Both of these pieces were written for ensemble Schallfeld, who played them during a concert at St. Andrä Kirche in Graz. The priest who gave us a loan of the hall - Hermann Glettler - since went on to become the bishop of Innsbruck. He did some pretty interesting work in St. Andrä while he was in Graz, it’s an interesting church if you ever get to have a look, I can remember seeing a life sized crucifix covered in tiny mirrors. The congregation - who are mostly immigrants from Africa - ensure that it remains pretty much the most lively church in Europe.
It focuses three disparate lines that weave together in a loosely organized rhythmical space.
The title is a reference to the “Dark Night of the Soul”, a mystical experience recorded by St. John of the Cross. Apparently, the basic idea of the experience is that God, as well as the soul’s path to God are essentially unknowable.
My title is more focused on worldly things, like a grey morning and a throbbing pain in your toe. Whether or not these or similar experiences have anything to do with the former, I don’t know.