Première
Saturday, the 29th of November 2025, evening
The première. It’s an incredible feeling hearing the sounds in your head come to life. I introduced the piece at the concert, saying that Sunset At Sea was the music that was swirling in my head sitting on the rocks in West Clare watching the sun set over the Atlantic – the murmuring violins, the overlapping waves of the oboe and clarinet, the horn announcing the big tune, the flutes and oboes high up in contrapuntal ripples and the final murmuring string chord.
The Sheffield Chamber Orchestra played it beautifully, warm throughout on every note. The lines breathed, each phrase a thing of beauty, overlapping and building to the big tune. I don’t know how the players looked while they were playing as my eyes were closed so that beautiful live sound could fill my head. But at the end, there was a joy at bringing to life something new.
Later, at the post concert reception, some of the musicians told me they really enjoyed playing those lines. Their instrument had nice lines, always adding something to the whole. And they enjoyed playing a piece by a composer who wasn’t dead!
Saturday, the 29th of November 2025, afternoon
Final Rehearsal
In Sheffield for the premiere of Sunset At Sea. I wasn’t sure about attending the final rehearsal as I have seen too many composers get in the way of rehearsals, especially the final one when it’s too late to make major changes and there’s barely time to run the piece. But Laurence wanted me there and so did the players! I thought long and hard about giving a note after the runthrough. I congratulated them on the warmth of sound and encouraged them to give even more warmth, to every note, even the single bass notes that land on their own. Second, I asked them to breathe, between each phrase, even the strings!
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