Composition one commentariesHexachords for celloThis exercise explores the effects of bow position on texture. The material is constructed from a series of hexachords which are presented in various forms. These forms are created from mixtures of different hexachords and wholly new ones. The pizzicato chords are used to give a sense of space within the piece, separate hexachords and introduce a varying sense of harmonic rhythm as well as an element of cohesiveness. String QuartetThis piece starts as a fairly tonal and canonical melodic line given to each part creating passing dissonances between lines. These dissonances are the main focus of the first half of the piece; each one has its own natural contour to give a sense of direction. This sense of direction is subverted by the cello part, which pre-empts each entry to dispel any clear sense of pulse. A hexachord is then introduced to lead into the more texture dominated part of the piece. At bar 15 the opening material is brought back only to be completely changed by a process of applying different tempi to each part. This process creates a sense of the piece breaking down and that it is in turmoil before a unifying tempo and chord at bar 26 bring the piece back into a more stable state. This chord is then corrupted by huge vibrato becoming a trill and then from there to molto sul pont. The piece ends on a natural harmonic to give a sense that the piece has been left bare after such a chaotic series of events.OrchestrationIn the exercise my aim was to introduce a sense of cohesiveness and unity to an otherwise fairly sparse musical landscape. This I did mainly through passages of unison and homophony. I also paired instruments to give a sense of the ensemble containing smaller sections within it.

Wanderer above the Sea of Fog (main piece)This piece is based upon a series of paintings by Caspar David Friedrich of mountains and people. Friedrich's paintings characteristically set a human presence in diminished perspective amid expansive landscapes, reducing the figures to a scale that, according to the art historian Christopher John Murray, directs the viewer's gaze towards their metaphysical dimension. This quote inspired me to create a piece focused a relationship between a man and the mountains. To this end I have used a text by the poet Edwin Curran and other words based around this text to paint the picture of a man having a conversation with the mountains, or perhaps it is just a trick of the ear making him thinks he hears voices when it is simply the wind blowing, the rain falling or the thunder and lightning. The piece relies heavily upon an element of theatre and attempts to create a strong sense of atmosphere using amplification so the audience can be transported to the hilltop and have the wind whip around them and hear the storm. I also focused on the fact I wanted all the sound to be created live and that no samples should be used. This is to extend the range of vocal extended techniques and see what was possible to create with the human voice in terms of soundscapes.