About this Piece

This work has two contrasting movements, and the name and inspiration behind it pay homage to Isata and Sheku’s Antiguan and Welsh heritage. 

In preparing to write this work, I explored the folklore, myths, and legends of Eryri/Snowdonia (the Mabinogion) as well as Antiguan and Caribbean folklore. I was struck by the powerful oral storytelling traditions of both places, and how human experience has been passed down and has deeply enhanced the audience’s connection to the landscapes and to peoples of long ago. 

Tor Mordôn literally means “sea mount of light.” The name is derived from Brythonic languages and connects both Eryri and Antigua. The name combines three elements: the sense of enlightenment, inspiration that can be felt in the presence of the highest peaks, and the sea/oceans for linking continents and serving as the birthplace for those very peaks rising out of it. I chose the ancient Brythonic languages to highlight the vast swaths of time that can disappear through storytelling and the wonder that people can enjoy those same landscapes and stories millennia apart. 

The first movement has a contemplative start and explores my journey in discovering various mythical characters as well as the human connection to experiencing the vastness in time and presence of mountains. 

The second movement draws on the eccentric elements of the folktales as well as the more sinister drama and power of dramatic landscapes, which take center stage right from the start. 

This work is dedicated to Isata and Sheku’s grandfather Arnold Mason. He himself played the violin growing up in Antigua, and it was with interest and a quiet dedication that he listened to Isata and Sheku’s rehearsals and practice at their home in Nottingham during his visits. —Natalie Klouda  

New work commission by American Patrons of the Philharmonia Orchestra, London, Mr. and Mrs. William Jacob III