THROUGH THE MIST

Waves and Fountains

trio for oboe, horn, piano

Inspiration

Another water-themed piece, the basic descending gesture of Waves and Fountains was inspired by the many fountains we saw on a trip to Paris and southern France. I wanted to capture the idea of water as both a powerful force and a calming and serene experience.

I wrote Waves and Fountains for Cynthia Carr and Trio Arundel in 1997.

The Music

The musical motives are interpretations of the flow of water ever downward, with musically ruffled waves mixed in. The grand ending on a major chord is unusual for me, but I couldn’t avoid it -- nothing else worked; which meant it must be the right choice.

Image

Since that trip to France was pre-digital-camera, I chose a moss-covered fountain in Rome to represent this piece. I took this image in the Roman Forum. The grandeur of these ancient ruins filled me with awe, but crowded footprints of many monuments and crumbling walls made it hard to imagine a living, breathing place. However, in this alcove, above the main ruins, this fountain was lovely and peaceful with the sounds of water dripping and and an atmosphere of calm. It was probably part of the emperor's garden and off-limits to regular people, alas.