Name: The Devil's Fanfare by Hannah Garton
Duration: 46 s
Description: Was originally written for a graduation but turned out to be too ominous. Thus, The Devil's Fanfare was born.

Cover of Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen.
My first recording with my new mini home studio.

Hallelujah Cover

Was originally written for a graduation but turned out to be too ominous. Thus, The Devil's Fanfare was born.

The Devil's Fanfare

Vertigo was composed as a response to Bernard Herrmann's score for the Hitchcock film of the same name, for a premiere performance in the 100th year since Herrmann's birth.  The music comprises five cycles, each of which takes the music in a different direction until the 'Vertigo' music finally appears in the fifth cycle.  The sixth cycle begins but is immediately curtailled to end the piece.

Vertigo

Inspired by the graphic novel by Veronique Tanaka, and in particular by its relentless, rhythmic repetition and underlying threat of violence, Metronome is a process-driven piano solo: lively and energetic, sometimes aggressive.  Metronome was composed in 2010. Metronome is published by UYMP as one of 'Three Pieces for Piano'.

Metronome - for solo piano

I composed 'Swan' early in 2011 for saxophone quartet, drawing extensively upon material I had previously employed in 'Suspense' for solo soprano sax but developing beyond the simple processes of the earlier piece. 

Swans, genus Cygnus, are birds of the family Anatidae, which also includes geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form the tribe Cygnini.  The word swan is derived from Old English swan, akin to the German Schwan and Dutch zwaan and Swedish svan, in turn derived from Indo-European root  swen (to sound, to sing), whence Latin derives sonus (sound). 

The Black Swan Theory (or Theory of Black Swan Events) is a metaphor that encapsulates the concept that the event is a surprise (to the observer) and has a major impact. The theory was developed by Nassim Nicholas Taleb to explain firstly the disproportionate role of high-impact, hard to predict, and rare events that are beyond the realm of normal expectations in history, science, finance and technology, and secondly the non-computability of the probability of the consequential rare events using scientific methods (owing to the very nature of small probabilities).

Leda and the Swan is a motif from Greek mythology in which Zeus came to Leda in the form of a swan.  As the story goes, Zeus took the form of a swan and raped or seduced Leda on the same night she slept with her husband Tyndareus, King of Sparta.  Leda subsequently bore Helen (of Troy) and Polydeuces, who were children of Zeus, while at the same time bearing Castor and Clytemnestra, children of Tyndareus.

The silver swan, who living had no note,
When death approach'd, unlock'd her silent throat;
Leaning her breast against the reedy shore,
Thus sung her first and last, and sung no more.
Farewell, all joys; O Death, come close mine eyes;
More geese than swans now live, more fools than wise.

“Jane was characteristically late, around ninety minutes if I remember correctly.  (Apparently it had taken longer than expected to collect the Alfa from the garage).  But then, quite suddenly, there she was: strikingly blonde, voluptuous, elegant and walking slowly towards me.  ‘Miss Swan?’ I tentatively enquired.  She giggled, twinkled her eyes and took my hand…”


Swan

Composed by myself, vocals by Ellie Gillin and Archie Carr. Pop/soul/big band/dance music crossover. May 2019.

Denying It

"The World Tree" was composed in 2018 as one of my assignments from York St John University Music course. It was inspired by the World Tree in the anime "Sword Art Online". Although an electronic piece, I added a few traditional instruments such as shakuhachi and koto for a unique mixture of instrumentation. Enjoy!

Shrimpy - The World Tree

Vocals by Mary Carruthers.
Composed for my final year portfolio at university.

Consumer

Freelance musician. Specialises in composition but plays saxophone/piano and sings.

The Devil's Fanfare

Hannah Garton

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