Thomas Shorthouse - Groundswell

Groundswell

violin, cello, marimba

2026

duration: 10'

written for soundSCAPE 2026

Groundswell was premiered on the 8th of July 2026 at the Hindemth Music Center Blonay, Switzerland by Matt Albert, Daniel Knapp, and Dylan Mantione.

Groundswell begun being inspired by The Sea Organ, an experimental music instrument and installation in the western part of the Zadar peninsular Croatia, created by organ studio Heferer and acousticist/musician Ivica Stamac. The pitches of The Sea Organ are derived from traditional Croatian klapa music.

I first saw The Sea Organ as a short clip, backwards to the intended purpose of the instrument as something that endlessly generates music with the tide, now confined to a moment in a video posted online. I use this video as source material, transcribing it into something that cycles continuously through the piece, like returning tides or a looping video. To oppose this cycling material I transcribe my own whistling, inspired by the labiumi (whistles) used in the organ. I whistled along to the organ clip in two layers, which I then pitched down to match the organ’s range, and transcribed into longer phrases. These slow, gliding lines are played high on low strings, mimicking the falsetto qualities of the tenori, baritoni, and basi voices in klapa music.

The title of this piece comes from Hopper’s painting of the same name. A personal favourite sea painting, framing the sea in something that confines it as a singular object.

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