Violent, Violent Sea (2011)

Composer Note

Violent, Violent Sea was commissioned by the Barlow Endowment and the League of Composers Chamber Orchestra, and was premiered at Miller Theater in New York City in June 2011.

This work began with more of an emotional impression than a precise musical idea. My early notes for the piece look something like this:

To my relief I eventually did figure out "how to do this." The work evolved significantly from these early sketches but my idea of creating a loud, dense work with conflicting light and dark sides remained intact. The result is a ten-minute piece with a deceptively sparkling exterior and dark, slow-moving chords at its core. These chords grind against each other, dissolve into glissandos and crescendo into surprising dissonances under the glistening patina of vibraphone and marimba. This work is dedicated to Sheila Mazzoli, who loves the sea more than anyone.

— Missy Mazzoli