The opening theme of this piece began as an orchestration exercise—reworking the title sequence from Hitchcock’s classic Vertigo (1958). From that initial sketch, I saw the potential for something larger and more personal, so I expanded the material into a standalone work inspired by the film’s mood and story. Vertigo (2021) explores themes of obsession and instability, capturing moments of both intense, unhinged emotion and quiet, unsettling madness — reflecting the film’s portrayal of a man driven to the edge by his impossible fixation.
This work was originally composed for single strings, however, a chamber or full strings section is recommended if available.
Composed for the Momentum Ensemble as part of the Australian Youth Orchestra's 2021 composition program.