written as part of BBC National Orchestra of Wales Composition: Wales 2016

'songs from the stars' was inspired by the Philae spacecraft that formed part of the Rossetta mission in 2014. It is based upon transcriptions of the sun, solar flares, a radio storm between Jupiter and Io and stardust and is inspired by spectralist techniques. The first of four movements, the piece follows a satellite lost in space, similar to when Philae was thought to be out of operation. Exploring the loneliness of space the first movement takes a panoramic view of space, slowly introducing each transcription throughout the orchestra, culminating into a cacophony of sound before slowly dying away.

© Carol J Jones 2021

songs from the stars (2016) [excerpt]

Composer 

Carol J Jones is a composer of contemporary classical music, writing chamber, orchestral and vocal music. Informed by scientific methods, her work deconstructs sounds to create bold, layered compositions. Her work focuses on highlighting our changing understanding of the natural world as well as lesser-heard female stories.