Les Tulipes

“Les Tulipes” (French, meaning tulips) features flute, violin, viola, cello, and piano. The
instrumentation is inspired by the Romantic-style piano quintet, which would include all these
instruments except for the flute, favoring a second violinist instead. The piece is centered around
the tulip, one of nature’s most beautiful flowers, and its symbolic meaning in the Victorian
language of flowers (la langue de fleurs). In this secret language, tulips represent a declaration of
love between romantic partners. This piece seeks to capture the essence of joy, hope, and
connection associated with the tulip.