Composer Darryl Way's Violin Concerto No. 2 "The Elements"

Each of the three movements written and performed by the composer depicts a different weather phenomena

Composer Darryl Way recently talked with The Violin Channel about his work.

"I wanted to write a piece of program music, like Vivaldi's Four Seasons, and searched for suitable subject matter," Darryl told The Violin Channel.

"I came up with the 'Elements' as it was similar to the Four Seasons, in that it dealt with weather phenomena and was a powerful starting point to start writing.

"The first movement, 'Tornado' deals with the incredible destructive forces of wind and was a good excuse to write some exciting virtuosic passages for the violin. 'Drought' deals with the lack of rain and the heartbreaking consequences. However, the single flower in the middle of the desert, at the end of the video for this movement, signifies hope and optimism over grief and sorrow.

"The last movement 'Flood', is the very opposite of the previous movement, as it deals with the consequences of too much rain. In this movement, I tried to capture the power and force of floodwater and once again reflect on its consequences. Unfortunately, with the advent of global warming, weather events like these are on the increase. So this concerto, all be it unintentionally, reflects the times we live in and the difficult times we have ahead if we don't address this problem now.

"I just hope the listener will be taken on a thought-provoking, but enjoyable journey."

DARRYL WAY | VIOLIN CONCERTO NO 2 'THE ELEMENTS' | VIDEO 2021