Out on the Rolling Sea

(Parafrase over het Oostindisch Venuslied)
“At Vlissingen in the roads there lies a yacht, Ready to sail for East India. On its bow a Cupid rests, Playing on his golden strings.” (translated lyrics)

Composer Notes... “Out on the Rolling Sea” is based on “Oostindisch Venuslied”, a sailor’s song popular 400 years ago. And indeed, we sail the rolling seas, in fine and rough weather, on a 17th century yacht: the North Sea, the Atlantic, rounding the Cape and finally entering the Indian Ocean. This music is as unpredictable as the sea itself. This piece won second prize in an international composition competition organized by the society 'Het Carillon te Hoorn' in 2002 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the formation of the Dutch East India Trading Company.