Ildaite, meaning ‘multicoloured’ in Irish, is inspired by the Northern Lights. This piece intends to evoke an array of hues from this wonderful natural phenomenon by focusing on harmonic and timbral colours.

The Northern Lights are formed when solar wind particles emitted from the sun collide with the Earth’s atmosphere. The colour we see depends on the altitude at which they come into contact with gaseous particles in our atmosphere. Pale red, yellow, green and finally blue can be observed as these particles travel towards the Earth. Ildaite explores this journey, beginning with shimmering solar energy and eventually arriving at a deep blue which fades away into the night sky.

Performed by Quatuor Danel in March 2022 during a postgraduate composition workshop at the University of Manchester.

Ildaite (string quartet)

Inspired by magnetism, Lodestones considers the violin and piano to be separate magnetic currents that interact with one another. The process of attraction defines much of the opening section, with both instruments frequently colliding with one another and exchanging motivic ideas. Closely intertwined in the more static middle section, the violin and piano soon begin to diverge and demonstrate the influence of repulsion. This separation continues and both instruments eventually fade away into registral extremes, unaffected by the magnetic presence of the other. To emulate this sense of magnetism harmonically, bluesy sonorities which oscillate between major and minor intervals can be heard throughout the piece (particularly in the slower middle section).


Lodestones was performed by Rachael Masterson (violin) and Ciara Moroney (piano) at MTU Cork School of Music in November 2021.

Lodestones (violin and piano)

Straight Shot Blues is inspired by the music of Thelonious Monk.  This piece intends to create the illusion of two soloists, contrasting in register and character, who expand and experiment with Monk’s ‘Straight, No Chaser’ tune. One ‘soloist’ exploits Monk’s use of rhythmic displacement in the chalumeau register while the other embraces a more improvisational approach to explore derivations of the theme in the clarion register. Anchored by underlying blues progressions, these melodic derivations are altered gradually until the nature of the original tune is revealed.

Straight Shot Blues was performed by Frankie Gale in March 2021 at the University of Manchester.

Straight Shot Blues (clarinet in Bb)

Over the past year, I have been fascinated by the correlations which exist between music and the visual arts. Synaesthetic composers such as Olivier Messiaen and their descriptions of how certain musical sounds can evoke particular colours inspired me to explore a world where music and art are linked.

Harmony, instrumental timbre and register play an important role in conveying four particular colours – orange, green, coral red and indigo. These musical parameters work together to evoke emotional responses which are intended to closely match the feeling or reaction a person may have when they experience the visual manifestation of a particular colour.

This work was performed by the University of Manchester Symphony Orchestra in the Cosmo Rodewald Hall in March 2022.

Litmus Papers (orchestra)

Imperium features a series of highly charged dialogues which are defined by the struggle for power between two opposing forces, violin 1 and violin 2. Violin 1 is aggressive, unpredictable and invasively attacks the more passive and subdued drones in violin 2. As the piece progresses, violin 1 becomes more erratic and pulls violin 2 into a fast-paced, agitated and intense section where both violins battle to establish their own identity. 

'Imperium' was performed by Diane Daly and Katherine Hunka at the SCS Killaloe Music Festival on 5th June 2022. It was also broadcast by RTE Lyric FM on ‘The Full Score with Liz Nolan' Show on 15 May 2023.

Imperium (violin duo)

The recording was produced by Psappha Ensemble on 5 September 2022 and features Ben Powell, the Ensemble's newly appointed Artistic Director.

Quiver is a blues-inspired piece which explores the piano’s resonance. Alternating meters along with the use of octaves in the upper register create a sense of brightness and propulsion from the outset. The piano’s resonant capabilities gradually become more prominent through the use of increasingly colourful harmonies. Relentless rhythmic activity, increased chromaticism and larger registral spans eventually drive the piece towards an emphatic climax, where the pulsating material finally gives way to rich, sonorous chords. Freed from rhythmical constraints, Quiver concludes on a more expressive note and alludes to some of the earlier motivic ideas with greater freedom and sensitivity.

Quiver (solo piano)

In Flux is defined by harmonic fluctuations and the turbulent search for a resolution which can never truly happen: that between our 12-ET tuning system and the overtone series. 

Beginning in a dark and static sound-world, the music slowly brightens with alternating major and minor sonorities that emulate the overtone series in 12-ET. These overtone-inspired harmonies along with an increase in textural vibrancy propel the piece to an emphatic climax. The wonderful clashes that exist between the natural overtone series and 12-ET are eventually revealed at the end. Irreconcilable, these two mutually exclusive phenomena fade away to an ethereal accord. 

In Flux was workshopped and recorded by Psappha Ensemble on 20th March 2023.

In Flux (flute, violin, cello, piano)

This piece (for SATB choir a cappella) explores the strong progressions from darkness to brightness and from restriction to expansion in Emily Dickinson’s poem, ‘From the Chrysalis’ . Tightly spaced lines and dark harmonic clusters attempt to emulate the constriction of a cocoon at the beginning. The chrysalis gradually opens to reveal the boundless sky and meadows in the form of resonant chords, soaring lines and modes which radiate the refreshing colours of spring. 

This extended excerpt was performed by Somnium Chamber Choir at The Holy Name Church in Manchester on 5 May 2023.

From the Chrysalis (excerpt) - for SATB choir

Reflections examines the relationship between various colourful scales and a fixed axis of symmetry. The piece opens with a lively, dance-like motif and this idea gradually becomes more agitated as the scales in use move away from the axis of symmetry. Following an intense climax, the music slowly works its way back towards this axis to inspire a freer and more expressive section which explores a wide variety of pizzicato techniques. This restful spell is short-lived and as the title suggests, the opening motifs eventually return and develop towards a virtuosic finish.

Reflections was performed by Yovan Markovitch, cellist of Quatuor Danel, in April 2021.

Reflections (solo violoncello)

Entwine embraces dualist concepts of harmony and post-spectral techniques to explore an equal-tempered sound world inspired by overtones and undertones. Beginning with more simple sonorities, overtone and undertone elements are first contrasted with one another in an expansive canon – as the piece progresses, these polarised sounds intensify and are eventually combined to produce highly colourful harmonic planes. 


This recording is a MIDI file - Entwine was written during the Covid-19 Pandemic and has yet to be performed live.

Entwine (orchestra)

Murrough Connolly is an award-winning composer from Tralee, Co Kerry. Currently based in Manchester, his music challenges conventional harmonic practices to uncover new avenues for harmonic exploration. While his most recent compositions reveal a unique perspective on the overtone series and post-spectral music, other pieces adopt a much more liberal approach by intuitively combining contemporary classical techniques with the blues guitar music of his youth. Several of his works have also investigated how subjective perceptions of visual colours can inspire harmonic colours. 

Murrough’s music has been performed by a wide range of outstanding performers and ensembles across the UK, Ireland and the USA, including: Psappha Ensemble, Quatuor Danel, The Carducci Quartet, Katherine Hunka, Somnium Chamber Choir, Dr. Aileen Razey, Dr. Kelsey Paquin and The Irish Guitar Quartet. 

In December 2023, Murrough completed his PhD in Music Composition at the University of Manchester under the supervision of Prof. Camden Reeves. He is an associate composer represented by the Contemporary Music Centre of Ireland (CMC) and currently works as a Classical Music Curation Specialist at Welocalize Ltd.

Visit Murrough's website for more information:

https://www.murroughconnolly.com/

Murrough Connolly

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