In the heights of the Classical Greek era, brave mariners would carry goods and sundries across the Aegean, leaving newly discovered lands with luxurious items to bring back home to Greece.

Many met their demise at the hands of “Poseidon” and to this day we are still finding wreckages on the sea floor.

This ship was one of the lucky ones that made it home…

In this piece, the ship is represented by the Strings, initially calm and slightly mournful as it leaves the port of a recently discovered paradise, totally in harmony with the wind (Woodwinds) that fills it's sails.

As the winds pick up, the threat of the sea - represented by the Brass, gradually becomes more apparent.

The battle between ship and sea ensues, with the winds swirling around the vessel as waves crash against it's bow.

There is a moment of triumph as the ship seemingly overcomes the initial barrage of water and wind, the strings ascending and descending as the ship navigates burly waves, before finally reaching the eye of the storm.

Everything seems quiet, but with a sinister feeling to the air.

Suddenly, a final behemoth of a wave can be seen approaching, which quickly engulfs the ship in all it's might.

It overwhelms everything, the wind howls, the ship is at the mercy of nature now.

The crew hang on for dear life and for a moment, it seems that the sea has won.

However, out of all the chaos, the strings emerge with a sense of relief, telling us that the heroic vessel has survived the Trial of Poseidon.

As the Oboe chatters and gives the sense of scattered debris and echoing the preceding chaos, once again the sails of the boat harmonise with the wind as it carries our protagonists home, with a clear sense of reassurance and consolation.

© Rob Miles Coverdale 2022 All Rights Reserved