Benoit Cancoin: Suite de Sedna for solo double bass

About the Composition

This work was originally conceived for a children’s theater production based on the legend of Sedna, the goddess of the northern seas in Inuit mythology. Told through the voice of the double bass alone, the piece explores the power, mystery, and drama of Sedna’s story.

The composition unfolds in three movements:

1. Sedna – An introduction to the goddess herself, presenting her presence with bold, declamatory gestures and repeating rhythmic figures that establish a sense of inevitability and ritual.

2. Danse de Sedna – A more playful and rhythmic movement, driven by insistent melodic patterns. The dance captures both the vitality of myth and the pulsing energy of the sea.

3. La tempête – A storm-filled conclusion. This movement is dominated by tremolo, creating an eerie, unsettled feeling. A repeated theme oscillating between the open E string and the octave above creates a turbulent, chaotic pedal point, suggesting both the wrath of the sea and the relentless power of nature.

Across all three movements, the music relies on rhythmic repetition, which gives the solo bass a uniquely percussive and hypnotic quality. The piece ultimately portrays Sedna not only as a figure of legend but also as a symbol of the elemental forces she commands: mysterious, playful, and fearsome.