Messages from Distant Shores is a collection of pieces that make up Ian Emberson's poetic cycle of the same name. The poems deal with such subjects as Charlotte Bronte's visit to Filey in 1852, scenes on the Solway Firth, the Scottish seascape painter William McTaggart and the playwright John Millington Synge. The entire song cycle is 25 minutes in duration. Each piece is available individually, shown below with its instrumentation and duration:-

Penumbra (Soprano; Alto Saxophone) 1:04

Flatness (Tenor; Oboe; Cello) 2:15

Moon and Sun (Soprano; Tenor; Clarinet) 2:10

An Eastern Shore (Soprano; Cello) 0:42

The Sighing Sea (Soprano; Oboe; Clarinet;   Alto Sax; Cello) 2:41

Whirlpool (Tenor; Clarinet; Alto Saxophone) 2:15

I Have Painted the Sea (Tenor; Oboe; Cello) 5:10

High Tide * (Tenor; Clarinet) 1:27

I Am The Boy (Tenor; Clarinet; Cello) 1:40

The Ebbing (Soprano; Alto Saxophone) 1:07

The Wet Sands (Soprano; Oboe) 1:33

The Boat is Leaving * (Tenor; Clarinet; Cello) 1:48

Nothingness (Soprano; Tenor; Oboe; Clarinet) 1:32

(* contains adult themes)