https://soundcloud.com/jiheng/the-ocean-breathes-2017?si=41bbf68f58b94f59877d2ba1ea48114e&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7FwCGVUfQc
Recorded by: Erin Barnard, Laura Alexander, Milly Atkinson, Ruth Townsend (sopranos); Andrea Seaton, Lucy Morrell (altos); Ji Heng Lee, Konrad Bucher (tenors); Chris Hedges, Rory Copeland, Ruari Paterson-Aschenbach, Tom Sparkes (basses)
This single-movement piece takes the title of a poem that it sets, The Ocean Breathes, by Robb A. Kopp:
cymbals crash with frothy force from dark shadows lurk jagged claws volcanic sand gritty and coarse moon beams off a barnacle laced jug from dark shadows lurk jagged claws shinny minnows in steady breaths moon beams off a barnacle laced jug in secluded pools the jelly fish dance shinny minnows in steady breaths volcanic sand gritty and coarse in secluded pools the jelly fish dance cymbals crash with frothy force
The set of pitches used in this composition is obtained from an approximation of the pitch spectrum of a 16’ cymbal. Rhythmic cycles for the sounding of each of the three cymbals are also devised using arithmetic progressions corresponding to the proportion of their sizes (7’, 13’, 16’).