'The Forest' was originally written for the Hampshire Double Reed ensemble, then under the tuition of Andrew Knights, so I had the New Forest in mind. The first movement describes a misty dawn as the forest creatures awake. The second movement - 'Memories of an Ancient Tree' - refers to the passing of many generations of people, whose daily lives and celebrations unfold while the tree stands in the forest. The third movement - 'Insects' - is a fun and slightly jazzy representation of the many insects buzzing around in the forest.