ELEMENTAL

The Full Elemental Suite - Water, Fire, Air, Earth. Before the days of modern science where we can break down substances to their individual chemical elements, what was classified as ‘an element’ was a much simpler, yet meaningful process. The Ancient Greeks in particular were some of many who deemed that there were four elements that made up our world: Water, Fire, Air, and Earth. Each one represented a key part of the world, and was the only way to explain the matter and substance in our world. Many cultures linked them to myths, gods, emotions, and other concepts. This collection of music is designed to represent that idea of a simpler way of looking at the world, focussing on these four classical elements, and portraying them through the power of music. Water Water is deceptively powerful. It can mix materials together and transport it across the entire world. It can eradicate fire, it travels through the air, wears down mountains, erodes the very land we live on: Water always wins. Yet it is patient. It doesn’t have the destructive intensity of air or fire. It destroys things over millions of years. It constantly moves around the planet, always changing, never remaining the same. This piece reflects the way water mixes materials, and is in fact a mixture of chemical elements itself, with the extensive use of pedal. As it is always moving, changing, the piece does the same, with no repeated sections. This is the shortest piece in this suite, as most of us will only ever see a tiny fraction of water’s destructive ability in our lifetimes. And yet, it’s immense power is hinted at throughout the piece. Fire Fire is a complex element, with many different aspects to it: it can be beautiful yet deadly at the same time; it can destroy, yet can also be the saviour of others. Depending on the context of the fire, it has the power to save someone’s life, or destroy it. This piece attempts to showcase a few of these features. The opening reflects how fire can grow from nothing into something huge and powerful, yet equally can return to nothing as shown in the closing section. Throughout the piece there are rapidly moving sections, with many contrasting rhythms and pitches, reflecting the chaos and horror fire can bring about. The middle section reflects the impact fire can have on people’s lives, the sadness it can bring, as well as how majestic and beautiful it can be despite its destructive power. This original piece was recorded by The Gould Piano Trio and clarinettist Robert Plane, March 2019. Air There have been many different variations of air as an element. One common interpretation was by the Greek philosopher Plato, who split the idea of ‘air’ into two distinct categories: Aer is the dimmer, lower atmosphere that humans and animals breath; Aether is the brighter high atmosphere above the clouds, a kind of air breathed only by the gods. The first movement, Aer, reflects the idea of the lower atmosphere by focussing on the lower ranges of the higher instruments such as the flute, and is also quite slow in tempo, as if the instruments themselves are floating. The piece replicates the sound of air that we recognise by having some of the players blow air through their instruments without producing notes. This original piece was recorded by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales Wind Quintet, March 2019. The second movement Aether opens with a triumphant fanfare, to represent the benevolent Greek gods. The full range of the higher instruments is unleashed in this movement, with a dance like melody that slowly becomes more and more distorted throughout, reflecting the idea that the gods aren’t always kind, sometimes they can be deadly… Earth When the Ancient Greeks were classifying elements, they called Earth ‘the heaviest of the elements’. In many cultures, the element Earth is replaced by metal. It is not surprising then that this piece is written for a large ensemble, that being a Brass Band. The heaviness is also explored by the more dominant lines appearing in the lower brass. Earth is said to hold the power of life and death, which is explored in this piece in multiple tonalities, tempi, and many other aspects. Earth is not just an element: it is the name given to the planet we live on, truly holding the power of life and death, and encompasses all four elements. For that reason, various motifs and references from Water, Fire, and Air, can be found within this piece. The very end section acts not just as an end to this piece, but a finale to the suite as a whole entity, quoting the primary motifs from all the pieces (including both movements of Air). This piece had it's first performance by the Hampshire County Youth Band at The Anvil, Basingstoke in March 2020. -- Get the sheet music yourself below! Sheet Music Direct: https://www.sheetmusicdirect.com/se/I... Sheet Music Plus: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/en/pro...