patina (this is truly a golden age)

10’

orchestra
for the London Philharmonic Orchestra’s Young Composer Scheme

Score

A hyperobject, as described by philosopher Timothy Morton, is something so huge that we're unable to grasp the extent of its effect on the world. Global warming is Morton's favourite example - an unspeakably big and complicated set of forces which paradoxically (at time of writing) have had relatively little effect on most of our lives. This makes them difficult to talk about in any visceral, emotional way.

COVID-19 is also a hyperobject - an event whose effects are so chaotic and ubiquitous it defies the mind. We retreat instead to talking about numbers, trends and seven day averages: the least visceral way of talking about anything. In doing so we erase the creativity, bravery, suffering and compassion that wouldn't exist without COVID.

This piece moves from blended and anonymous sounds toward soloistic and human ones. This is how we come to understand hyperobjects - by resisting the temptation to zoom out and summarise, and instead by focusing on the specific and the human.

Many thanks to Brett Dean and the LPO for all of their time, support and wisdom; to Phil Cashian and Ed Finnis for their advise and patience; to my fellow composers on the LPO Young Composer scheme for their encouragement and wonderful music; and to David, for everything.