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Aquamarine is the early 18th-century name change from the Latin original “Aqua Marina,” which in English means “seawater.” This piece is an homage to the seas and their endless diversity of life, some of which are still utterly alien to humans despite our sharing of this planet.
The work is in three movements: I. ” The Chase,” II. Diatoms and III. Coral Reef. The Chase is a battle between two creatures ( small and big), both striving to survive. The larger is by feeding, and the smaller is by living. It is a dynamic, accented musical drama with a hint of humor. Diatoms, which inspired the second movement, are wondrous unicellular microalgae that play crucial ecological functions on a global scale — the earliest known fossil diatoms date from the Jurrasic period. The last movement, Coral Reef, is a musical depiction of life at its most dazzling display of colors, shapes, and unfoldings. It is an underwater feast for the eyes, hopefully well translated into a treat for the ears.
Aquamarine is also the name of a gemstone, defined by a faint light blue to blue and bluish-green. The gemstone’s claim for its title is related to its color and the energetic properties of water. It represents stillness, quiet, vitality, purification, regeneration, and rebirth.
