for orchestra (2015)
Benthic Metropolis was inspired both by vivid images of reef communities, and by a podcast I heard describing one man’s descent into the Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the world’s oceans. Following in the tradition of many composers who have written about the ocean, including Debussy, Jennifer Higdon, and John Luther Adams, I use the unique colors of the orchestra to portray the mysteriousness, vastness, and diversity of a majestic underwater world.
Duration: ca. 10 minutes
Piccolo
Flute
2 Oboes
2 Bb Clarinets
2 Bassoons
4 F Horns
2 C Trumpets
2 Trombones
Bass Trombone
Tuba
Timpani (5 drums)
Percussion (2 players; percussion instruments are not shared):
1: Xylophone, Guiro, Glockenspiel, Flexatone, 2 Cowbells, 5 Temple Blocks
2: Vibraphone, 2 Tom Toms, Tam-tam, Suspended Cymbal, Bass Drum
Strings
April 17, 2016
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe Community Orchestra
David Chavez, conductor