Ruth Lomon

for orchestra

ca. 10'30"

Terra Incognita is episodic in nature. I would liken Terra Incognita to a narrative of events which take place as we travel through an unknown land. Some of the events are somber, others are lyrical, still others are quite fierce. There is a strong element of parody throughout the piece. The vigorous rhythms and cross rhythms bring us inevitably to a grand finale which sums up the forcces presented earlier on.

In the opening preamble there is a brief violin solo which is a quote from Witold Lutoslawski with whom I studied briefly at Dartington College, England. The quote sets the mood of the parodies to follow, which are, for the most part, in the brass. The quote is intended as a small tribute to an inspired and inspiring composer.

"Engaging and thought provoking on first hearing, Terra Incognita is a work to explore and savor; second and third hearings brought me deeper into the rich vistas of this vast landscape. It is a profound and moving work, and I hope some American orchestras will turn to performing Lomon's music." "Lomon twists small strands of melody into intense melodic arcs and explores sonorous effects such as echoing a chord back and forth across a section." 

- Liane Curtis, IAWM Journal

Click here to view the score and listen to a recording.