"A musical vision of Spring, a time of renewal and growth. From out of the cold ground comes a promise of warmer days. Then April showers herald an explosion of life, shorter nights and lighter days full of the sound of birdsong. As the season moves on, there is a slowing of change as Summer draws near."

Description

Spring, finds me trying to express, in music, my feelings about this season. Below is a attempt at doing this in words too. This is the third of four orchestral pieces that describe the four temperate seasons of the year.

If you want to hear the other pieces from the series "The Wheel Turns" after listening to this piece, the links are here :-

https://soundcloud.com/mrbouzouki/sets/the-wheel-turns

The Wheel Turns Orchestral Suite - YouTube playlist.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQkE1sMc-t1sixu4RmJmjyFr0HF6dnUF2

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Spring
The waiting is over. The Winter chill recedes and there is a tacit acceptance to the demands of birth and rebirth. A sign of fresh green poking through the ground is a welcome sight, a simple signal that all will be well.

Very quickly, in a sudden rush, there is life in the hedgerows and the sound of birds heralding a new season. One of life and growth and warmer days and rainy times, but overall a feeling of hope.

You have longed for this moment, a chance to put away your Winter clothes and feel the sun upon your face again. The riot of change will continue as the life-giving sun takes longer marches through the sky.

Spring of all seasons is a time to revel in simply feeling alive. 

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Instrumentation

Con Sordino Strings (Albion One - Spitfire)
Viola Ensemble (Chris Hein Strings)
Viola Ensemble Pizzicato Loose (Chris Hein Strings)
Cello Ensemble (Chris Hein Strings)
Solo Cello (Chris Hein Strings)
Solo(1826 Old)Violin (Chris Hein Strings)
Alto Flute (Chris Hein Winds)
Piccolo (Chris Hein Winds)
English Horn (Chris Hein Winds)
Barock Bassoon (Chris Hein Winds)
Bb Clarinet (Chris Hein Winds)
French Horn (Chris Hein Brass)
French Horn Ensemble(Chris Hein Brass)
Trombone (Chris Hein Brass)
Tuba (Chris Hein Brass)
Bell Tree (Flying Hands Percussion)
Triangle (Kontakt Factory Library)
Concert Harp (Garritan Personal Orchestra 5)

I really wanted a lightness to this piece and it took me a while of tweaking to get what I heard in my head. I didn't want it to sound like Autumn, or Summer, both weightier seasons, but not as thin and austere as Winter. So this piece is mostly woodwinds and strings with hardly any percussion

I didn't need bottom-end, I needed more focus in the melody interaction and there was a missing link. It needed to be light and airy and what else says light and airy like the harp. After about a day working on the harp part it started to give the feel I wanted. The harp glissandi were useful as bookends to the section it features in. 

The piece begins with an echo of Winter and the bell tree, the piccolo and alto flute describe the first signs of growth before giving way to pizzicato strings of April Showers. The harp section is a semi-formal counterpoint section with the harp melody inter-woven with the solo violin in my attempt to describe the rapid growth of the Season. The final section brings in the brass and is a calmer end to the piece that hints at the glory of Summer just around the corner.

The Wheel Turns

Spring

"A musical vision of Summer, a time of warmth, light and fun. A time to live life to the full and enjoy all that mother nature has to offer. As the season moves on, the solstice reminds us that the warmth and light cannot last as we start to head into Autumn"

Description

Summer, finds me trying to express, in music, my feelings about this season. Below is a attempt at doing this in words too. This is chronologically the forth and final of my orchestral pieces that describe the four temperate seasons of the year.

If you want to hear the other pieces from the series "The Wheel Turns" after listening to this piece, the links are here :-

https://soundcloud.com/mrbouzouki/sets/the-wheel-turns

The Wheel Turns Orchestral Suite - YouTube playlist.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQkE1sMc-t1sixu4RmJmjyFr0HF6dnUF2

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Summer
The days grow longer, the nights shorter, as the golden ball we call the sun parades in all it's glory.This is a time for living life to the full, a time of happiness, a time of pleasure and excess.

At the solstice, some people still give thanks to the life giving orb upon which we all depend. For we know this moment cannot last, the majesty will fade, the warmth will falter, the party will end.

With threadbare days and darker nights the proud display of Summer flowers starts to fade. The heat can be oppressive, at times there is a chill in the air and Nature herself seems finally quiescent.

We will carry those memories of days on the beach or at the park in our hearts forever. Those days of fun.

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Instrumentation

Con Sordino Strings (Albion One - Spitfire)
Ensemble Strings Mid Octave (Chris Hein Strings)
Viola Ensemble (Chris Hein Strings)
Cello Ensemble (Chris Hein Strings)
Bass Ensemble (Chris Hein Strings)
Solo(1826 Old)Violin (Chris Hein Strings)
Alto Flute (Chris Hein Winds)
C Flute (Chris Hein Winds)
Piccolo (Chris Hein Winds)
English Horn (Chris Hein Winds)
Barock Bassoon (Chris Hein Winds)
Trumpet Ensemble (Chris Hein Brass)
French Horn (Chris Hein Brass)
French Horn Ensemble(Chris Hein Brass)
Trombone (Chris Hein Brass)
Tuba (Chris Hein Brass)
Cymbal (Albion One - Spitfire)
Bass Drum (Kontakt Factory Library)
Concert Harp (Garritan Personal Orchestra 5)
Timpani (Kontakt Factory Library and Garritan Personal Orchestra 5)

This piece evolved into 5 different thematic viewpoints that I labelled up to give an insight into the composition.

1)Grand Intro ... Sunrise / The Majesty of the Sun
2)Summer Promenade / The Beauty of Life
3)Summer Fun / The Bandstand
4)Balmy Days / Sultry Nights
5)A Fading Glory / The Last Hurrah

The piece commences with a Summer sunrise and the sound of French horn and alto flute before the brass heralds the glory of the sun with a fanfare . 

Next is the introduction of the main Summer promenade theme which reflects on the glory of a Summers day before a quieter section featuring solo violin and a bit of flute in the beauty of life.

A harp glissando heralds a change of pace and mood as harp and flute hint at children playing in the park before a brief visit to a quintessentially English band-stand, complete with brass band and thumping bass drum.

Balmy days / Sultry nights introduces the listener to the fading grandeur of Summer, a more melancholic line from the English horn acting as a counterpoint to a slower version of the earlier promenade theme. 

Finally the piece ends with a last hurrah for Summer as a wistful line and rolled timpani hint at the onset of Autumn. A final bit of pomp with timpani and brass completes the piece. 

It was quite a task to fit all that imagery into  four minutes of music but overall I think it works. :-)

Summer

This is the first track of a new instrumental project I've entitled "It's All Greek to Me", as I explore the myths and legends of Ancient Greece. 

I'm using Ancient Greek instruments featured in the 'Ancient Worlds VST Library from Big Fish Audio', underpinned with classical orchestral instruments.  There are some very interesting sounds in it that do seem to evoke a time long ago. 

Since the project is based around some of the myths and legends of Ancient Greece, I wanted a generic opening track that would introduce the listener to some of the sounds and set an overall tone for the project. I really wanted a different feel from a typical 'all guns blazing' modern film score since it isn't accompanying live action but is hopefully a piece in its own right. 

So a piece with the title "A Time of Heroes" seemed like a good idea to kick off the project. :-)

Instrumentation Used

Lyre - it was one of the most important and well-known stringed instruments of Greek Antiquity.

Kithara - this was considered the “professional” instrument of antiquity, and the public highly regarded kithara players.

Kavali - this is a chromatic end-blown flute traditionally played throughout Armenia, the Balkans, Greece, and Turkey. 

Flogera - is a type of flute used in Greek folk music. It is a simple end-blown bamboo flute without a fipple, which is played by directing a narrow air stream against its sharp, open upper end. It typically has seven finger holes.

Water Pumpkins - also called “Water Drums” these instruments can be found in Africa (Mali) and other continents. Water Pumpkins are played with the hands or with soft mallets. They usually come in pairs and have a diameter of 32 - 36 cm. The deeper bowl is filled with water, the smaller one is set on the water. The pitch of the water drums can be tuned by changing the water level inside the floating shell.

Antique Cymbals - are the ancestors of the modern metal cymbals. During the Minoan period, they arrived on the island of Crete from Asia.

Pan Flute - this is an ancient instrument, associated with the demigod Pan, who was the protector of the woods and the shepherds. Variations of the instrument used a number between three and eighteen pipes. The classic Greek Pan Flute used pipes of the same length. 

In addition to the ancient instruments above the track also features :-

Orchestral CS Strings (Albion One - Spitfire)
Viola Ensemble (Piz and Long)(Chris Hein Strings)
Cello Ensemble (Piz and Long)(Chris Hein Strings)
Bass Ensemble Piz and Long)(Chris Hein Strings)
French Horn Ensemble (Chris Hein Brass)
Trombone Ensemble (Chris Hein Brass)
Tuba (Chris Hein Brass)
Bb Clarinet (Chris Hein Winds)
Snare Drum (VSL Big Bang Orchestra | Quasar)
XXL Percussion(Albion One - Spitfire)
St Peter's Choir (Halion 6)

A Time Of Heroes (It's All Greek to Me)

This is the second track of an instrumental project I've entitled "It's All Greek to Me", as I explore the myths and legends of Ancient Greece.

I'm using Ancient Greek instruments featured in the 'Ancient Worlds VST Library from Big Fish Audio', underpinned with classical orchestral instruments. There are some very interesting sounds in it that do seem to evoke a time long ago.

Background

According to Greek mythology, Sirens were dangerous creatures, who lured nearby sailors with their enchanting music and singing voices to shipwreck on the rocky coast of their island. Despite modern iconography depicting the Sirens as mermaids, early Greek art depicted them as part woman, part bird.

For this piece a Greek galley is introduced with a steady drum pulse and some Greek instruments to set the scene. We start with the Pan Flute supported by the Strings (Lyre and Kithara). Cymbal rolls represent the waves. The melody then passes to the Flogera and Alto Flute and a lone Siren voice before all three make an appearance. From then on they all act in counterpoint to each other. 

As the Sirens continue to charm the sailors, the Samvyke is introduced (another stringed instrument) as a sort of controlled tension that slowly gets a bit more frantic as the track starts to build. French Horns and Percussion herald the full fury of the Sirens unleashed on the luckless sailors. Helpless to resist, their boat is dashed upon the rocks. 

As the ship begins to break up on the rocky shore the track goes much smaller with a mournful solo cello, supported by the other strings. I wanted a melancholic ending  and the descending figure is supposed to represent the sinking of the boat alongside an almost funeral drum pulse, it just leads down and down into the depths of the sea. More lives have been lost to this peril of the ancient world.

Instrumentation Used

Greek Stringed Instruments - Lyre, Kithara, Samvyke
Greek Wind Instruments - Kavali, Flogera, Pan Flute 
Greek Percussion - Bendir

In addition to the ancient instruments above the track also features :-

Orchestral CS Strings (Albion One - Spitfire)
Violin Ensemble (Octave Long)(Chris Hein Strings)
Viola Ensemble (Octave Long and Flautando)(Chris Hein Strings)
Cello Ensemble (Long)(Chris Hein Strings)
Bass Ensemble (Octave Long)(Chris Hein Strings)
Solo Cello (Chris Hein Strings)
Alto Flute (Chris Hein Winds)
French Horn Ensemble (Chris Hein Brass)
Trombone Ensemble (Chris Hein Brass)
Tuba (Chris Hein Brass)

'The Sirens' - Shevannai vocal library (Eduardo Tarilonte)

XXL Percussion(Albion One - Spitfire)
Rolled Cymbals (Albion One - Spitfire)
St Peter's Choir (Halion 6)
Boat Breaking FX (Halion 6)

The Sirens (It's All Greek to Me)

The Half Open Door - To Go Beyond

The door is ajar,
a simple push is all it takes,
but dare you step through ?

Heroes, poets and fools have forever wondered
if a new world awaits you ...

through the half open door

MrBouzouki - Oct 2021

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Background
This track appeared as a result of some words in October 2021 that followed on from a similar set of words from 2020. In both cases, they acted as a catalyst for a relatively short orchestral piece piece. So now I have a new series to develop over time entitled 'Metaphysical'.

Again, I feel they are suggesting reaching out to explore the space beyond everyday experience. We really do not know what is on the other side of so many things, trapped by our senses and time itself. But are we  ..... lol

Metaphysical Playlist
https://soundcloud.com/mrbouzouki/sets/metaphysical
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Instrumentation
Viola - Chris Hein Strings
Cello - Chris Hein Strings
High Strings Ens - Chris Hein Strings 
Alto Flute - Chris Hein Winds
Bassoon - Chris Hein Winds  
Concert Harp and Harp Harmonics - GPO5 (Garritan)
St Peter's Choir - Halion 6
Ymir Choir - VSL - Big Band Orchestra

The Half Open Door - To Go Beyond

The Adventures of Vector Owl - Theme Tune and Intro

Vector Owl is a cheeky magical owl who gets up to various antics in the forest he calls home. Quite often,  he just wants to have a quiet snooze but pesky creatures keep disturbing him. 

Thankfully, with his understanding of the power of vector magic, he can conjure up solutions to these annoyances and get back to having a well earned rest.

YouTube link to the full animated Intro

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imB5RzyaMpg
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Instrumentation Used

Piccolo / Sousaphone / French Horn / Trombone / Woodblocks / Celtic Harp / Upright Bass

The sound of a Tawney Owl that is used in this piece was sourced from www.freesound.org and is classed as Public Domain.

( creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)

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Background
 
This project began with a 10 second piece of music and a very simple 2D animation of a little character called Vector Owl. 

The music was expanded into a full theme tune, a brand new redesigned Vector Owl emerged and a change of animation software resulted in what you see here. Whilst familiar with creating music, animation is a completely new world to me and I'm still learning as I go.

All the graphic elements are vector-based, using a combination of Serif Affinity software for graphical development and various open-source packages for animation and video editing, with the original music created in Cubase Pro.

Now this intro is complete I'm hoping to get started on his first adventure.

Vector Owl - Full Theme Tune

The Adventures of Vector Owl - Halloween Short

A 26 second piece of music to support an upcoming  Halloween themed Vector Owl short animation. If you can, compare this short with the original theme tune to hear how it's been tweaked to give what I think is a spooky vibe. 

YouTube link to the animated Halloween short

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptg_n37Ro6U

Vector Owl is a cheeky magical owl who gets up to various antics in the forest he calls home. Quite often, he just wants to have a quiet snooze but pesky creatures keep disturbing him.

Thankfully, with his understanding of the power of vector magic, he can conjure up solutions to these annoyances and get back to having a well earned rest.

YouTube link to the full animated Intro

www.youtube.com/watch?v=imB5RzyaMpg
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Instrumentation Used

Piccolo / Sousaphone / French Horn / Trombone / Woodblocks / Celtic Harp / Upright Bass / Ymir Choir / Lumina Choir

The sound of a Tawney Owl that is used in this piece was sourced from www.freesound.org and is classed as Public Domain.

( creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Background

This project began with a 10 second piece of music and a very simple 2D animation of a little character called Vector Owl.

The music was expanded into a full theme tune, a brand new redesigned Vector Owl emerged and a change of animation software resulted in what you see here. Whilst familiar with creating music, animation is a completely new world to me and I'm still learning as I go.

All the graphic elements are vector-based, using a combination of Serif Affinity software for graphical development and various open-source packages for animation and video editing, with the original music created in Cubase Pro.

The idea of a Halloween Short for Vector Owl seemed a great opportunity to play around in adapting the original theme tune to a spooky setting.  I used the same instruments, slowed down the tempo and went from major to minor. The addition of some choral elements was enough for this short piece of music.

When completed, the Halloween short link will be posted here, but for now it can be enjoyed purely as a very short piece of orchestral incidental music. :-)

Vector Owl - Halloween Short

The Cascade - a Trip through Time 

From first cry, to last breath,
our thoughts and feelings form 
the cascade we call life.

Day after day, hour after hour,
some grow stronger, whilst others fade,
an endless wave to journeys end
and in the end ...

are we but just a memory ?

Mr Bouzouki Dec 2021

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Background

This track appeared as a result of some words created in December 2021, that followed on from similar set of words in the Metaphysical series.  As before, the words acted as a catalyst for a the orchestral piece. This track is now track three  of the ongoing 'Metaphysical' series.

This track has taken quite a while to arrive but I've finally got an ending I'm relatively happy with. Talking of the ending. it does feature a 'book-end' moment right at at the end that might be distressing to some. You have been warned. 

I must admit I quite like the idea of life being a collection of flowing and interlocking feelings and memories. I also felt I had to have the cry of a baby and a last breath to book-end this track. 

Metaphysical Playlist

soundcloud.com/mrbouzouki/sets/metaphysical
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Instrumentation
Ensemble Strings Flautando - Chris Hein Strings
Ensemble Strings Full Mid (Pizz Tight) - Chris Hein Strings
Solo Viola  - Chris Hein Strings
Romantic Cello - Chris Hein Strings
Solo Bass - Chris Hein Strings
Alto Flute - Chris Hein Winds
Barock Bassoon - Chris Hein Winds 
English Horn - Chris Hein Winds
Bb Clarinet - Chris Hein Winds
Trumpet Ensemble - Chris Hein Brass 
French Horn Ensemble - Chris Hein Brass
Trombone Ensemble - Chris Hein Brass
Tuba - Chris Hein Brass
Snare  - VSL - Big Band Orchestra
Piatti  - VSL - Big Band Orchestra
Cymbal Rolls - VSL - Big Band Orchestra
Timpani Rolls and Strikes - VSL - Big Band Orchestra
Noire Piano - Native Instruments 
Concert Harp and Harp Harmonics - GPO5 (Garritan)
St Peter's Choir - Halion 6
YMIR Choir - VSL - Big Band Orchestra

The sound of a crying baby that is used in this piece was sourced from www.freesound.org and is classed as Public Domain.

 creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)

The Cascade - A Trip Through Time

The Adventures of Vector Owl - Winter Fun Theme
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I noticed the original upload tempo was a bit fast. I've now re-uploaded with a more ponderous version, especially for the band sections. It sounds better to my ears now, more what I intended. I was a few bpm too fast. :-) 
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A relatively short piece of music to support an upcoming Winter Fun themed Vector Owl short animation.  I wanted two contrasting styles of music in this piece to give more animation possibilities. 

So I went for the sound of a Tyrolean band in one section and a more dreamy, string-based section with a choral element. Hopefully the whole piece will invoke the sense of fun and Winter wonder.

Vector Owl is a cheeky magical owl who gets up to various antics in the forest he calls home. Quite often, he just wants to have a quiet snooze but pesky creatures keep disturbing him.

Thankfully, with his understanding of the power of vector magic, he can conjure up solutions to these annoyances and get back to having a well earned rest.

YouTube link to the full animated Intro

www.youtube.com/watch?v=imB5RzyaMpg
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Instrumentation Used

Viola / Cello / Ensemble Strings / Ensemble Trumpet / Ensemble French Horn / Ensemble Trombone / Tuba / Alto Flute / Bb Clarinet / Baroque Bassoon / English Horn / Harp / Glockenspiel / Vibraphone / Ymir Choir / St. Peter's Choir / Bass Drum / Sleigh Bells 
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Background

This project began with a 10 second piece of music and a very simple 2D animation of a little character called Vector Owl.

The music was expanded into a full theme tune, a brand new redesigned Vector Owl emerged and a change of animation software resulted in what you see here. Whilst familiar with creating music, animation is a completely new world to me and I'm still learning as I go.

All the graphic elements are vector-based, using a combination of Serif Affinity software for graphical development and various open-source packages for animation and video editing, with the original music created in Cubase Pro.

The idea of a Winter Fun Short for Vector Owl seemed a good idea after doing a Halloween-based one. The idea of two distinct types of music in the track gives possibilities for more varied animation and I'm hoping to add a few extra characters to the Forest for this one. 

When completed, the Winter Fun short link will be posted here, but for now it can be enjoyed purely as a very short piece of orchestral incidental music. :-)

Vector Owl - Winter Fun Theme

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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"A furore Normannorum libera nos, Domine - From the fury of the Northmen deliver us, O Lord"

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
The Vikings! instrumental features rolled timpani, strings, electric guitar and a choir ending. Various sound FX from that are classed as Public Domain are used to add colour to the track from www.freesound.org

creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

"Flock of Seagulls" by juskiddink (5th June 2010) licensed under creative commons attribution licence via www.freesound.org

creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

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Background
Simeon of Durham recorded the grim events of the Viking attack on Lindisfarne in 793 AD

"And they came to the church of Lindisfarne, laid everything waste with grievous plundering, trampled the holy places with polluted feet, dug up the altars and seized all the treasures of the holy church. They killed some of the brothers; some they took away with them in fetters; many they drove out, naked and loaded with insults; and some they drowned in the sea" .
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'The Vikings' was in direct contrast to the dreamy first piece of the album. I came across a Latin Phrase spoken by priests as a prayer of protection from the scourge of Viking raids. It helped me get into the mindset required for this piece. I chanced upon some 'Foley' material of some actual Viking re-enactors from freesound and used this to create a very short, brooding piece that explodes into an electric guitar solo before just being suddenly left with a voiceover of me chanting the Latin phrase against the backdrop of the sound of the sea.

Often Viking raids were short and bloody and I wanted to try and capture how an attack like this could change everything for the vulnerable monks. Faith was their shield but could it really protect them from these savages from the sea ?

The Vikings - 2024 Remix and Remaster

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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Lindisfarne has always held a special fascination for my wife and I, so it is no surprise to me that I would eventually create some music about it. Hopefully you can be swept away by the music but not the tide ;-)

This track is now the first track of the "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
The Pilgrims Way Instrumental features Low Whistle, coupled with the sound of strings waves and the wheeling of seagulls overhead. It also features Shevvanai Voice of the Elves VST. (Lara Ausensi)

"Flock of Seagulls by juskiddink (5th June 2010) licensed under creative commons attribution licence via freesound.org

creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Thanks to Redmando, Leonard Scaper and the Songwriters in the Kitchen Forum for the spark
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Background
Ever since 635, when King Oswald gave the Holy Island of Lindisfarne to St Aidan to establish his monastery, the island has been a place of pilgrimage. The road was not constructed until 1954 and until then the vertical poles were the only indicators of the safe route between the mainland and island. The sight of the poles stretching across the sand and mud is one of the most iconic views in Northumberland and to walk the route away from the road and follow in the footsteps of our medieval ancestors is a wonderful experience.

With 'The Pilgrims Way', there was actually very little research involved. Lindisfarne was a place both my wife and I loved and it was really created from a simple low whistle melody. I also included 'Foley' sounds to help in the immersion for the listener. Having got some initial positive feedback from some musical friends, I decided to try and create a series of pieces based around Lindisfarne. Given it's history and unique natural setting, there seemed plenty of material to go at.

The Pilgrims Way - 2024 Remix and Remaster

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

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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The surviving medieval priory Lindisfarne is the focus for this track. The priory was re-established in Norman times in 1093 as a Benedictine house and continued until its suppression in 1536 under Henry VIII. The original priory of St Cuthbert's time was long gone by then following the location of the relics of the saint as a result of the Viking scourge.

Inspired by "The Rainbow Arch", the track takes it's name from this surviving rib of the crossing vault that survived when the tower above it collapsed. The photo of this arch was taken on one of my visits to Lindisfarne.

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

The Rainbow Arch instrumental features strings, violin, flute, a choir backing, synthesizer pad (quite Floyd -like) and uilleann pipes. There was no historical reason to use the pipes as the Irish monks were long gone. It was more to do with the mixture of sounds in this piece. It felt right to my ears. It also features my best approximation of multitracked chanting.

The Bell ringing sound FX is classed as Public Domain and is used to add colour to the track from www.freesound.org

creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

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Background

"The bell is rung for mass and the monks assemble. Whilst singing the chant they gaze up at the rainbow arch and their spirits soar."

I wanted to get inside the feeling of the monks in this holy place and was inspired by the surviving rainbow arch to do multiple parts singing the 'Kyrie Eleison' with different vocal timbres and link that into a rapture type section.

The Rainbow Arch - 2024 Remix and Remaster

Lament For The Fallen

Out of the mud and the blood came the sound of a man crying.
For those that survived were stricken with guilt and pain and loss.

So much death and wanton destruction, so many lives cut short.
The innocent, the old, the frightened, the babes in arms.

All are fodder for the apocalyptic horsemen, riding, forever riding ...

P.Goodrich 2024
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Instrumentation Used

Dicky Deegan's Uilleann Pipes - Xtant Audio
Romantic Cello (Cello 1 and 2) - Chris Hein's Solo Cello
Con Sordino Strings - Spitfire - Albion One
Snare Drum - VSL Synchron Percussion 1

Lament For The Fallen

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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By Castle Walls - © P Goodrich 2019

"When Summer sun shines on your face
By Castle Walls I feel your grace
When bees alight on golden thrones
By Castle Walls 'twixt sea and stone"
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The Gertrude Jekyll garden, near to Lindisfarne Castle is the focus of this track. Now owned by the National Trust, originally it was a walled garden that was first constructed by troops manning the castle, presumably as far back as the 1500s or 1600s, to grow food.

In 1902, the Country Life magazine founder and owner Edward Hudson took out a lease from the Crown on Lindisfarne Castle and commissioned his friend, the architect Edwin Lutyens, to transform the Castle into a holiday home in which Hudson could entertain during his summer visits.

In 1911, Hudson decided to restore the old walled garden to use as a place to enjoy. Lutyens brought in his regular collaborator, Gertrude Jekyll to undertake the design work

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

By Castle Walls instrumental feature strings, cello, alto flute, alto F low whistle, english horn, piano, harp, alto glockenspiel, bass guitar, harpsichord and a mixed choir backing. It also features my initial poem voice-over and 'bees ensemble' :-)

The buzzing bees sound FX is classed as Public Domain and is used to add colour to the track from www.freesound.org

creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

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Background

In my head I had the idea of trying to capture the feeling of guests of Hudson, (or modern day visitors) walking around the garden on a late Summer afternoon, possibly stopping to listen to the bees, busy at work, collecting honey.

The poem came out of that thought which then inspired the musical direction of the piece.

I imagined the first part, idyllic, tranquil, moving to section where you just focus in on the bees and everyday life slips away for a while. This is followed by a grander 'promenade ending', where I imagined Hudson's guests strolling around in the late afternoon sun.

By Castle Walls - 2024 Remix and Remaster

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 Cinematic-style Celtic Fantasy is loosely based around an ancient Celtic gathering on Lindisfarne and had me researching the Common Brittonic language to get some interesting 'Foley' sounds. It was spoken in Britain and Brittany and eventually developed into Old Welsh, Cumbric, Cornish, and Breton. It also features my long suffering wife who over time has become a quasi- Foley artist and harmony part singer for me.

The Metheglin of the title is the oil that makes the celebration happen and is a type of spiced mead, so basically fermented honey with spices added. It also obliquely connects to Lindisfarne mead and also the bees featured in 'By Castle Walls'.

I wanted to get a sort of cinematic feel to be dropped into a Celtic Festival or feast day and I hoped the language and children's laughter would aid in the immersion. Finally in this project I get to do a fair bit of bouzouki playing which was a plus.

So hopefully you will enjoy the feast .... "búwa slanos ac swos"

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

A Taste of Metheglin features low and high whistles, harp, strings, violin, alto-flute, a choir backing and bouzouki. Percussion consists of bodhrán, clapping, various taps and knocks, shaker and even tapping on my acoustic guitar.

Vocal FX is a combination of Brittonic vocalisations and a backing line from the Soundiron 'Voices of Gaia' collection featuring the vocal talents of Linda Strawberry.

Some of the percussion sounds come from the excellent playable VST instrument set "Flying Hands Percussion" by HandHeld Sound

A sea waves sound FX and children laughing FX that are classed as Public Domain are used to add colour to the track from www.freesound.org

creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

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Background

This track is a combination of VST-based instrumentation and real-playing of instruments with additional clapping, tapping and knocking, all overlaid with original Foley sounds.

I wanted to try and get a well developed rhythmic feel and maybe the feel of circular dancing that hopefully comes out from the track.

A Taste Of Metheglin - 2024 Remix and Remaster

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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On Lindisfarne, there is a ridge of land called 'The Heugh' made out of unyielding igneous rock. It is not particularly high but from this viewpoint you can see the Castle, the Abbey, St Cuthbert's Island, in fact most of the sights of the otherwise flat Lindisfarne. The old coastguard station is now an observation platform. I wanted to use this piece to describe the view as experienced by a modern tourist but also give a reflective nod to the old herring and general fishing industry of the past.

This is an interesting link all about it

www.islandshirearchives.org.uk/content/a…-heritage

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

Thanks to Fiona from Lionheart Radio for playing this track on her show

www.lionheartradio.com/

Project Playlist

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

Project Website

www.pilgrims-way.co.uk

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Instrumentation

The High on the Heugh instrumental feature strings, cello, alto flute, high whistle, harp, bouzouki, concertina, choir, bodhrán and water pumpkins.

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Background

I wanted to start this piece with an ascent section so it includes a climbing motif that leads the listener up to the top of the Heugh. There they can reflect on the view of St Cuthbert's Island etc.

The next section introduces the idea of starting to think about the vanished fishing industry so I used the concertina, an instrument often used by sailors, to start painting this picture. It also adds in the bouzouki supporting the harp and supported by various strings.

Then it's into a hornpipe section and and it's a much more lively section as the listeners imagination takes free reign and features a bouzouki solo. It builds to a climax before the final melancholic reprise. This final reprise reflects on a lost time as it guides the listener back to the present day.

High On The Heugh - 2024 Remix and Remaster

2024 Remaster version for full album release in 2025.
 
This final track of the album acts as a bookend to the project, departing via the causeway after arriving over the sands in the first track, 'The Pilgrim's Way'.

The idea behind this piece is exploring the duality of the causeway and of Lindisfarne itself. Sometimes the causeway is below the water and sometimes above. Lindisfarne is in turn an island cut off from the modern world, then reconnected for a while before the cycle repeats itself.

Connection versus isolation, spiritual versus material, water and dry land in balance, governed by the ever changing tides. Even the concept of the water itself somehow holding echoes of past times and the call of of the natural world. This last idea is also a convenient way to reprise some of the 'Foley' sounds from the rest of the album, a worthy goal for the last track of this project. This piece is truly eclectic in nature so please enjoy the journey.

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

Photo by Paul Everitt ... "an early morning golden hour" of the Causeway. (used with permission). As I said to Paul "This picture of yours just seems to capture the spirit of the piece I'm creating".

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Instrumentation

Causeway Dreams features strings, cello, alto flute, C flute, French horn, English horn, alto F whistle, harp, DADGAD acoustic guitar, piano, St Peter's choir, Shevvanai, timpani, Northumbrian smallpipes, bodhrán and water pumpkins. Also including vocal phrases from Shevannai and Voices of Gaia (Linda Strawberry).

Additionally, various 'Foley' sounds including featuring ones from other tracks of the project.
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Background

When composing instrumental music you can often find yourself separating a piece into various thematic sections to create a journey for the listener. 'Causeway Dreams' breaks down into six sections. One of them is very short, (A Meeting of Worlds) but this crucially acts as a musical nexus or balance point in the music,

1) Into the Depths
The journey begins by plunging the listener below the water of the covered causeway, an alien world where the natural world, history and spiritual feelings all fuse together in the restless sea. The power of the sea is very much a feature in this first section. There is peril for the unwary, man cannot control this element of nature, only react to it's moods.

2) In a Place of Wonder
This lighter section featuring harp and flute introduces a feeling of wonder as you remain below the water with the creatures that call the sea their home.

3) Island Echoes
Still below the water you begin to hear echoes of 'Foley' sounds from previous tracks in the project brought together in this underwater realm, suggesting a merging of history and nature, an 'island memory', captured in the surrounding water of the island. At the end of this section you begin to ascend back towards the emerging causeway.

4) A Meeting of Worlds
As you emerge from the water you are in that moment of balance between the two worlds. The voice you first heard in 'The Pilgrims Way' is ready to lead you home.

5) Travelling Home
As the sea finally recedes, the rolling feel of acoustic DADGAD guitar and low whistle feature to lead the listener as you travel across the now fully uncovered causeway back towards the Northumbrian mainland.

6) The Call of the Coast
As you travel further along the causeway, you hear the sound of Northumbrian pipes over a boisterous bodhrán backing. The mainland is calling to you but the voice you first heard in the Pilgrims Way soars as a final reminder of this special place.

Causeway Dreams - 2024 Remix and Remaster

Taken from the 'Beyond the Veiled Horizon' series of tracks

https://soundcloud.com/mrbouzouki/sets/beyond-the-veiled-horizon-series

Dee Zee and Mr B YouTube Channel 

https://www.youtube.com/@DeeZeeandMrB
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This track is part of an ongoing SoundCloud collaboration with accomplished keyboard player and Prog Rock enthusiast Dave Zeitlin.

Be sure to check out more of his music here :- @dee-zee

Once again, one of his instrumentals entitled "Beyond The Veiled Horizon" conjured up some imagery that inspired me to try and add something to his original track. I was thinking 'Ethno-Prog' mixing Prog Rock with a World sort of feel. 

The title and music suggested to me the mysterious world of a desert landscape with it's rhythms and music and I had the famous Led Zeppelin 'Kashmir' in my head too. John-Paul Jones added a strings arrangement to that track and I thought I could try something similar.

Since it's Prog Rock I wanted to get my electric guitar out and I feel I came up with some phrasing and a scale that works for the idea. I particularly like the solo section at the end featuring Dave. I didn't want to tread on his toes so I went for more melodic held notes and panned myself hard left and right to keep the separation. 

I used a fair amount of more exotic instruments from various parts of the world. The Persian Ney, Kavali - an End Blown Flute and percussion from ancient Greece and the fairly rare Indian Kanjira that is like a small tambourine. A bell tree, cymbal and water pumpkins were added into the mix too.

Finally, I sang in some vocal lines that I felt helped add to the immersion after doing a bit of research about Moroccan vocal phrases. You can buy VST instruments with samples of them but I thought it was more fun to sing in my own and have more control over the finished article as a result.

Be careful out there ... who knows what you might discover.

Instrumentation 
Drone - Dee Zee
Drone and Chords - Dee Zee
String Synth Intro - Dee Zee
Brass-Like Synth - Dee Zee
Percussion Organ - Dee Zee
Main Synth - Dee Zee
8-bit Pattern - Dee Zee
High Voice Synth - Dee Zee
80's-Style String Chords - Dee Zee
Drum Kit - Dee Zee
Guitar-like Riff - Dee Zee

Seistron Percussion - MrBouzouki
Bell Tree - MrBouzouki
Kavali - End Blown Flute - MrBouzouki
Ney - Persian End Blown Flute - MrBouzouki
Shaker Percussion - MrBouzouki
Kanjira - Indian Hand Drum - MrBouzouki
Water Pumpkins - MrBouzouki
Strings (VSL Appassionata Violins) - MrBouzouki
Electric Guitar - MrBouzouki
Cymbal - MrBouzouki
Ending Hits - MrBouzouki
Sung Vocal Phrases - MrBouzouki

Beyond the Veiled Horizon - in collaboration with D Zeitlin

Taken from the 'Beyond the Veiled Horizon' series of tracks

https://soundcloud.com/mrbouzouki/sets/beyond-the-veiled-horizon-series

Dee Zee and Mr B YouTube Channel 

https://www.youtube.com/@DeeZeeandMrB
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
This track is is part of an ongoing  SoundCloud collaboration with accomplished keyboard player and Prog Rock enthusiast Dave Zeitlin.

Be sure to check out more of his music here :- @dee-zee

Dave had worked on an outline track for this with fairly ominous chords building into the actual storm section. It did sound quite stately rhythmically and in my head I could hear more of a driving pulse to reflect an oncoming storm and the storm itself.  The addition of more of an Eastern pulse utilising Darbuka and Rik in the early part and Davul in the ending added the feeling I was looking for. 

Some orchestral brass was added to the start of the storm section which gave it a bit of majesty and I also added a bit of string ensemble too.  I've often used the 'Eduardo Tarilonte', Shevannai vocal VST library in my music. The pure tones of 'Lara Ausensi' are perfect to add an element of mystery to a piece like this. 

Oud (a Middle Eastern short-neck lute) and Ney ( Persian End Blown Flute) add melodic interest and colour to the early part of this track. Use is also made of a Kanun (Qanun) a Middle Eastern stringed instrument, a type of zither.  This appears just before the storm hits. 

Dave had already supplied a solo section and I added some early electric guitar that morphed into more of a supporting riff when his solo started. It worked well that I could bring together electric and synth at the end of the storm alongside a final slightly dissonant chord on the brass. 

The overall piece is very much a weird hybrid of Eastern influences, Prog Rock and Orchestral instrumentation. I think we managed to capture some energy in this piece ... I  hope others think we did too. :-)  

Instrumentation

End Chords - Dee Zee
Lead  Synth - Dee Zee
Main String | Brass Chords - Dee Zee
Echo Chords - Dee Zee
Early Fx - Dee Zee
Piano Chords - Dee Zee
Block - Dee Zee
Timpani Pattern - Dee Zee 

Chris Hein French Horn Ensemble - MrBouzouki
Chris Hein Low Brass Ensemble - MrBouzouki
VSL Epic Horns - MrBouzouki
Chris Hein String Ensemble - MrBouzouki
Shevannai Vocal Library - MrBouzouki
Darbuka - Percussion - MrBouzouki
Rik - Percussion - MrBouzouki
Electric Guitar - MrBouzouki
Oud - MrBouzouki
Ney - End-blown Flute - MrBouzouki
Kanun - MrBouzouki
VSL Timpani - MrBouzouki
Albion Orchestra (Phasing Octadrone) - MrBouzouki

Into the Sandstorm - in collaboration with D Zeitlin

Taken from the 'Beyond the Veiled Horizon' series of tracks

soundcloud.com/mrbouzouki/sets/beyond-the-veiled-horizon-series

Dee Zee and Mr B YouTube Channel 

https://www.youtube.com/@DeeZeeandMrB
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
This track is is part of an ongoing SoundCloud collaboration with accomplished keyboard player and Prog Rock enthusiast Dave Zeitlin.

Be sure to check out more of his music here :- @dee-zee

Ever since hearing the Armenian Duduk (a double reed instrument) in Narnia and Dune, I've wanted to include it in one of my pieces. This project with Dave gave me a perfect time for a slower piece of music set around a night at an oasis. We didn't want it to be just that, so we did decide to add in a dance section too in the middle of the piece. 

I had the idea of a traveller arriving at an oasis as the sun falls and pouring himself a cup of water.  Then after watching a dance there is the sound of two cups being filled and a female laugh, once again to the sultry sound of the Duduk and Strings. 

It is Ethno Prog though, so Dave got to work creating synthesiser parts as part of the dance section. I added in various rhythmic elements including Darbuka, Riq, Cymbals, Clapping and a Vocal part. I wanted to keep an eastern feel so I decided to use the Oud to add quasi bass guitar lines to the dance section of the piece. 

I feel all the disparate elements came together very well in the end and it drops the listener into the moment. 

Instrumentation

Intro Synth - Dee Zee
Arpeggio Synth - Dee Zee
Main Solo Synth - Dee Zee
Echo Lead Synth - Dee Zee

Pouring Water FX - MrBouzouki
Female Laugh FX - MrBouzouki
Bell Tree - MrBouzouki
Low Pedal (Smart Spheres) - MrBouzouki
Duduk - MrBouzouki
VSL Appassionata Violins - MrBouzouki
Full of Feeling Strings - MrBouzouki
EE Rhythm - MrBouzouki
Darbuka - Percussion - MrBouzouki
Cymbals - Percussion - MrBouzouki
Rik - Percussion - MrBouzouki
Clapping - MrBouzouki
Vox FX - MrBouzouki
Tam Tam - Percussion - MrBouzouki
Con Sordino Strings - MrBouzouki

A Night at the Oasis - in collaboration with D Zeitlin

Taken from the 'Beyond the Veiled Horizon' series of tracks

soundcloud.com/mrbouzouki/sets/beyond-the-veiled-horizon-series

Dee Zee and Mr B YouTube Channel 

https://www.youtube.com/@DeeZeeandMrB
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
This track is part of an ongoing SoundCloud collaboration with accomplished keyboard player and Prog Rock enthusiast Dave Zeitlin.

Be sure to check out more of his music here :- @dee-zee
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Expedition Journal

10th June
The hieroglyphs are faded and unclear, but the riddle might be solved.

15th June 
A secret entrance, long buried in the sands of time, finally a way inside the Sphinx.

16th June
We hear the sound of an ancient mechanism and an opening appears. Stepping inside, we discover chambers of wondrous size and form, but all are empty. Our flickering torches show air still moves inside this wonder of the ancient world.
 
Suddenly we find ourselves in danger and running for a possible exit. A mechanical sound of rock sliding over ancient rock. We barely escape with our lives.

17th June
Our entrance and hurried exit are both now fully sealed from intruders. There will be no second chance.

Flying away in the helicopter, the enigmatic Sphinx looks on.

As it always has.

As it always will.

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Dave had worked hard to create a great template of ideas in a fully realised track. Whilst thinking of the title the idea was formed of making it an almost 'Indiana Jones type adventure' with explorers finding a secret way into the Sphinx. This resulted in the journal entry above to set the scene. 

I spent a fair bit of time getting the Phrygian Dominant scale under my fingers for the electric guitar work to contrast Dave's sinuous, winding synth lines.

The end result hopefully does lead the listener on the adventure, with a grand start, a way inside, wonder, peril then danger, before a hurried escape by a different exit as the Sphinx defeats the intruders and seals all the doorways forever. Finally a tiny reprise featuring a departing helicopter closes out the track.

Instrumentation

Low Drone - Dee Zee
Sinuous Synth Lead - Dee Zee
Low Pulse Synth - Dee Zee
Drum Ostinato Pattern - Dee Zee
Shimmer Synth - Dee Zee
Warm Rise Synth - Dee Zee
High Solo Synth Lead - Dee Zee
High Pedal Synth - Dee Zee
Ending Synth Lead - Dee Zee
Choir Synth - Dee Zee

HALion Spacious Strings - MrBouzouki
VSL Altair Strings - MrBouzouki
HALion Easy Modern Funk Bass - MrBouzouki
Electric Guitar - MrBouzouki
HALion String Swells - MrBouzouki
VSL Timpani - MrBouzouki
HALion Thunderstrom (Door FX) - MrBouzouki
Sliding Stones / Gear / Chains FX / Helicopter - MrBouzouki
HALion Odyssey Synth - MrBouzouki
Darbuka (Percussion) - MrBouzouki
Tombak (Percussion) - MrBouzouki
HALion St Peter's Choir - MrBouzouki

The Riddle of the Sphinx - in collaboration with D Zeitlin

In 2018, I did a SoundCloud collaboration with @clive-hawkins after one of his tracks inspired me to write lyrics over his haunting instrumental 'After the Bomb'.

Clive had posted the line "let us not forget the consequences............of unleashing weapons of mass destruction!", and that comment, coupled with listening to his moody track, had me writing the complete lyrics inspired by his music in about 1.5 hours.

In 2025, I am currently working with accomplished keyboard player and Prog Rock enthusiast @Dee-Zee (Dave Zeitlin), to create an Ethno-Prog album 'Beyond the Veiled Horizon'. 

https://soundcloud.com/mrbouzouki/sets/beyond-the-veiled-horizon-series

So when I recently re-heard the old collaboration I wondered if Dave's keyboard wizardry could add a whole new dimension to the lyrics. The message in the lyrics has perhaps has even more urgency in 2025. 

The Doomsday Clock currently stands at 89 seconds to midnight. 
https://thebulletin.org/doomsday-clock/2025-statement/

Using Clive's harmonic rhythm that inspired the melody, that inspired the lyrics, I basically gave Dave a blank slate to see what he could come up with as parts. As usual he delivered some amazing ideas and playing and this left me re-assembling this Redux version of the collaboration. Once again, I made use of the Alto vocal talents of 'Mrs Bouzouki' in a vocal harmony section and as part of some harmony stacks. Towards the end, the additional female backing lines are from the Soundiron 'Voices of Gaia' collection featuring the vocal talents of Linda Strawberry.

I feel the addition of a church organ really added to the track. As a result I removed a choir part I added in the original collaboration and added some low strings to add some weight to the bottom end in places. Besides piano, Dave also added some synth pads to keep things interesting during what is quite a long track. I hope that people can hear why I enjoy working with Dee Zee. I think he's done a fantastic job with this track.

I decided to keep my original vocal takes from 2018 but I feel the track has benefited from my improved mixing and production techniques. 

I feel that once again this track is a great example of how music can be created using the SoundCloud platform. A collaboration can build on a collaboration to create something bigger than the sum of the parts. Thanks @clive-hawkins for being the catalyst for this and @dee-zee for your compositional skill and playing. 

As a follow-up to this song you can watch this movie on the Internet Archive, produced in 1969 about the Hiroshima-Nagasaki bombs of 1945. Some of the imagery is not for the faint-hearted.

archive.org/details/hiroshimanagasakiaugust1945
=======================================================
Lyrics

After The Bomb - P Goodrich 22/01/2018

One World, One Tribe
One Fate, One Life
Two Sides, Too Late
Just What Have We Done

Dead Streets, Dead Lives
Dead Seas, Dark Skies
We've Gone, Too Far
Ohhhh We've Lost It All

(C)
And The People Cried As One
With The Firing Of A Gun
Too Late For Second Thoughts
Too Late For All Of Us

No Race, No Faith,
No News, No Lies
Past Ways, Past Lives
They're Over and Done

Dark Days, Dark Times
Dark Deeds, Dark Minds
No Hope, All Gone
We've Nowhere To Run

C)
And The People Cried As One
With The Firing Of The Gun
Too Late For Second Thoughts
Too Late For All Of Us

(organ instrumental)

No Rest, No Sleep
No Love, Just Hate
Dull Hearts, Dead Minds
The Future It’s Gone

One World, One Tribe
One Fate, One Life
Two Sides, Too Late
Oh What Have We Done

(C)
And The People Cried As One
With The Firing Of The Gun
Too Late For Second Thoughts
Too Late For All Of Us

One World, One Tribe
(Ad Lib)
We’ve Nowhere To Run
(Final Whispered) After The Bomb ... After The Bomb

After The Bomb - Redux 2025 (89 Seconds To Midnight)

Taken from the 'Beyond the Veiled Horizon' series of tracks

soundcloud.com/mrbouzouki/sets/beyond-the-veiled-horizon-series

Dee Zee and Mr B YouTube Channel 

https://www.youtube.com/@DeeZeeandMrB
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
This track is part of an ongoing SoundCloud collaboration with accomplished keyboard player and Prog Rock enthusiast Dave Zeitlin.

Be sure to check out more of his music here :- @dee-zee

In my head I had the idea of the bazaar in this track being a mixing of cultures, ideas and the buying and selling of goods. Despite the heat, it is a place that never truly sleeps although it's mood changes throughout the day and into the evening. A meeting of minds, cultures, jarring, exciting and exotic.

With that in mind I thought of an initially busy track with discrete sections to denote different parts of the bazaar that also changes from day into evening. 

I created a basic intro and then let Dave weave some of his keyboards into the mix. I then set to work on trying to give the idea of entering new parts of the marketplace and in the end a simple tam-tam crash seemed to work well to suggest a new vista or mood as the listener moves through the track. Different darbuka rhythms really helped here and also changing up the featured instruments. 

The later part of the track is hopefully suggesting later in the day, as the temperature decreases and many vendors shut up shop for the day. But it never truly closes so the outro reprises the initial riff as it fades out.

Instrumentation

Rise Synth - Dee Zee
Brass Patch - Dee Zee
Sinuous Synth Lead - Dee Zee
Echo Synth - Dee Zee

Electric Guitar - MrBouzouki
Bass Guitar - MrBouzouki
Bowed Strings - HALion - MrBouzouki
VSL Celestial  Strings - MrBouzouki
Middle Eastern Strings - MrBouzouki
Ney - MrBouzouki
Kanun - MrBouzouki
Darbuka 1,2 and 3 - Percussion - MrBouzouki
Tam Tam - Percussion - MrBouzouki
Kanun and Oud Duo - MrBouzouki
Voltage Synth - HALion - MrBouzouki

Welcome To The Bazaar - in collaboration with D Zeitlin

An Irish-tinged tune about the Lindisfarne Gospels to reflect the Irish foundations of the community despite the later Romanisation of the Celtic church. 

The track title comes from me thinking about it being a beacon of civilisation, a rallying point, during the Early Middle Ages whist a far chunk of the UK was under Viking rule and Christianity had again been pushed to the margins of the UK.

Thanks to Karen O'Mahony (MonnoDB) for her (harp playing) advice - check out her stuff here:- https://soundcloud.com/monnodb

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 

https://www.pilgrims-way.co.uk

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Instrumentation
A Light in the Darkness instrumental features strings, high C whistle, harp, violin,  Uilleann pipes, bodhrán (Irish frame drum) and a choir backing.

The sound of 'Eadfrith' doing his writing is a sound FX that is classed as Public Domain and used to add colour to the track, It can be found on www.freesound.org

creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

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Background
The Lindisfarne Gospels is an illuminated manuscript gospel book probably produced around the years 715-720 in the monastery at Lindisfarne, off the coast of Northumberland, which is now in the British Library in London. The manuscript is one of the finest works in the unique style of Hiberno-Saxon or Insular art, combining Mediterranean, Anglo-Saxon and Celtic elements.

The Lindisfarne Gospels are presumed to be the work of a monk named Eadfrith, who became Bishop of Lindisfarne in 698 and died in 721 AD

A Light In The Darkness

Semi-Finalist in the Instrumental category in the UK Songwriting Contest 2018

With The North Shore I hope to give a feel of that 'magical interface' between land and sea, a place apart from the hustle and bustle of life where your soul can find peace for a while. A natural world full of wonder for those with the time and inclination to see.  

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 

https://www.pilgrims-way.co.uk

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Instrumentation
The North Shore instrumental features low whistle, DADGAD tuned acoustic guitar, strings, choir backing, violin and synthesizer

A sea waves sound FX that is classed as Public Domain is used to add colour to the track from www.freesound.org

This recording was actually done at Bamburgh, just down the coast from Lindisfarne island.

creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

"Flock of Seagulls" by juskiddink (5th June 2010) licensed under creative commons attribution licence via www.freesound.org

creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

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Background
The 'semi-hidden' North Shore of Lindisfarne is driven past by tourists every day, eager to see the 'sites' of the Island in their race against time before the tide cuts them off from the mainland. It is part of the Lindisfarne Natural Nature Reserve and its shifting sands and tides combine to create the 3500 hectares of dunes, saltmarsh and mudflats of the Reserve, home to a fascinating array of birdlife, seals, rare orchids and other wildlife. To experience it you need to spend time on the island, either by choosing to be cut off by an early tide or ideally stay on the island for a while.

The North Shore

Overview

This is a piece of cinematically inspired music that grew out of a 30 seconds Composer Club (Facebook) Group challenge. Our remit was to create a Leitmotif based on 'The One Ring', from The Lord of The Rings trilogy.

Being a bit of a Tolkien fan I decided to create a piece based on the actual forging of the ring of power, to try and get the sense of power, malice and a desire to dominate condensed into this small object and the overriding sorrow of the Elves when they realised just what had been created.

The Shevvanai 'Voice of the Elves' vocal library certainly came in handy  :-)

After doing the initial 30 seconds I thought there was a bit more I could do with the idea so I went back to setting up the story. This involved trying to give a feeling of the Elves in Middle Earth and then I thought ... what I need is some of the Black Speech of Mordor, part of the ring rhyme to lead into the forging section. So I did my very best Dark Lord impression to utter the lines in the Black Speech of Mordor. 

Ash nazg durbatulûk, 
ash nazg gimbatul,
Ash nazg thrakatulûk 
agh burzum-ishi krimpatul.

One Ring to to Rule Them All
One Ring to Find Them
One Ring to Bring Them All
And in the Darkness Bind Them

I must admit is the most weird thing I've ever tracked vocally ;-)

Instrumentation

Shevannai vocal library (Eduardo Tarilonte)
Strings (8ve Long, Spiccato Shorts, CS Strings ,Nasty Brass (Albion One - Spitfire)
Harp (Garritan GP05)
St Peter's Choir Patch(Halion Sonic)
Alto Flute (Chris Hein Winds) 
Oboe (Chris Hein Winds)

The sound of working on a Blacksmiths Forge and Explosion sound FX that is classed as Public Domain is used to add colour to the track from www.freesound.org

The Ring Is Forged - The Elves Lament

This Lord of the Rings cinematically inspired orchestral track follows on the tale of the Ring of Power as it is rediscovered in the Gladden river by Déagol, who was out fishing on the Gladden river on Sméagol's birthday, after being lost for thousands of years.

Besides orchestral instrumentation and choir voices, it also features my Alto F Low Whistle in the first half of the piece and a Foley type section of Sound FX to link to the second section.

The idea was to setup an idyllic pastoral scene by a river before Déagol falls into the river whilst trying to catch a fish.  Underwater he spots a glint of gold on the riverbed and returns to the surface, clutching his prize.  In the second half of the piece, the One Ring quickly ensnares Sméagol, with fatal consequences. 

Listers of my earlier piece might notice the reoccurring Ring motif as it's malevolent power takes hold of Sméagol.
 
Instrumentation 
Alto F Low Whistle 

VST Orchestration 
Strings (8ve Long, Pizzicato Shorts,Spiccato Shorts, CS Strings ,Nasty Brass Long Tremelo(Albion One - Spitfire)
Sky Choir Patch, Timeless Choirs Patch(Halion Sonic)
Alto Flute (Chris Hein Winds)
English Horn (Chris Hein Winds)
Rolled Timpani (Garritan GP05)

Background
Déagol was a Stoor Hobbit, who lived in a small community bound by kinship ties—akin to a clan. He had a relative named Sméagol, whose grandmother was the matriarch of the community. He found the One Ring—which had been lost for thousands of years—while fishing with Sméagol in the Gladden river.

Instantly ensnared by its beauty and seductive power, Sméagol demanded the Ring as his "birthday-present". When Déagol refused to give it up, Sméagol strangled him and hid his body, which was never found; nevertheless, the murderer (nicknamed Gollum after the swallowing noises he made) was eventually driven from his home and into the Misty Mountains.

This track contains various Sound FX that are classed as Public Domain and are used to add colour to the track from www.freesound.org, in addition to home-grown vocal FX.

The Birthday Present

This Cinematic-style Celtic Fantasy is loosely based around an ancient Celtic gathering on Lindisfarne and had me researching the Common Brittonic language to get some interesting 'Foley' sounds.  It was spoken in Britain and Brittany and eventually developed into Old Welsh, Cumbric, Cornish, and Breton.  It also features my long suffering wife who over time has become a quasi- Foley artist and harmony part singer for me. 

The Metheglin of the title is the oil that makes the celebration happen and is a type of spiced mead, so basically fermented honey with spices added. It also obliquely connects to Lindisfarne mead and also the bees featured in 'By Castle Walls'.  

I wanted to get a sort of cinematic feel to be dropped into a Celtic Festival or feast day and I hoped the language and children's laughter would aid in the immersion. Finally in this project I get to do a fair bit of bouzouki playing which was a plus. 

So hopefully you will enjoy the feast .... "búwa slanos ac swos"

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 

https://www.pilgrims-way.co.uk

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Instrumentation

A Taste of Metheglin features low and high whistles, harp, strings, violin, alto-flute, a choir backing and bouzouki. Percussion consists of bodhrán, clapping, various taps and knocks, shaker and even tapping on my acoustic guitar. 

Vocal FX is a combination of Brittonic vocalisations and a  backing line from the Soundiron 'Voices of Gaia' collection featuring the vocal talents of Linda Strawberry.

Some of the percussion sounds come from the excellent playable VST instrument set "Flying Hands Percussion" by HandHeld Sound

A sea waves sound FX and children laughing FX that are classed as Public Domain are used to add colour to the track from www.freesound.org

creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

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Background

This track is a combination of VST-based instrumentation and real-playing of instruments  with additional clapping, tapping and knocking, all overlaid with original Foley sounds.

I wanted to try and get a well developed rhythmic feel and maybe the feel of circular dancing that hopefully comes out from the track.

A Taste Of Metheglin

In Your Dreams - an Orchestral Mystery 

Another tick of the clock,
one moment follows another,
But is there space outside reality ?

The beat goes on,
incessant and unceasing.
But while you sleep do you live another lifetime ?

... in your dreams ?

MrBouzouki Nov 2020

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Background 
This track developed from playing a simple arpeggio that you can hear in the pizzicato strings. It ended up examining the space beyond the norm ... lol

Anyway, an interesting little project and the words that arrived from the 'ether'  acted as a catalyst for the music. I'm quite enjoying using orchestral instruments in my storytelling at the moment.

Metaphysical Playlist
soundcloud.com/mrbouzouki/sets/metaphysical
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Instrumentation
Celesta (Bell Piano)- Kontakt Factory Library 
Pizzicato Strings - Albion One (Spitfire)
Violin - Chris Hein Strings
Viola - Chris Hein Strings 
Alto Flute -Chris Hein Winds 
Cello - Chris Hein Strings
The sound of an antique clock FX that is classed as Public Domain is used to add colour and provide a rhythmic pulse  to the track from www.freesound.org
creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

In Your Dreams - An Orchestral Mystery

A collection of songs, instrumentals and orchestral pieces charting my adventures in home studio recording and production.  All original compositions using voice, acoustic and electric guitar (sometimes using altered tunings), bouzouki, low and high whistles and MIDI instrumentation. 

I'm also using VST instrumentation to create classical compositions and integrating orchestral sounds into my songs and instrumentals.

Links to various instrumental projects and other Social Media links are available below.

The current collaborative YouTube channel with Dee Zee is here:-

https://www.youtube.com/@DeeZeeandMrB

Popular tracks by MrBouzouki