Australian Music Centre | Breaking sound barriers

Work Overview

Wisp of cloud was composed in 2013 for my friend and colleague Adrian Wintle for a recital at St Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney, in December 2013.
The title was inspired by the ever-­‐changing and beautiful cloud formations which appear in the clear skies of the Southern Highlands of New South Wales. The pipe organ, I think, can create atmospheric sounds in a way not possible on any other musical instrument and to quote Adrian's comment, there is 'a forest of shimmering colours' to be found on the William Hill & Son/Letourneau organ in St Andrew's Cathedral.

As for the musical ideas in this piece -­‐ they were based in part on a mesmerising harmonic progression which is in the work Joy by American composer Diane Bish. Wisp of Cloud then developed as a set of free variations. In the concluding bars, the cloud assumes a more thunderous appearance -­‐ only to evaporate (as clouds do sometimes) into a tiny trail in the sky.

Adrian Wintle describes the work in the following words: Wisp of Cloud is neo-­‐romantic and atmospheric music that contrasts the gravity of a chaconne-­‐like chordal opening section with a wistful melody against rippling left hand broken chords reminiscent of Clementi. Perhaps this aspect of the music suggests the evanescence of
a small cloud formation, but in any case it offers musical delicacy and a sense of glimpsing a fugitive scene. The piece is generally delicate, although its final section
displays boldness in its procession of forte block chords that supply a satisfying richness to the texture.

Work Details

Year: 2013

Instrumentation: Organ.

Duration: 6 min.

Written for: Adrian Wintle