From three sea-paintings of Paul Nash

Bailey, Judith

About the work

This one-movement work has three sections, in turn inspired by Paul Nash’s ‘Winter Sea’, ‘Atlantic’, and ‘Dead Sea (Totes Meer)’. The first painting has a clear triangle shape which is translated into a musical motif which reappears frequently. The flatness of the sea is suggested by a horizontal melodic line which does not move far from its source. All three sections of the work. although different, are closely related. Nash’s letters tell us that the ‘Winter Sea’ is at Dymchurch and was painted during the early 1930s. ‘Atlantic’ is taken from a series of representational drawings made on Atlantic journeys and later developed. ‘Dead Sea’ is based on the large dump of war-wrecked aircraft at Cowley, and the subsequent effect on Nash.

First Performance: Portsmouth New Music Orchestra, John Webber, Petersfield, 1998

Technical notes

There are some changes of time signature and in a few places some challenging rhythmic patterns between parts