Light Overture - A Symphonic Entertainment was composed by Poul Ruders in 2006. Commissioned by the Alabama Symphony Orchestra and Music Director and Principal Conductor Justin Brown for Alabama Power Company’s 100 Year Anniversary Concert. Light Overture subtitled A Symphonic Entertainment is a short piece for symphony orchestra lasting approximately eight minutes. Light Overture is focusing on two interpretations of the word light: ”light” as in the absence of darkness and “light” as in easily comprehensible; in other words a piece with few or no metaphysicalconnotations. It is just a piece setting a festive mood as is often the case with this sort of short “concert opener”. However the journey through Light Overture is not entirely happy-go-lucky. Once in a while slightly darker colours are introduced for the sake of variety and contrast. And formally the composition is quite strict: an outright Prelude and Fugue the former sliding seamlessly into the latter. The Fugue juggles not only its own tune but also picks up stuff from the Prelude. Poul Ruders May 2006
