This work is dedicated to Manfred Obrecht, conductor and musical editor. Manfred asked the composer to write a piece that captures the changing colours and mood of a mountain when viewed from a relatively close distance. The work is in four sections:
- Awakening – early morning and the mountain is covered in cloud, eventually the sun bursts through and reveals the mountain in all its glory.
- Snow, Ice and Glaciers - between the rocky out-crops ther are layers of snow; slippery ice patches and icicles adorn the overhangs. In the larger crevices and valleys glaciers are formed.
- Vistas and Distant Peaks - when viewed from other high points one can see the mountain in full outline against the vast landscape.
- Avalanche - despite its beauty, a mountain can be a dangerous place and the accumulated snow may not be stable, it can easily tumble out of control. The slight twist of major tonalities at the very end reflects the way a sudden change in light can alter the whole perspective.
