Kingfishers Catch Fire

A kingfisher is a bird with beautiful, brilliantly colored feathers that look in sunlight as if they are on fire. Kingfishers are extremely shy birds and are rarely seen, but when they are seen, they are undeniably beautiful.
The first movement, Following falls and falls of rain, is suspended in tone, but with hope, depicting the kingfisher slowly emerging from its nest in the early morning stillness, just after a heavy rainstorm. The second movement, Kingfishers catch fire, imagines the bird flying out into the sunlight.

The work features optional antiphonal trumpets placed behind the audience. The trumpet solo in the first movement is played from the back of the hall, and the trumpet flourishes in the second movement are played by the antiphonal trumpet choir. You may catch the reference to Stravinsky's Firebird at the end of the piece.

Note: The first horn part is extremely high in range, but it is cued in Bb cornet. In other words, don't let the horn parts scare you too much.