Clouds

Description

As the title implies, this composition was inspired by watching the movement and changing shapes of clouds. This octet is made up of various linked but distinct sections. The opening section is quiet and serene, depicting the wispy Cirrus clouds, with the melody for the 1st eight bars played by the 1st Tenor. The next eight bars, now a minor 3rd higher, has a similar but different tune played by the 1st Alto, with the 2nd Alto harmonizing for the second four bars. The music then gets slightly louder as the 1st Soprano takes over the lead for the next ten bars, with the rest of the parts providing a rippling accompaniment. The music then builds to a short louder Agitato interlude, before becoming slightly quieter for a Cantabile section containing many different moving parts, with the Sopranos and Altos sharing the melody (the quiet before the storm). This builds into the louder multi-layered Con Moto section describing stormy rain bearing Nimbus clouds. The final section represents the tranquil clear sky at the end of the day. The composition goes through a series of key changes, giving a feeling of constant movement. “Clouds” received it’s world premier at the 2017 Buxton Festival Fringe, played by the Sovereign Saxophone Octet.