[2] Bax was a great admirer of Celtic culture, including Irish myths, in which the garden of Fand is the sea.
[1] Bax did not depict the original story in his symphonic poem, but painted a picture of a ship, cast ashore on Fand's enchanted island.
Fand's song, in the central section, is played by flute and cor anglais in unison, over strings divided into ten parts.
[3] The musical scholar Andrew Keener also notes the Debussian influence: "there is the characteristic writing in parallel thirds that move by whole tones, and brass and woodwind detail which glints out of a surging, opulent orchestral sonority".
[5] Orchestral forces required are three flutes and piccolo, two oboes and cor anglais, three clarinets and bass clarinet, two bassoons and contra bassoon; four horns, three trumpets, trombone and tuba; timpani, glockenspiel, cymbal, bass drum, celesta; two harps and strings.