Elements of Equus

Sometimes, as a composer, I read a text and immediately hear the music within me. It doesn't happen often, maybe never for some, but for me, that was the case with Barcelles' poem Element Of Equus. The feeling that there is only one way these words can be sung is incredibly powerful but also challenging, as the risk of getting 'stuck' in one's writing increases. The piece explores the theme of humanity's treatment of the animal kingdom. A challenging concept that can easily become mundane, but with Barcelles' poem, I found something extra. I immediately envisioned an inner image of wild horses thundering across the fields. An incredibly beautiful portrayal of wild animals but with a dark shadow over them. Animals with a mane and tail of wild thorns and eyes like liquid amber... animals fleeing. Fleeing from what? Perhaps the advance and devastation caused by humans. This piece was commissioned by the Swedish choir Eginokören and their conductor Anita Andersson as a part of an international concept called Earth Choir.

Henrik Dahlgren