the sound a gemmed light 2

About

Like the first version of this work, which is scored for brass quintet, the sound of a gemmed light 2 is made up of a network of sonic cells that have an essentially timbral nature, although they also include material that has a strong rhythmic and harmonic identity. Each cell gives rise to new variations, which means that all of the material is ultimately derived from one central cell. The final form of the piece is based on the grouping and overlapping of the cells into longer and longer formal units, and the underlying principle of organic growth should be immediately obvious to the listener. The title is from a poem by Ezra Pound. I have been mining his Cantos for titles for the last 15 years. The Cantos is full of images from the natural world, especially involving water, waves, crystals, light and so on. I feel a close affinity between these images and the organic nature of my own compositions, but above all his poetry is poetic without being sentimental, it has a hard edge, it is beautiful without becoming merely decorative – and this is how I would like my music to be.