I suffered quite badly with brain fog after contracting Covid at the start of the pandemic and this is about starting to get some clarity back into my life again.  I really felt like I had been living in mist and I could now see clearly again.

Seascape

Out of the Blue

Out Of The Blue

Forbidden Fruit is a slow and brooding piece which gradually builds in intensity and played softly in the background of my mind during a lovely cycling holiday in Slovenia, like a soundtrack. It's haunting notes revolving around my mind on repeat.  

After storing our bicycles in the Radjlivica Music Colleg and exploring up a stone staircase it all seemed to make perfect sense.   “A beautiful grand piano sat illuminated by high windows and sitting on polished parquet flooring, out of reach behind a locked door. The piano was calling to me, it was the forbidden fruit, one that plucked at my heartstrings with an urgency I wasn't able to grasp.

So, my hands stayed silent but the name played loud, the title settling firmly in my thoughts; a tangled homage to longing.

Forbidden Fruit

This track Is a dance of a romance which had some really beautiful moments but also some quite dark, sad and lonely ones too.  We would get out of step with one another and  our lives would became blurred and out of synch until the universe reset and we would be in time once again. 

Danse Noire

In a half cut stupor, where reality blurred with holiday spirit I looked over at the Christmas presents and noticed my Pashley Princess looking back at me in her badly wrapped state!  She seemed to wink at me, as though acknowledging the delight bursting in my chest. Never before had I felt so overwhelnmed by such a generous gift.  

Each turn of the wheels felt like playing a cherished melody, punctuated by the sweet laughter of friends gliding beside me.  The simple joy of freewheeling down hills with the refreshing wind in my hair and time to think, reset and be myself. 

Today, as I look back on those swirling memories, I realise my Pashley is more than just a means of transport; she is a vessel of emotions, holding the essence of youthful exuberance and the wisdom of bittersweet moments.  She holds the heartbeats of my past—riding not only through streets but weaving through the intricate strands of joy and sorrow that make this love story more vibrant.

A Chequered Past

Pashley Princess

From the moment I began my piano journey, I found myself constantly writing music. However, when I failed to get into music college, I reluctantly entered the world of  secretarial work, which was definitely not my true passion. This piece reflects the idea of life's obstacles hindering our dreams, whether it is through the choices we make or the circumstances fate presents, these experiences have shaped me into the person I am today. Consequently, the music that emanates from me now is likely to be vastly different from a formal music education, mine is influenced by my life's journey and ultimately, it is a transformative voyage without any regrets.

Life Gets In The Way

Written the night before Ryuichi Sakamoto died and as a lover of his piano music I felt I should dedicate this song to him, especially as it has a Japanese feel with its pentatonic melody.  Where Ryuichi has left behind him sheet music and recordings for people to remember him by, I hope my children will listen to my music and always have me with them.

Castles In The Sky

After spending a week at the hospital with my mum I felt compelled to write this piece. Witnessing an emotional conversation with a doctor who was stripping her of her independence affected me so deeply. The day had been exhausting, filled with endless waiting and assisting her in a wheelchair for various tests in different departments. When I returned home, I was utterly drained, and this piece emerged as I reminisced about her independence and strength, what my strong mum has had to endure in her life would be so beyond most people and the harsh reality of this as the familiar slips away.

Reminisce

I love windows - the light which comes in from them, dust notes dancing in their beams, the shadows they create..  I have probably wasted hours of my life looking out, day-dreaming, making up stories, people watching and just pondering on life.  This piece came about after a very long, tough winter with weeks of rain and it offered a little ray of sunshine as the clouds were starting to disperse and the rain was lightening.

Waiting For Sunshine

On a beautiful Saturday afternoon, when everything should have been perfect, I found myself consumed by uncertainty. I was so desperate for something to happen that it led to this piece, born out of frustration. My emotions often find solace in my beloved secondhand K.Kawai grand piano, and I can't help but wonder if its previous owner used it as an outlet too. I wonder who will play this piano in the future. Will it be cherished by a future grandchild or only touched occasionally? My deepest desire is for it to continue bringing joy to others, just as it has brought so much pleasure to me. An instrument to carry my emotions and feelings, to express parts of me I find so difficult to express verbally. 

Uncertainty

The story of One Night in Budapest unravels in my thoughts alone: blending the allure of French film noir with a touch of mystery and excitement. 
The alternate playful sections resemble a classic black and white romance like Roman Holiday, exuding a charming innocence.  It captures my love of reading, of films and it is my expression of storytelling.

One Night In Budapest

Inspired by a wind up toy this composition has an atmospheric beginning, full of anticipation while the toy is being wound, followed by the joy and excitement on a face as the toy begins to dance. Gradually the toy begins to lose its power and the track slowly grinds to a halt.

To Be Continued

The previous owner of my home was called Mrs Nellie Waddington, she lived here for 50 years, with her husband to begin with and then alone.   Hiding in the meter box cupboard is an old piece of floral wallpaper which Nellie would have once looked upon and possibly chosen.  I often wonder whether Nellie and I are living similar lives?  Does looking out of the same windows create the same thoughts, even if the view has changed?

When my hallway was being decorated I felt completely out of control for reasons better left unsaid, but needless to say over the years I have experienced so many emotions; joy, love, laughter, heartbreak, sadness.  Possibly every emotion imaginable and writing this composition certainly had its fair share.  

Now Tea With Florence adons the hallway walls, the wallpaper remains in its cupboard and I am left wondering whether my life is mirroring Nellie's.. 

Tea With Florence

In 2020, when the pandemic was starting to take hold, Hayley's passion for writing music was reawakened.  The Album, Seascape is borne out of a love for sea swimming during this time and as a way to work through her feelings of loneliness the restrictions caused.  Her music is a deep dive into an emotional landscape, creating a collection of piano music that is both memorable and brooding.

Her second album "a chequered past" takes inspiration the stories of loved possessions and how they shape our lives. There is something magical about these belongings moving onto others to create new chapters and they carry the memories, laughter and tears of those who once cherished them. Whether it is a vintage dress that witnessed countless dances or a worn-out book that held the dreams of its previous reader; these objects have an undeniable power to connect us to different times, places and emotions. We inherit an ongoing narrative, adding our own dialogue while acknowledging their rich past. Through the recycling of beloved items we are reminded that life is transient and ever evolving. Passing on these possessions to others we are perpetuating a cycle of love and nostalgia that lives on.

Follow Hayley on @hayleymortonmusic on instagram to keep abrest of her latest projects :)

Hayley Morton

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