Ian Wilson
Between the Moon and the Deep Blue Sea
Short instrumentation: 3 3 3 3 - 4 3 3 1 - timp, perc(3), hp, cel, str
Duration: 10'
Instrumentation details:
picc·2·2·eh·2·bcl·2·cbn - 4·3·3·1 - timp, perc (3) - hp, cel - strings
Wilson - Between the Moon and the Deep Blue Sea for orchestra
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Audio preview
Work introduction
This work attempts to combine the inspiration of a striking landscape with the aspiration of creating a mini-concerto for orchestra. The landscape was the one I visited in summer 1996, the Cliffs of Moher on the Atlantic coast of County Clare, where I was struck by the grandeur and atmosphere of these huge cliffs, the sea and birds far below, and the Aran isles in the misty distance. Considering these three aspects gave rise to specific musical ideas and my thoughts then turned to ensuring that every section and all the principal players in the orchestra had their moment in the spotlight, while still retaining a coherent sense of form and structure.
Essentially the piece works up to the last section where the three main ideas combine and the full orchestra comes together for the first time.
Between the moon and the deep blue sea ... was commissioned for the Ulster Youth Orchestra with funds from the National Lottery.
Ian Wilson