The composer writes: “The North American Kestrel is a jay-sized bird, characterized by its rusty plumage and pale blue-gray wings. This small hawk has the rare ability to hover in the air, essentially flying in place while scanning the ground in search of prey. Its British counterpart — the Eurasian Kestrel — is called the “windhover” because of this habit. To narrate my musical journey, I chose Hopkin’s poem, which reflects the glory of the falcon’s flight through its sweeping syllables and soaring rhythms.”

“The Windhover” by Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844-1889)

I caught this morning morning’s minion, king-

dom of daylight’s dauphin, dapple-dawn-drawn Falcon, in his riding

Of the rolling level underneath him steady air, and striding

High there, how he rung upon the rein of a wimpling wing

In his ecstasy! then off, off forth on swing,

As a skate’s heel sweeps smooth on a bow-bend: the hurl and gliding

Rebuffed the big wind. My heart in hiding

Stirred for a bird, – the achieve of, the mastery of the thing!

Brute beauty and valour and act, oh, air, pride, plume, here

Buckle! AND the fire that breaks from thee then, a billion

Times told lovelier, more dangerous, O my chevalier!

No wonder of it: sheer plod makes plough down sillion

Shine, and blue-bleak embers, ah my dear,

Fall, gall themselves, and gash gold-vermilion.