Written for the Canolfan Cerdd William Mathias Ensemble as part of the Bangor Music Festival 2024. Polarity draws inspiration from the works of Tacita Dean, particularly her landscape chalk works ‘Fatigues’. This piece explores the juxtapositions of these works that draw on themes of darkness and light. Throughout the piece there are two distinct themes/characteristics of the piece, which touches upon the monochromic effects of these chalk works. The lightness, explores the subtle, bright and melodic textures of the theme, whilst the darkness totally contrasts through percussive and dark tonalities. However, both themes make subtle nods to the physical practice of the chalk pressing against the black board. As we journey through this piece, the themes and gestures gradually blend further together to encompass the various gradients and unity we feel within the artworks themselves.

Polarity (For Quartet)

Piano Trio No 2

This piece was manipulated from just one sound, with supporting saxophones sounds.

Submerge

Cormorants' Wake

Rhyfel in Resonance

Here is my piece performed by The Hermes Experiment as a part of the Dyfed Young Composers scheme. The lyrics are from a poem of the same name, written by Victor Hugo.

Polarity (For Quartet)

Tayla-Leigh Payne

Related tracks