evergreen (2021)
Orchestra of Opera North, Jordan de Souza
Huddersfield Town Hall 4 April 2023 Selected as part of Opera North: Minute Masterpieces According to the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, no other tree species in the UK supports a greater diversity of life than the oak tree. In research published in 2019, oak trees were found to support 2,300 species of which 326 depend entirely on the oak tree for survival. evergreen deconstructs the sounds from inside a Holm Oak to explore one of the UK’s biggest, most exciting natural homes. The piece opens with the strings ebbing and flowing as the water rushes up the tree, while a solo cello imitates the air bubbles popping inside. As the tree comes to life, the orchestra awakens with key clicks and flourishes from the woodwind and brass while the double basses keep the orchestra grounded. |