Wind: Song of the Air

Wind: Song of the Air is influenced by Japanese music, especially by Japanese folk song called Minyo. It is intended to be an impression of the play of the wind. The piece would suite a quartet of advanced classical guitarists or a larger guitar ensemble with several players on each part.

The piece begins quietly with a gentle breeze and builds towards a noisy howling gale. The images of of the ‘song of the air’, ‘wind chimes’, ‘breeze blown butterfly’, ‘leaves in eddies’ etcetera are intended to give the performer ideas on interpretation and suggest the sort of feeling that is required. The glissandi, ornamentation and fluid arpeggiated figures help create the sinuous song of the air and give the piece a rhythmic suppleness and freedom. Some melodic lines seem free and independent for a while, but eventually converge in rhythmic unison like leaves outlining eddies - mini whirlwinds - in the breeze.

Nick Chamberlain July 2012