Some recordings of my music

Here are a few extracts of some of my arrangements and compositions:

Select:

• 1.Study in E
• 2.Listless
• 3.Reel
• 4.Naughty
• 5.Hornpipe
• 6.Variations
• 7.Fantasy
• 8.Run Aground
• 9.Magnificat
• 10.Nunc Dimittis
• 11.Havoc
• 12.Lazin' Around
• 13.Folksong
• 14.Blues
• 15.Waly

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1. Study in E:

This is the first of a planned series of twenty four short piano pieces and, daring to emulate the pattern of JS Bach et al, one in each of the major and minor modes. Originally, in true piano teacher style, each was intended to pinpoint one particular aspect of piano technique such as staccato, cantabile etc - hence the title 'Study'. In the event, however, although some of them do indeed focus on one particular facet of technique, most of the ones I have completed are just short 'fun' pieces. (In fact so far I have only completed about half a dozen, but it's good to be ambitious!)

2. Listless:

I have always liked the combination of sax, piano, bass and drums so that's why this came into being. It has only ever existed in synthesized form but maybe one day it will be performed as intended. Actually my Clavinova does quite a good job with the sounds here, I think.

3. Reel:

In 2014 you may remember that the Scots had a vote either to leave or remain part of the UK. Having a wee modicum of Scottish blood in me (from the maternal side of the family) I reacted to the event by arranging a suite of five pieces entitled 'Better Together', each based on a folk melody from one of the four parts of the UK. (Yes, I know the maths doesn't add up but I'm proud to be English and so I used two English folk melodies. I was also pleased that the vote proved me correct!) The score is written for four recorders and electric piano with the addition of the glockenspiel towards the end. It has never been performed because I've always insisted that only the Clavinova has the intended electric piano sound I wanted and one can't easily drag a Clavinova around to accompany a recorder consort. A case of 'shooting oneself in the foot' perhaps? I'm told this is a folk melody from Suffolk but I still haven't confimed this, so if you happen to know . . .

4. Naughty but Nice:

I've never been sure where the title came from but this is a fun piece for piano, electric piano and a few other odds and ends. It probably couldn't be played in real life so only exists as you hear it - synthesized.

5. Hornpipe:

For a number of years I have been fortunate to have access to (if that's the right expression) a wind octet. As a result I have enjoyed exploring some of the possibilities of arranging a number of piano pieces for the varied colours of a wind ensemble. This hornpipe (the title is probably just about acceptable) comes from an original suite of four (or maybe it's five) pieces which I wrote a few years ago for wind octet. It has been played through by real musicians but only in rehearsal. The Clavinova does its best, but . . .

6. Variations:

The full title is 'Variations on a Noel' and the theme is by D'Aquin. I've always loved the organ and wanted to write something for it. So this set of eight variations came into being. One day I was fiddling around with the theme (believe it or not in 7/8 time!) in an examination room whilst waiting for a candidate to appear. I became quite intrigued by the effect - maybe you will be too as it appears towards the end of the extract. This recording was made on a Rogers organ which allowed more variety in registration than the Clavinova could have achieved.

7. Fantasy:

The full title is 'Fantasy for Piano and Small Orchestra' and is exactly what it says on the tin. So, no emphasis on formal structure here - just a few ideas strung together. There is some overall plan as the opening figure reappears at the end and the piano has a sort of 'cadenza' at one point which makes reference to earlier ideas. Most of the piano part could easily be played by a competent pianist of about grade six or seven standard. There is some tricky writing for the orchestra but on the whole a good amateur orchestra could cope.

8. Run Aground:

I mentioned the use of headphones earlier and here they are pretty essential as the whole purpose of this piece is to make use of a ground bass and many laptop loudspeakers simply don't have the necessary bass response to allow it to be heard! Don't ask me how many times the bass line is repeated but I've tried to vary what happens elsewhere in the texture. This piece might help a student to understand something about a basic form of variation although as a piece in itself it comes nowhere close to being comparable to the wonderful use of ground bass in Purcell's 'Dido and Aeneas'.

9. Magnificat:

As a Christian and singer and conductor of a church choir for several decades , not surprisingly I have a fondness for church music. Choral Evensong is a particular favourite of mine. I have been fortunate to sing several settings of the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis over many years but it is only during the past year or two that I have dared to attempt a setting of my own. I doubt if there are any hints of composers such as Stanford or Dyson in my setting but if you notice any, please be assured they are unintentional. Again, as this setting has yet to be sung in church, the recording has to rely on my trusty Clavinova which unfortunately lacks a good choir voice and the ability to sing words and has little variety of organ registration. Apart from that, it's fine!

10. Nunc Dimittis:

In the Evening Service the Nunc Dimittis follows on from the Magnificat and the second lesson. Its key is the same (here Bb) and the Gloria is often, as here, the same as that already heard at the end of the Magnificat.

11. Creating Havoc:

This is another piece whose title is a mystery but I've always understood that new music has to have a title otherwise it might be confused with other music. You may have gathered that I like to exploit the possibilities which the combination of two keyboards has to offer. There is a good level of sharing between the two pianos and again it was just written for fun.

12. Lazin' Around:

After my earlier shot at writing for sax, piano, bass and drums I thought I'd try a saxophone 'duet' this time making use of the more 'growly' tone of the baritone (well, the Clavinova's version) and this is the result. I made good use of freer rhythm here to try to emulate 'real' players and I think it worked quite well. Of course a real drummer would have provided a better track.

13. Folksong:

It's a lie! This isn't a true folksong - it's a folk-like tune which came to me one day when I was idling my time away at the piano to avoid the washing up. It comes from my 'Yellowbelly Suite', so-called because of the county in which it was born. These brief extracts are from the final movement which I originally mis-spelt as 'Forksnog' for some unknown reason. Notice it's for two pianos and the latter extract uses a rumba-like rhythmic pattern. The complete version has a brief 'coda' at the end which ties in with the opening theme. (You need to hear it all! Better still, ask me for a copy and play it yourselves!)

14.Blues:

The full title is 'Colour Blind Blues' though I don't know why. I attempted to achieve the impossible here - after all, who would be daft enough to write for two recorders, bass and piano? The music is quite 'bluesy' because it sticks quite closely to the chord progression of the 12-bar blues. What else can I say except that this is the complete piece and, yes, I know it doesn't end properly - it just sort of fizzles out.

15.Waly:

This is also written for two recorders, bass and piano and attempts to fuse together two folk songs, 'O Waly Waly' and 'A North Country Maid', so its full title is 'Waly Waly meets a North Country Maid'! Ingenious, eh? If you know the two originals then you shouldn't have any problem in sorting out which is which particularly as I have conveniently placed the two recorders on the left and right of the stereo recording. This is another complete recording but how on earth do you stop a piece like this?