as they fall into the sea (for bassoon)

Version for bassoon

Dedicated to Mavroudes Dakis Troullos

Program Note:

as they fall into the sea originated as a transformation of materials from my ESOlo project, which involves creating individual solos for principal players in the English Symphony Orchestra (ESO). These solos serve as the foundation for an orchestral composition, with each musical idea contextually linked through transformative processes. This approach ensures cohesion in the final orchestral work, offering a compelling method of composition that evolves from solo performances to a full orchestral piece.

However, the ESOlo materials drawn from various solos were merely the starting point for a new exploration—one that delved into the unique acoustic qualities of the contrabassoon. As the new material developed and took shape, the piece gradually moved away from its ESOlo origins, evolving into something distinct.

Now, as they fall into the sea stands as an audible ‘distant relative’ of the ESOlo project, marking a new direction for further compositional transformation.

There are two versions of this work sharing the same title: the original for contrabassoon and this version for bassoon, which is dedicated to Mavroudes Dakis Troullos.

Duration: circa 17 minutes

© Marc Yeats | August 2025