Ten Suns Ablaze is inspired by a Chinese legend.  Once it was believed there were ten sun-birds (representing the sun, in Chinese mythology) that lived in a mulberry tree.  The Mother of the Sun-birds took them out in her chariot one at a time.  But one day all ten sun-birds became bored of their routine and decided to go out into the sky together and play games.  The earth became dry and scorched, the rivers dried up, crops died and the people starved.  Emperor Yao was angry.  He called for the best archer, Houyi, to frighten them with his bow and arrows, but Houyi was so angry at the people's suffering that he shot them down.  Emperor Yao hurried to stop him at the ninth one so as not to leave the world in total darkness.  Houyi agreed, and was hailed as a hero. 

Ten Suns Ablaze was commissioned by Sean Buck for the Australia Ensemble, University of New South Wales, 2012.

Instrumentation: flute/alto flute, clarinet/bass clarinet, 2 violins, viola, cello, piano

Duration: 12 minutes