Where Is (Thessaloniki, Greece)

Part of the Sound Photography project - www.citiesandmemory.com/sound-photography

By Una Lee:

"The piece is ultimately a duet of a spoken voice and a double bass, both of which contain elements inspired by the photograph of ‘migrating swallows’ in distinguished ways.

"The double bass, an instrument made of wood, performs sounds reminiscent of flapping wings, collective bird cries and building a nest; gestures implying movement of a flock; melodic lines that musicalise the visual created by the swallows in this specific photograph. 

"The voice performs the poem ‘The House That Stood For Happiness’ by poet Maria Mcmanus. The poem itself is about a female blackbird, yet i chose it on account of its implication about home, yearning, nostalgia and sense of loss, which the photograph of migrating swallows evoked for me: always on the road, search for shelter, losing one’s purpose - Where is home? Have we lost it, or our ways? Do we remember where we've been? Where is it that we're going?"

Double Bass: Simon Waters

Voice: Una Lee

Poem: Maria McManus