Somewhere during sunrise, we are between asleep and awake. The dawn chorus commences and weaves melodic patterns into our dream-state. A creative struggle to understand the song ensues, our subconscious trying to learn the part, to emulate, orchestrate, shape. We do not easily learn the nature of the bird song, it is set in natures rhythm and harmonies, deeply ‘Bird Jazz’, beyond our understanding. 

In our arrogance, we impose our man-made structure upon nature, forcing the tune into a key and harmonies that we understand, but we lose the beauty, the vibrance, the joy and energy. Our creation fades in the shadow of its own lacking. The bird defiantly repeats its truth and we now appreciate the complexity and brilliance of it. We are then dragged to our reality by the strident morning alarm and we forget the lessons we have learned.

Notes:
This piece explores the relationship of man and nature, of dreaming and waking, and the peculiar space between them. Be aware of the clock alarm at the end of the track!

The birdsong was recorded at 04:30am and is unedited save for the fade in at the start. I am fortunate to live very close to woodland and enjoyed this early morning chorus from the comfort of my home office.

The initial melodic interpretation by an instrument was achieved by a software analysis of the main phrase of the foreground birdsong. It is in C# Minor but lots of augmented and diminished intervals are present.

Track image by Annie Spratt - Unsplash.com

Bird Jazz in C# Minor

Composer: Andrew Brenton.
Organist: Alister J Brenton

Storm

Sunset

Tides

Waves

This is a piece I was commissioned to write for a planetarium show. The show explored the night sky in the depths of winter, discussed the stellar pole, Orion the hunter, the Leonids meteor shower, the winter solstice and ancient myths and stone circles. Ending with the sunrise spreading warmth to the land.

Winter Skies

This is a flat concept mix down from a composition program so dynamically very flat and very mechanical.

Passacaglia for brass

Very much a hobbyist composer though I have been paid to write occasionally. I really like period choral work from C11 to C17. Much of my work is influenced by Handel, Purcell, Palestrina et. al.

I work digitally in Pro Tools, Reason, Spitfire and a few other bits and bobs.

I am hoping to put more effort into creating new work in the coming months as well as doing some arrangement/orchestration of the work of my very talented songwriter wife.