sólarris

for orchestra

about

sólarris (SOH-lah-rees) means “sunrise” in Faroese.

The Faroe Islands were first settled one and a half millennium ago. For the last 1,000 years, the archipelago was subject to the Norwegian crown and then the Danish crown. During the nineteenth century, when colonialism was still in its prime, the Faroese faced discrimination at the hands of their Danish rulers: the Faroese parliament, the then-1,000-year-old Løgting, was abolished, and the Faroese language was suppressed.

Near the end of that century, great Faroese minds convened in what became known as the Christmas Meeting of 1888 to address the mistreatment of the Faroese people and their culture. A movement was born to restore the Faroese language and place power back in the hands of the Faroese.

The twentieth century saw efforts to secede from the Kingdom of Denmark and establish the Faroe Islands as a constitutional republic, but they were unsuccessful. Instead, the islands gradually gained autonomy in most areas of government while remaining a Danish territory.

To this day, the Faroe Islands exist in a state of political limbo — they neither are nor aren’t a country, their people neither are nor aren’t Faroese nationals, and their autonomy neither is nor isn’t recognised by the nations of the world.

Still, the day draws near when the sun will rise over the Faroe Islands, and its light will shine on land that belongs only to the Faroese.

composition year

2024

duration

7′ 00″

Instrumentation

3 Flutes

2 Oboes

English Horn

2 Clarinets in B-flat

Bass Clarinet

2 Bassoons

Contrabassoon

4 Horns in F

3 Trumpets in B-flat

2 Trombones

Bass Trombone

Tuba

Percussion (4 players): Glockenspiel, Marimba, Suspended Cymbal, Triangle, Crash Cymbals, Bass Drum

Celeste

Harp

Strings