David Heyes: Passchendaele: A Meditation for double bass sextet

About the Composition Passchendaele - a Meditation, originally for 2 double basses and a string quartet, was inspired by an iconic photograph of Australian gunners on a duckboard track in Château Wood near Hooge taken by Frank Hurley on 29 October 1917.  The music is simple and slow-moving, contrasting strong and powerful emotions from the two soloists, set against a simple and repetitive accompaniment which subtly underpins the melodic lines. There are opportunities to display the lyrical and sonorous qualities of the double bass, whether as a duet or in the two solo soliloquies, which eventually die away into nothingness and into the mists of time. The original version for 2 double basses and string quartet was premiered at Lanlivery Church (Lanlivery, Cornwall) on Saturday 17 July 2015 by David Heyes (double bass), Joe Prindl (double bass) and the Liskeard Chamber Players. The version for 2 double basses and piano was premiered on Sunday 25 October 2015 at Clifton College (Bristol,