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Ahau can

Priest of Serpent (or Heaven or Four)
Written in:
1987
Duration:
12'
Instrumentation:
3 flts (+3picc,1 alto flt), 3 ob., 4 clts (+2 Eb, A & Bass clt), 3 fgts, 4 cor, 3 trmpts, 3 trmbnes, 1 tuba, 5 perc. players, celesta, 2 hrps, 12 vlnsI, 12 vlns II, 9 vlas, 9 vc, 6 Db.
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Commisioned by

Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 1987.

Premiere

Ahau Can was my first orchestral work when I was a student at the Guildhall School of Music. I tried to explore the different sonorities of the orchestra in different combinations and included ad libitum with full written sections.
The harmonic material is derived from a twelve tone chord which functions as a sign post throughout the piece.

Programme Note