including the above work. Follow the link below for a complete listing of works available by Rosalind Carlson. Australian Music Centre

Full scores, treble voice parts, and the orchestral individual instrumental scores available from Flexi-Fingers Publications. See link below

Instrumental Music “Australian Daybreak,” Op 32 in G minor for solo Oboe, or Cor Anglais or Saxophone - 2017 Duration is approximately 5 minutes.

Looking at the music publication cover of Australian Daybreak, Rosalind Carlson says, “I took this photograph through my bedroom window at dawn on my 80th birthday at 6.49am, 13th March 2017 in Arcadia, NSW, Australia.” Reflecting on her work, Rosalind Carlson explains: I consider myself to be a “grass roots” composer, for my inspiration is derived from nature. Stylistically, the melodic content found in my works is an important element and integral feature. Here the tonality is driven by “sound” rather than by key. My aim is to describe in sound an interpretation of aspects of my natural environment. Therefore, my music can be quite evocative. It is this “Australian Sound” I endeavour to capture in my creative output. In this musical composition, I am describing a visionary scene which I have the joy of observing in the mornings through my bedroom window. My bedroom faces the east. It is very early in the morning and all is calm. So the opening musical figure is inspired by this stillness. As I am looking at the breaking of dawn, I have entitled this work “Daybreak”. The musical description becomes more evocative as the scene changes and the brightness of the morning develops. This is evidenced through rhythmic, melodic, motivic figures, ornaments and tonal changes. I have set the opening theme in the key of G minor. However, musical action is triggered as the faint sky colourings deepen with the sun rising followed by the birds twittering and singing. My property in Arcadia has a wide variety of bird life living here. After the return of the main thematic ideas, there is an extended Coda. This Coda capturers the various melodic and rhythmic motifs found earlier in the work. Because of the resonant timbre of the Oboe, the rich and expressive quality of the Cor Anglais, and the depth of colouring and richness of sound of the Saxophone, these wind instruments are most suitable to portray the atmospheric features in my musical composition. N.B. Saxophone players: This work is suitable for the full range of saxophones. It is your option to choose whichever type of Saxophone you wish to play. The Australian Music Examination Board has set “Australian Daybreak” for Oboe and Cor Anglais in List A for the Certificate of Performance examination syllabus.