Winedark Sea

The Wine-Dark Sea appears as the title of an historical novel by Patrick O'Brian published in 1993, which happens to be the same year Paul McCartney wrote his song Winedark Open Sea. This evocative phrase, originally from Homer's Odyssey, has been used by at least five other authors and now we have another musical link.      

The opening few bars are marked 'Slow and Foreboding' which sets the scene for the main body of the composition which is comprised in the main of quick-flowing arpeggios which one presumes is indicative of sea movement. A calm but lilting interlude is introduced next containing a pleasant melody line first in the treble then in the bass and with some nice discordant chords spicing things up. A lengthy chromatically descending chord sequence (maybe a sinking to the bottom of the ocean - or is that just me being poetical?) leads back to the main part of the composition.     

This is an appealing little composition, which may be of interest to the Intermediate player.  

Steve Marsh

Classical Guitar June 2014 Volume 32, No. 10