Score and parts here.

Programme note:

This piece was formerly known as Salm. That piece died one of those annoying slow deaths where the realisation that it wasn't as good an idea as your originally thought gradually beats its way into your skull and you have to ditch it and do something else. So I took my little baby piano piece Morning Star and expoded it. It was fun.

Here's the actual note:

Morning Star was inspired by a haiku of the same name by the Scottish poet George Bruce. Just as stars (from our point of view) seem constant and unchanging, the music is essentially static. As we stare at the star we are drawn deeper into it and become aware of increasing detail and complexity. This is the path the music charts, delving deeper into two types of material, one harmonic, the other melodic, whilst essentially remaining the same. The harmonic sections feature very long chords held by contrasting blocks of the orchestra. In the melodic sections, each section of the orchestra is given an opportunity to sing, molto espressivo, albeit as though from a great distance.

Rehearsal of Morning Star with Martin, the WSSSO, and their conductor James Lowe. Carberry Towers, 16 June 2006.