| Movements/SectionsMov'ts/Sec's | 1 |
|---|---|
| Composition Year | 2009 |
| Genre Categories | Pieces; For strings; Scores featuring string ensemble |
| Related Works | Used as Movement 4 in Einstein's Dreams |
| Work Title | LightRide |
|---|---|
| Alternative. Title | |
| Composer | Bitensky, Laurence Scott |
| I-Catalogue NumberI-Cat. No. | ILB 11 |
| Movements/SectionsMov'ts/Sec's | 1 |
| Year/Date of CompositionY/D of Comp. | 2009 |
| First Performance. | 2010-27-02 – The Central Kentucky Youth Orchestra, Kayoko Dan (conductor) |
| First Publication. | 2009 – Silly Black Dog Music |
| Average DurationAvg. Duration | 7 minutes |
| Composer Time PeriodComp. Period | Modern |
| Piece Style | Modern |
| Instrumentation | Orchestra: 2 flutes/piccolo, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets (B♭), 2 bassoons + 4 horns (F), 3 trumpets (C), 2 trombones, bass trombone, tuba + timpani, 5 percussion + piano + strings |
| Related Works | Used as Movement 4 in Einstein's Dreams |
Albert Einstein was known to conduct “thought experiments” as a way to arrive at creative insights into questions that he posed for himself. For instance, when he was 16 he imagined what it would be like to chase after a beam of light. Once he caught up to the beam, Einstein reasoned, the light wave would appear frozen. He later said that this thought experiment played a memorable role in his development of special relativity.
LightRide is a fun and lighthearted musical depiction of Einstein’s famous “thought experiment” and is loosely programmatic, depicting Albert being startled by a beam of light, chasing after it, riding the beam, and experiencing the frozen wave. The piece is also the finale to Einstein's Dreams, a 4-movement work depicting several similar scenes from Einstein’s imagination
