always exploring, finding new directions on the map and somehow getting back perfectly to the destination you are looking for.  Love your travels - and the truth that is within

Gorgeous music and performance 🎶😊🎹

great improvisation, with lots of variety

Recent compositions posted to www.brianmcdonald.com

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This is a light-hearted, teen boy aspirational girl crazy song written in the late 80s early 90s. Used a new condenser mic for vocs with layering, didn't use any EQ or effects yet on this mix and need to boost the bass a bit. Morry and I can't get together for about the next month so we'll probably remix then. Hope you enjoy this one. Not too PC by today's (or any) standards but we were truly teens when we first wrote this 30+ years ago. All the best to our SC friends.  

Image from Stef at Tumblr: https://stefwards.tumblr.com/post/10581061308

When It Rains It Pours

I composed this string quartet as an expression of our struggle toward achieving the ideal of human dignity for all and as an offering of hope in continued progress toward this goal. 

In 1948 the fledgling United Nations' General Assembly passed a resolution of a Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The preamble of this declaration begins: "Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world, . . ." Consensus on the principles and articles of this declaration is the first time in history that so many nations (with great diversity of legal systems, beliefs and cultures of the world) came together to articulate common basic ideals of individual rights, dignity and the value of individual human beings.

This string quartet emerged from my reflections on the inspired idealism in the gesture of this declaration and the enormity of the struggles to bring these ideals closer to reality. With the title providing a contextual frame for listening, the music of the quartet coveys searching, struggling, persevering, losing direction and coming together in moments of progress and hope.

The audio in this video is produced from NotePerformer software.

The score and parts are available through Universal Edition: https://www.universaledition.com/martin-schreiner-8247/works/in-pursuit-of-human-dignity-36781

In Pursuit of Human Dignity

2024 Remix and Remaster version to bring it up to the standard of the later album tracks for full album release in 2025.
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This track is dedicated to the memory of Chris A and the time that was 'Elidor'. "I hope you are flying somewhere with that big grin on your face"

This track was very much a collision of ideas. I wanted to follow on from The North Shore and actually take the listener into the air to experience the feeling and freedom of flying like a bird. Additionally the track title "Flight of Fancy" was the title of an original instrumental played by a band I was in in the early 80's. The keyboard player in that band is sadly no longer with us, so I decided to try and reinvent the spirit of that time as a musical tribute to Chris.

Enjoy your Flight of Fancy :-)

This track is now part of "The Pilgrims Way Project" exploring the history and natural world of Lindisfarne.

Project Playlist

soundcloud.com/mrbouzouki/sets/the-pilgrims-way-project

Project Website

www.pilgrims-way.co.uk

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Instrumentation

(i) Sunrise (0:00 - 0:58)
Part One of the track features strings, brass from my new orchestral library Albion One by Spitfire Audio and timpani. It also includes an additional brass VST from Halion Sonic (Cubase).

(ii) The Shoreline At Dawn (0:59 - 2:28)
Part Two features Albion One Strings (muted - con sordini) and Woodwinds, Synthesizer and Electric Guitar

(iii) Into The Air (2:29 - 6:42)
Part Three has Strings (Longs and Ostinato), Synthesizer, Electric Guitar, Bass, Drums (Simon Phillips Studio Drums in Groove Agent) and a Choir Backing.

Various seabird sound FX that is classed as Public Domain are used to add colour to this part of the track from www.freesound.org

creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

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Background

This track seemed to naturally evolve into three discrete sections with a different musical flavour to each part.

(i) Sunrise (0:00 - 0:58)
As the title suggests, it is my musical imagining of sunrise on the beach with all the grandeur of a new day dawning. A big orchestral sound and timpani seemed the way to go.

(ii) The Shoreline At Dawn (0:59 - 2:28)
Part Two has a much more muted sound as nature begins to stir with the dawn and musically this part acts as a linking section between parts one and three.

(iii) Into The Air (2:29 - 6:42)
Finally we are into the air and I wanted to give a feeling of flying by the use of rising chords sequences and a string ostinato (a recurring rhythmic or melodic pattern). I also wanted to give a nod to the original Flight of Fancy so it has a variation of the main guitar riff I played back in the early 80's, some interwoven guitar and keyboard parts and harmony with underlying jazzy drum and bass parts.

Flight Of Fancy - 2024 Remix and Remaster

Second track on our debut 'Extended Play'. For use as an aid for Meditation, or just relaxing.

Slower Things

Rough Seas

The Odd Couple

Reflections on the life of a boy working in a glass factory in Glasgow, Scotland over 100 years ago.
Copyright 2024 Brian James McDonald (ASCAP)
Copyright 2024 Hoon Toons Publishing (ASCAP)

Measure Of A Life (Piano)

A piano fantasy based on the Japanese children's song "Bride Doll" (1932) composed by Haseo Sugiyama. Arranged by Kouichi Hashimoto

I found this beautiful piece among old sheet music while sorting through my bookshelf. I played it in my own way.

Fantasia on ” Bride Doll” - Piano Cover -

Copyright Brian James McDonald (ASCAP)
Copyright Hoon Toons Publishing (ASCAP)
All rights reserved worldwide

The Truth Within You (Improvisation)

Collab with my friend Franck Douvin.
@douvin

Instrumental written and performed by: BBright (Wolfgang Schwarz)
Solo-Flute written and performed by: Framus64 (Franck Douvin)

Framus64 and BBright x Reflets d'un clair de lune sur l'océan

Hommage à Mozart  Concertino Op. 45 nr 3
 Lars-Erik Larsson

Clarinet and Piano / Live (2013)

Clarinet - Klara Elvstam
Piano - NH Music


I found a nostalgic and memorable recording. I can't remember a piano that was so difficult to play,(I wanted to know how old this piano is!) but the sound of an old piano is trurly charming. I was playing it the whole time, worried that I might break it. Anyway, cheers to my friend's wonderful clarinet playing!

Concertino Op. 45 nr 3 - Lars Erik Larsson

A Cherished Moment

"What Did You Expect?" (Fusion)

Let The Good Fight Begin
Lyrics & Music: Brian James McDonald (ASCAP)

Hold on tight to the pain within, it’s all right, just let the fight begin 

When it begins, there’s no stopping you 
When it’s happening, there’s no way you lose
And when it’s over, I just count my bruisin’, 
I get back up again, I stand back up again

Hold on tight to the pain within, it’s all right, just let the fight begin
She saw the light just like she saw God
Here in jest, you fly, just let the fight begin

And when it’s over, I just count my bruises and I get back up again. I stand back up again.

So let the fight begin, yeah, only then I can begin again 
We can’t really step away - another hell

So here it is — my final plea of need
in a world where I long to be, to be free.
With the weight of silence, I break the chains, calling out the fury — a pouring rain.

Hold on tight, to the stars we sail,
It’s all right, let the music flail 
She saw the light just like she saw God
Here in jest, you fly, can we just find a life?
She saw the light just like she saw God
Here in jest you fly,
Can we just find a life? 

Copyright 2025 Brian James McDonald (ASCAP)
Copyright Brian James McDonald Publishing (ASCAP)

The Truth Within You (Improvisation)

Brian J McDonald

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