Fanfare for a Frozen Land

About

Fanfare for a Frozen Land depicts the harshness of Antarctica, from the calls of the penguins and skuas involved in their eternal struggle to the intense cold which permeates everything on this vast, empty continent. The huge expanse of white and the many shades of white dominating the landscape colour this work as does its history. After the initial energetic cries of the brass and woodwind the mood becomes much more introspective, as one does for many hours down on The Ice. One remembers the heroes, like Scott and Shackleton, the crushing defeat and the glory that symbolises this place as one of the places on earth where one's sheer humanity is tested to its fullest and the knowledge that without one's fellow man one could simply not survive. My sincerest thanks go to Antarctica New Zealand for their help and inspiration that made the composition of this work possible.