Somme, 1913


I began work on this in late 2014 when I first started using the symphonic strings library from Spitfire Audio. The melody appeared instantly and put me in mind of Vaughan Williams, an English pastoral composer I have admired for years. The piece really began to take shape when I recalled a painting I encountered while working as a picture dealer in the south west of England. It was a small, early 20th century watercolour of a tranquil river scene which had been brought in for restoration. When I opened the back of the frame to remove it I saw a simple hand written inscription which read, 'Somme, 1913'. It was chilling to contrast this picture of serenity and beauty with the carnage and horror that we now associate with the name.
This is a short work for symphonic strings and french horns, and sensitively mastered by Super Audio Mastering. Listen and purchase from the Music page.

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