East Wind (1987) by Shulamit Ran
for flute

East Wind for solo flute was commissioned by the National Flute Association for its annual Young Artists Competition, and was first performed by the six semi-finalists at the l988 San Diego NFA Convention. The work’s opening motif is a slightly varied treatment of the simplest of ideas — a single note which is then encircled in a flourish-like gesture by its neighboring tones, consisting of a half step above and whole step below. It is this varied treatment, though, immediately conveying a hint of ecstasy and abandon, that imbues the motif with its distinctness and recognizable quality, maintained throughout the journey undertaken as the piece unfolds.

East Wind’s central image — from within its ornamented, inflected, winding, twisting, at times convoluted lines, a gentle melody gradually emerges...

The work is dedicated to the memory of Karen Monson, a writer, critic and friend, who died in February 1988 at the age of 42, after the work was already fully composed.