Darkness Visible, Richard Grantham. Brass Band

Darkness Visible is a musical essay on light and shade, and can be accessed on multiple levels of meaning. At one level, Darkness Visible is a journey through a dark landscape which could be external, such as space. Flashes of light create islands of expectancy as the music descends to its darkest moment in the short funereal section which begins with muted cornets and a mournful solo horn figure. However, like all human stories, light permeates the darkness even at our most extreme moments of tension. After sections of both violence and awe a resolution or indeed re-birth is reached after a broad and expansive theme first heard on a lonely soprano cornet builds to create a brilliant light that will end the journey for all.
On another level, Darkness Visible could be experienced as an internal struggle; one soul's fight with its own demons, real or imagined. Death and rebirth
are alluded to here as part of life's great journey and the work could indeed be seen as a series of degrees on the square leading to a final mastery over that great fear and uncertainty that all must face at some time.
Darkness Visible is a mosaic of themes and rhythmic ideas revolving around the guiding principles mentioned above and whatever interpretation of these fragments one chooses, the music as a whole should always feel like a journey that begins in darkness and ends in a glorious blaze of light!

Publication details:
Title - Darkness Visible
Composer - Richard Grantham
Instrumentation - Brass Band
Duration - 12.50
Difficulty - Difficult

Set Piece for the 2012 GOUDEN SPIKER FESTIVAL(3rd Section)
Set Piece for the 2011 NATIONAL FINALS UK(3rd Section)
Netherlands: Groot Repertorium Brass Band, 3e Divisie