NOTE: Please acknowledge the authorship of these program notes by Jose Elizondo, the composer, if you use them for publicity material, concert program notes, or any other publication.

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· Die Nachtblume

· The Night Flower

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· La Flor Nocturna

· Length: 4 minutes

· Mood: contemplative, lyrical, tender

· Movements: Three movements. They can be performed as a suite or independently

· Note: This is the second movement of “The Legend of the Noble Knight”. It works very well as an independent piece.

· Premiere: Cellist Benedict Klöckner and violinist Yury Revich premiered this piece on July 11^th, 2020 at Kloster Eberbach in Eltville am Rhein, Germany.

Program Notes by José Elizondo:

“The Night Flower” is the second movement of the suite titled "The Legend of the Noble Knight". Inspired by the poems of Joseph Karl Benedikt von Eichendorff, the composer became enamored with the idea of the delicate and elusive “night flower,” a symbol in German Romantic poetry of the XIX century that represents the harmony between humanity, nature, and spirituality. This piece attempts to provide a musical comment about the ephemeral beauty and significance of the night flower which blooms only for a brief moment and appears only to those possessing inner peace and harmony. In this movement, the solo instrument is more a commentator than a protagonist, to symbolize the Knights modesty when coming upon the night flower. As the flower's petals fall towards the end of the movement, we hear the "Knight motive", as if the Knight gently gathers the petals and puts them in the shirt pocket near his heart.

The following poem was inspired by Elizondo’s music and his take on the symbolism of the night flower.

The Night Flower

La Flor Nocturna

Music by José L. Elizondo

Poetic narration by Patricio F. Mendez

(based on an original story by the composer)

The night flower Only one bloom, delicate and private. Only for the worthy, for those who understand. A blue star in the land, a piece of heaven in blossom. The Night Flower stirs awe in The Noble Knight. … and it is over. Without words, but it is all too clear. Without resistance, but in one direction. The petals gently glide back to Mother Earth. Our hero, the Noble Knight, honors the gift; recovers the sacred whispers of color and treasures them near his heart. His quest, never ending.

La flor nocturna Tan sólo un brote, delicado e íntimo. Sólo para los que lo merecen, para los que entienden. Una estrella azul en la tierra, Una triza de cielo en retoño. La flor nocturna pasma de emoción al Noble Caballero … y acaba tan pronto. Sin palabras, que no hacen falta. Sin resistencia, siempre cayendo. Los pétalos vuelven a la Madre Tierra Nuestro héroe, el noble caballero, honra este regalo; Recoge los sagrados susurros de color y los atesora en su pecho. Su búsqueda, incesante.