Joey Roukens: Morphic Waves (2016), for orchestra

Nederlands Philharmonisch Orkest, conducted by Marc Albrecht. Morphic Waves is a symphony cast in one continuous 23-minute span. Although the piece starts in a manner indebted to American (post)minimalism, the piece gradually takes on a distinctly 'European' symphonic element, with diverging subsections organically morphing into one another in a way that's perhaps more akin to Sibelius 7th Symphony (a piece which I adore). Throughout the piece one can hear wave-like elements, most notably in the dynamic swells in all instruments, but also in the way the orchestral textures expand and contract. The piece is mainly about texture, color and harmony. The harmonies are mostly rather dark-hued, although the final Adagio epilogue is very serene and tender.