Richard Whalley’s Mantle Plume is receiving its UK premiere with Quatuor Danel on 29th March.
Mantle Plume is inspired by Icelandic unique geology, where ‘fire meets ice, creation meets destruction – the consequences of a battle between elemental forces’. Whalley tells us:
My goal is that Mantle Plume sounds and feels as though it were created by a force of nature. This is easier said than done, but I took inspiration from the shapes in nature, including elevation profiles of landscapes, and the proportions of the distances between various landmarks. I have also taken inspiration from natural processes, such as the flowing of different types of lava, the eroding of river canyons, and accumulation over centuries of layers of lava that have gradually built the landscape.
An interview at the time of its premiere can be read here.
Composers Edition is proud to publish Mantle Plume, and other works by Richard Whalley, which are available for purchase through our website.
Richard Whalley Profile & WorksQuatuor Danel Evening Concert with Petr Prause (cello)
Friday 29 March 2019, 7:30pm
Cosmo Rodewald Concert Hall
Martin Harris Centre for Music and Drama, Manchester
Quatuor Danel plays Mantle Plume by Richard Whalley (UK Premiere), amongst other works

Richard Whalley
Mantle Plume
Tags: Cosmo Rodewald Concert Hall, Martin Harris Centre for Music and Drama, Music and Geology, Quatuor Danel, Richard Whalley, String Quartet, UK premiere