Become Ocean

Each group is given slowly moving sequences of sound, often in the form of arpeggios for the strings, and each block has its own rise and fall.

Harmonies are fundamentally tonal; simple diatonic intervals form the basis of the wind instruments' staggered chords.

The phrase lengths are constructed so that there are three moments when all the groups reach a climax together; the first is early on, and the second represents the greatest surge of sound.

This was the first live performance of the work that Adams himself heard, as an eye condition and resulting surgery caused him to miss the world premiere in Seattle.

[9] Reviews, including one by the New York Times chief music critic, Anthony Tommasini, were generally highly complimentary.

[citation needed] On 13 December 2019, the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra performed Become Ocean, with Seattle Symphony's (former) Creative Director Ludovic Morlot again conducting the piece, this time for its Nordic Premiere.