'Rays of the Sun, Shards of the Moon' was the winning composition in the 2003 Douglas Lilburn Prize. Michael Norris says of the piece:
Michael Norris Photo: Supplied
“I was trying to capture a sense of shimmering daylight and dark, hazy nightfall. My choice of notes came from the harmonic series – the naturally occurring overtones of a freely vibrating body, such as a violin string. I chose three ‘interlocking’ series as a starting point to create this strange intermingling of sounds amongst the orchestra. Out of this formless ‘sea’ of instrumental washes, melodies begin to flourish in the woodwind and piano, and eventually the strings. Soon the harmonic series are abandoned for a freer use of pitches. But they return at the end as the last piercing rays of light fade out, leaving us in darkness.”
Recorded on 6 May 2005 by RNZ Concert
