D a v i d   V e s s

When I first played for the BrSO back in 2015, I did not know what I was getting myself into. A new world of orchestral music and collaboration was ahead of me. I've had the great fortune to play tuba here for several seasons, and I'm even more lucky to have been commissioned twice (!) by such a fantastic ensemble. Right from the onset we hear a triumphant theme in the horns. This theme will form the backbone of the work, constantly shifting and imitating with each appearance. I really wanted to find this feeling of flying through the air. There is an irregular heartbeat motive, never quite finding a solid pulse. We fly through several episodes, each featuring different sections of the orchestra: a piccolo solo, a timpani solo and brassy fanfares. The piece reaches its apex at a section I've marked: "at the peak of the mountain", where the horn, bassoons, trumpets and trombone revive the theme from the opening. There is a feeling of possibility, and almost apprehension, as if we are nervous to leap and take flight. But leap we do, and all of the various themes return, finding their final evolution before the piece roars to a finish. It has been an incredible privilege and delight to write for the BrSO.