The title is a phrase from chapter 9 of Stafford Beer's wonderful novel Chronicles Of Wizard Prang. I liked the image of being adrift on a vast ocean, although the music's many arpeggios perhaps conjure up more swirling seas with bubbling undercurrents.
It was written for Heaven Lens from April 1996 until 1997 and inspired by a wonderful winter walk I took in the snowy parklands of Hatfield House while fasting, my delicate state emphasising and delighting in the beauty of the vast open spaces. Not surprisingly, it is an unashamedly Romantic piece showcasing the flute's lyrical qualities floating over a sea of polyrhythmic piano arpeggios, and features jazzy upbeats and African 2:3:4:6 rhythms to keep the players on their toes and the audience tapping theirs. A notable feature of the flute part's final joyous melody is that the first four notes can be played by just moving the little finger, although perhaps alternate fingerings sound clearer.
I've played this piece with a couple of flautists, but am yet to obtain a satisfactory recording (my piano playing featured some errors!).
I subsequently wrote a variation for piano alone called "She Looked Again", which is one of my Night Studies.
Scores and recordings will eventually be available
on request once I get my
music computer fully
operational.
[This page is longing for the day when
scores and audio samples will be added...]
© copyright Malcolm Smith 2004-12-17 - last updated 2005-02-17