FLYING OVER CUBA (score & parts)

PROGRAMME NOTES by the composer, Ralf Dorrell (b. 1959)

I was inspired to write this piece after reading about a famous American composition teacher whose students were always set the same first assignment: to compose a multi-section piece that only used the seven notes of one major scale. To keep the piece interesting for the listener this meant they had to concentrate on other parameters, such as dynamics, articulation and textures.

Inspired by the challenge, I decided to compose such a piece myself and Flying over Cuba is the result. Rhythmically, Latin American dance rhythms abound, and, in particular, a ‘tumbao’ bass line. This apparently simple figure is offset so that none of the notes lands on the strong beats where you might expect them to. This tension between the long flowing melody and the offbeat Latin rhythms provides the rhythmic interest and drive throughout.

The title came to me when imagining the finished piece used as background music for film or TV and the image of a plane flying serenely over Cuba came to mind.

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