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America (Sonata 9 : Solo Guitar)
Sonata9.pdf | |
File Size: | 2256 kb |
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Sonata 9: America
I love America. I love the place. I love the people. This sonata is inspired by my love.
1. America. Homage to Dvorák.
Here I've tried to invoke the mood of pioneer America. If you listen hard you'll hear various pioneer sounds: bugle calls echoing over the forest, the gentle wind on a summer prairie, the contented mood of a pioneer wedding – the bells ringing out the happiness of the newly married couple. Behind these human features is the ever present wild untamed wilderness, sinister in its darkness.
I've sung tenor in a concert devoted to Dvorák music. Just before the final rehearsal, Alistair Auld, the conductor, pointed out to me how the slow movement of his famous "New World Symphony" starts with and is constructed around a magic repeated chord progression. I haven't stolen Dvorák's chords direct but I have stolen the idea of opening with a magic chord progression to repeat it later in the work. I tried also to learn something from Dvorák's masterly handling of rhythm – you'll hear if I am a good student. Dvorák, of course, had a strong connection with America and wrote his "New World Symphony" there. But he couldn't settle there and his home sickness exiled him again, this time back to his native Czech land. A brief quotation from the New World has leaked into my second movement.
2. The Peace River (Held for orders).
Frank H Spearman's heartbreaking short story: “The Roadmaster's Story––the Spider Water” (from the story collection entitled: Held for Orders) narrates the life, betrayal, and death of Hailey, the West End Railway's talented but unqualified bridge engineer. The West End crosses two most treacherous rivers, the Spider and the Peace. Hailey designs and finishes an expensive Spider bridge but before a similar Peace bridge is completed a remote board of directors deems that Hailey is to be demoted, a new academically qualified engineer appointed, and a cheaper and much inferior Peace bridge substituted. One terrible night the telegraph calls Hailey to tell him his Spider bridge is washed out. Immediately Hailey commandeers a special engineering train and races through the night towards his Spider bridge; but it is the compromised Peace bridge (built by his successor) that has failed. Hailey has one chance to save himself but doesn't take it; and in saving others he dies in the raging flood. In cruel irony Hailey goes to his death still believing his own bridge had failed.
3. Legendary Mountain Men.
Spearman's speciality was the romantic, heroic, life of the the men of iron that ran the late nineteenth railroads. In his books he refers intermittently to the "Legendary mountain men:" the early track men and linesmen on the rails crossing the Rockies. While passengers and others rode on heated trains these guys were simply out there in it: clearing blizzard drifts, climbing mountainsides, working night after night in order to keep the track bed clear and the all important telegraph working. In wind and cold that would have killed hardened cowboys these guys were expected to fix everything or die in the attempt. In my music I've tried to convey the disorienting uncertain world in which they lived and sadly so often died – you can hear the appalling effect of snow as it blots out everything familiar. Spearman's stories are an epitaph for now forgotten men.
Audio Recordings:
I love America. I love the place. I love the people. This sonata is inspired by my love.
1. America. Homage to Dvorák.
Here I've tried to invoke the mood of pioneer America. If you listen hard you'll hear various pioneer sounds: bugle calls echoing over the forest, the gentle wind on a summer prairie, the contented mood of a pioneer wedding – the bells ringing out the happiness of the newly married couple. Behind these human features is the ever present wild untamed wilderness, sinister in its darkness.
I've sung tenor in a concert devoted to Dvorák music. Just before the final rehearsal, Alistair Auld, the conductor, pointed out to me how the slow movement of his famous "New World Symphony" starts with and is constructed around a magic repeated chord progression. I haven't stolen Dvorák's chords direct but I have stolen the idea of opening with a magic chord progression to repeat it later in the work. I tried also to learn something from Dvorák's masterly handling of rhythm – you'll hear if I am a good student. Dvorák, of course, had a strong connection with America and wrote his "New World Symphony" there. But he couldn't settle there and his home sickness exiled him again, this time back to his native Czech land. A brief quotation from the New World has leaked into my second movement.
2. The Peace River (Held for orders).
Frank H Spearman's heartbreaking short story: “The Roadmaster's Story––the Spider Water” (from the story collection entitled: Held for Orders) narrates the life, betrayal, and death of Hailey, the West End Railway's talented but unqualified bridge engineer. The West End crosses two most treacherous rivers, the Spider and the Peace. Hailey designs and finishes an expensive Spider bridge but before a similar Peace bridge is completed a remote board of directors deems that Hailey is to be demoted, a new academically qualified engineer appointed, and a cheaper and much inferior Peace bridge substituted. One terrible night the telegraph calls Hailey to tell him his Spider bridge is washed out. Immediately Hailey commandeers a special engineering train and races through the night towards his Spider bridge; but it is the compromised Peace bridge (built by his successor) that has failed. Hailey has one chance to save himself but doesn't take it; and in saving others he dies in the raging flood. In cruel irony Hailey goes to his death still believing his own bridge had failed.
3. Legendary Mountain Men.
Spearman's speciality was the romantic, heroic, life of the the men of iron that ran the late nineteenth railroads. In his books he refers intermittently to the "Legendary mountain men:" the early track men and linesmen on the rails crossing the Rockies. While passengers and others rode on heated trains these guys were simply out there in it: clearing blizzard drifts, climbing mountainsides, working night after night in order to keep the track bed clear and the all important telegraph working. In wind and cold that would have killed hardened cowboys these guys were expected to fix everything or die in the attempt. In my music I've tried to convey the disorienting uncertain world in which they lived and sadly so often died – you can hear the appalling effect of snow as it blots out everything familiar. Spearman's stories are an epitaph for now forgotten men.
Audio Recordings:
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Italia All’aperto (Sonata 4 : Solo Guitar)
Sonata4-italia.pdf | |
File Size: | 2112 kb |
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‘Italia All’aperto’ was originally written as a short composition entry for the Michelle Pittaluga competition. For the 2016 Pittaluga there were (unusually) two categories in the composing competition. I had no chance in the ‘real’ competition, but there was a smaller competition for a new ‘motif’ or ‘theme tune’ for the Pittaluga event itself (limited to 4 minutes). ‘Italia All’aperto’ was my attempt at that category (– hence the pseudo-name).
But despite the pseudo-name my miniature did not win; too many ideas burst out of its four minute slot. So at the end of 2019 I re-visited it catchy themes, this time to create this three movement Sonatina. Little did I imagine as I started work that 2019 and 2020 in Italy would be marked by fruitless cruel lockdowns and that, even for Italians, Italy would become a vast prison.
But my Sonata is for the real Italy of sunlight, happiness, and open air.
A recording will be available shortly.
But despite the pseudo-name my miniature did not win; too many ideas burst out of its four minute slot. So at the end of 2019 I re-visited it catchy themes, this time to create this three movement Sonatina. Little did I imagine as I started work that 2019 and 2020 in Italy would be marked by fruitless cruel lockdowns and that, even for Italians, Italy would become a vast prison.
But my Sonata is for the real Italy of sunlight, happiness, and open air.
A recording will be available shortly.
Time's Lost Canyons (Sonata 8 : Two Guitars)
Time's Lost Canyons (Sonata) 8 is in three movemetns
A Dream of Reality https://youtu.be/ElLABtBMxd4
Time's Lost Canyons https://youtu.be/NbCwCWfCnU0
An Accidentally Fall (Ten Bottles Downing) https://youtu.be/WMgbR2QQSWw
A Dream of Reality https://youtu.be/ElLABtBMxd4
Time's Lost Canyons https://youtu.be/NbCwCWfCnU0
An Accidentally Fall (Ten Bottles Downing) https://youtu.be/WMgbR2QQSWw
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Variations On Cadair Idris For Two Guitars (2022)
Duet Cadair Idris Score.pdf | |
File Size: | 740 kb |
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Duet Cadair Idris Guitar1.pdf | |
File Size: | 427 kb |
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Duet Cadair Idris Guitar2.pdf | |
File Size: | 403 kb |
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Cadair Idris Notes.pdf | |
File Size: | 81 kb |
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Direct Download : Low Resolution Mechanical Performance 56duetcadairidrisvariations.mp3
This is a computer-generated 56bits Mp3 rendition of the score which is useful to get some impression as to how it might sound when played by real instruments. The YouTube reference below is of higher quality (but also computer-generated).
YouTube Link:
This is a computer-generated 56bits Mp3 rendition of the score which is useful to get some impression as to how it might sound when played by real instruments. The YouTube reference below is of higher quality (but also computer-generated).
YouTube Link:
(Guitar duet) Fragments of Fading Light
PDF score
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Eight Fantasy Arrangements of Old Welsh Children's Songs (2022) for Guitar Duet
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- Deryn y Bwn o'r Banna (E major)
- Robin Diog (A minor)
- Dacw Mam y Dwad (D major)
- Marwnad yr Ehedydd (D minor)
- Can y Melinydd (E minor)
- B'le wyt Ti'n Myned (E minor)
- Bu Farw'r Cathod (C minor)
- Dacw Dadi'n Mynd i'r Fair (A major) (A Major)
YouTube links to mechanical performances of Welsh Children's song (Note: slower pieces are quite horrible played mechanically!)
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