This piece, a flight of fancy for alto saxophone and piano, comprises three sections, each lasting about a minute or so.

The first section kicks off in an energetic and cheerful way with the bright, upper registers of both instruments at play. Also evident in the opening section are ideas such as angular melodic lines played in unison, a little harp-like piano accompaniment texture and a contrasting theme fashioned atop a jazzy, dance-inspired bassline.

The middle section of the work is perhaps the more unearthly music of the work. Little updrafts and whirlwinds of tinkling, glockenspiel-like piano figurations add a haunting quality to a chromatically inflected saxophone melody, evoking, for me, images of night and a kind of magic.

The final section of the piece – which brings us back to earth with its recapitulation of earlier material – is characterised by the sound of its ‘slow-to-start’, hand-cranked engine.

Ritual 5 was composed for Michael Lichnovsky.

As with other pieces in the ‘Ritual’ series, Ritual 5 is based on duality with
reference to certain ritualistic elements. The subtitle for this work comes from two
Japanese words - anshin and joriki. Both words have reference to Zen meditation.

ANSHIN loosely translates as ‘relief’ or ‘peace of mind’.

JORIKI literally means ‘power of mind’. It refers to the long term strength that is
carried through everyday life by the raising of concentration. With strong joriki,
one can direct the mind in any direction, at any time.

Cloud Eight? There is an aspect of melancholy about the whole idea. Less than one might dream of. Yet it is also an opportunity to think again. To re-evaluate what is worthwhile. In musical terms, this finally leads to a more elated reverie. Not shouting from the roof tops, but perhaps an inner elation while taking a solitary stroll far from the madding crowd.

This version for alto saxophone and guitar was adapted specifically for Gerard McChrystal and Craig Ogden, who gave the premiere performance on 14 October 2005 in the Weston Gallery of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, Cardiff and subsequently recorded the piece for their CD, Pluck Blow (Meridian Records).