Toronto's opera house
Ceilidh
A two-movement symphonic tone-poem inspired by the coast and music of Western Scotland
I - Seaside Village: Many years back my wife and I took a trip from Glasgow through the western
isles of Scotland. Having missed a ferry to Skye we stayed a night in a beautiful (in that rugged Scottish way)
seaside village which in my mind has become the setting for that mainstay of Scottish traditional
music and community social event, the Ceilidh. This movement portrays the village amidst the
blustering wind and roiling waves. A glimmer of sunlight peeks out between the clouds, only
to be overcome by a storm. The weather calms as the sun sets, marking the end of the work
day and the beginning of the night time festivities.
| Duration: | 6:00 min. |
|---|---|
| Instrumentation: | picc.2.2.2.2 / 4.3.3.1 / 3+T hp strings |
| Composition Date: | October 2008 |
View an extract from the score
Listen to a live sample recording
Listen to a synthesized recording
More: The Second Movement