The three great rose windows of Chartres cathedral have hypnotised me for over sixty years, but only in 1991 did I even begin to feel ready to respond to them musically.  Réflexions is the first of the triptych of pieces for woodwind and percussion I have now written in celebration of them.  It reflects upon the north rose window’s massive calm and rhythmic simplicity - rings of Kings of Judah and minor prophets (twelve of each), then doves and angels surrounding virgin and child.  All is symmetrical, all is light in that window and all reflects upon imagery in the lancets below the south and west roses.  So my piece is circular, ending as it begins:  six very slow, simple inward-curving shapes reflecting upon a Sanctus plainchant (or Hebrew Kadosh chant), each shape a reflexion on the one before, and with pitch-content in vibraphone reflecting that in bass clarinet.

Commissioned by Duo Contemporain.