Three Mobiles

---

Length / year

12' - 2001

Instrumentation

soprano saxophone and piano

Performance history

World Premiere
Machynlleth Festival
21st August 2001
Gerard McChrystal - saxophone
Dan Moriyama - piano

First Broadcast
(Mobile 2) BBC Radio 3 - Morning Sequence
January 2002
Gerard McChrystal - saxophone
Dan Moriyama - piano

Programme note

These three pieces are based on the same harmonic sequence as my work 'Transports'. Their title is more than a reference to the earlier work however. The harmony is entirely diatonic and moves through a 36-chord sequence with the bass descending each time by a single step. Like a mobile, therefore, the essential stucture remains the same as the surface pattern changes.

The first and third pieces are bright and lively. The long central slow piece is lyrical and romantic in character and refers also to the jazz associations of the saxophone.

This piece was commissioned by Gwyl Machynlleth - Machynlleth Festival with funds made available in part by the Arts Council of Wales. It was first performed on 21st August 2001 by Gerard McChrystal (saxophone) and Dan Moriyama (piano).