'Heaven lay close I' is a work in four sections, each based on a traditional tabla rhythmic cycle. Each section also has a melodic content which, although original, seeks to evoke the spirit of the kind of music one normally associates with the tabla but now in a more Western, 'classical' context due to the presence of the quartet. The marriage of these two traditions results in a new, or neutral territory, where each tradition has been able to influence the musical outcome to a roughly equal degree.
The piece can be played with or without the tabla.
The work was written with funds from an Arts Council of Ireland Artist Bursary.
