Las venas del océano

I will not call to Las venas del océano a Tone poem. We should not search there for a narrative line similar to the one of Patricia Engel’s book. But I will say that the orchestral piece is a personal reading about this novel. In the book are two elements that we can find that work like scaffolding for the construction of the orchestral piece: tragic destiny and reconciliation. The protagonist, like most of the migrants, lost the notion of “home.” We, migrants, start to belong to a bigger place, changing and apparently undefined like the oceans. In this new home we face accidents, passions, and unforeseen fatalities. The reconciliation with this deep blue place is a way of peace.

 

The piece starts with a G in the vibraphone and followed by a dialogue between the clarinets. After this introduction, the woodwinds and strings show us the beginning of the first part. Following the first orchestral tutti, the piano, harp, and percussion lead us to a slower second part shown by the oboe solo. In this section we find the general climax of the piece, and maybe this is the moment where the biggest rhythmic and harmonic conflicts take place. Again, piano, harp, and percussion lead us to the third part, where we find many reminiscences of the beginning. The piece, not just as a heritage from tonality but as a metaphor for reconciliation with our past, ends with a G in the clarinet that fades out slowly.