Isle of Mist
SATB divisi with Soprano Trio, 4’10’
The text of this piece is found in the front matter of John Arnott MacCulloch’s 1905 book, The Misty Isle of Skye. Referred to by the Norse as Skuy (misty isle), Skye is famed for its rugged terrain and awe-inspiring landscapes. The melody of this piece is folk-like, and begins with a trio that gradually unravels into a canon – a metaphor for the fragmented memories of the writer – followed by an aleatoric wash of sound before the return of the trio. What remains for the writer is a distant longing for the beauty of the land he calls home.
World premiere by EVOKX, conducted by Terrence Toh, 6 December 2018.