Malum Opus

Malum Opus (translation: apple/disaster work) was written with the thought of a decaying apple in mind and my perceptions of decay, whether it be the withering wrinkles and crevices as the item falls apart, or the beautiful colours that appear in sprouting mould. The piece oscillates between consonance and microtonal dissonance, shifting the listener’s perceptions of the chords as they transition within these oscillations, gradually moving closer towards a microtonal decay and then eventual resolution as the apple becomes part of the earth.

Performed by Catherine Harris at St Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, Beeston, Leeds:

Performed by Huw Morgan at St Thomas the Martyr, Bristol:

Click here to see a pdf of the score

An essay I wrote on pipe organs and queer failure.