Missing

Missing is a composition in two parts, which is influenced by blockbuster film music. Both movements have a broad, romantic style, and are characterised by their strong melodies. The music also uses a verraphone; a percussion instrument that consists of numerous glass tubes, each crafted to sound at a certain pitch.

Part I begins with a haunting cor anglais solo that has a call and response melody with itself, and later with the flute. The strings provide a simple, yet rich harmonic foundation. The second section introduces a key change and a more ‘stop and go’ feel. The beat accentuation changes regularly, and the notes are generally shorter and have lighter articulation than in the first section. The music then gradually rises to a much more dramatic variation of the initial theme. The woodwind semiquavers give a pulsating texture, whilst the heavy brass add depth. After the peak in intensity, the music becomes more reflective with cor anglais and violin solos recapitulating the themes. There is a sombre atmosphere towards the end, although there is the respite of a major chord to finish.

Part II has a slower tempo, and a snippet of the main theme is immediately heard from the whole orchestra. The first harp then provides the rhythmic motion, while the orchestra makes way for the second theme from the solo flute. Similar to Part I, this theme has a haunting nature, and the melody is often transferred between the flute and the clarinet. An eerie mood is briefly created when the verraphone enters, along with low tremolo strings. The music modulates to the relative major key for a moment of lyricism in the strings alone, before the woodwinds build to a fuller version of the main theme. After this, the music gains momentum as it revisits earlier material, finally leading to a climactic rendition of the expressive main theme.

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