Aquarium (2002)

Andreas Willscher (b. 1955) — Aquarium (2002) for organ

1. Organ “Coral”
2. Ray
3. Burbot
4. Seahorse
5. Sea Anemone
6. Sea Cucumber
7. Sea Robin
8. Seadragon
9. Mudskipper

(The YouTube video contains images of the sea creatures.)

"Aquarium" (2002) is a set of pieces inspired by things found in the ocean, though the composer states that his inspiration was not purely secular, but that he was also took inspiration from the stained glass windows of St. Francis Church in Hamburg-Barmbeck, Germany,which depict St. Francis’s “Canticle of the Sun.” He also cites as reference several Biblical passages about the things that live in the waters, especially Genesis 1:20a: “And God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures.”

The first movement, “Organ ‘Coral’” is titled with a pun, as it is both an “organ chorale” and an evocation of the grandeur of oceanic coral reefs. A ray is a type of fish distinguished by a flattened body and enormous wing-like fins. The burbot is a freshwater fish. The seahorse is a fish found in shallow primarily tropical water and is named after its equine appearance. Sea anemones are evocative water-dwelling animals that often cling to the ocean floor (or float upside down in the water.) Though beautiful in appearance, they are predatory. Sea cucumbers are marine animals with a leathery skin and very elongated body. Sea robins (also known as gunard) are bottom-feeding fishes with large pectoral fins that open and close like a bird in flight. The seadragon is a relative of the seahorse and is found in waters surrounding southern Australia. Mudskippers are amphibious fish that can use their fins to walk on land. When out of the water, mudskippers are very active: darting, feeding, and interacting.

Published by Dr. J. Butz Musikverlag (http://www.butz-verlag.de)