LEGEND after “The Shadow of Cain”

This seemingly large- scale work was first drafted between March-April of 1978. It takes as its “subject matter” the poem The Shadow of Cain by Edith Sitwell. 

“The Shadow of Cain” is about the fission of the world into warring particles, destroying and self-destructive. It is about the gradual migration of mankind after the Second Fall of Man that took the form of separation of brother and brother, of Cain and Abel, of nation and nation, of the rich and the poor – the spiritual migration of these into the desert of the Cold, towards the final disaster, the first symbol of which fell on Hiroshima.” (Preface to Collected Poems by Edith Sitwell)

The piece is predominantly in minor keys but for the final section in the major. Perhaps this could be heard as a ray of hope, that our greater humanity will reign supreme in troubled times such as these. But for progress to happen of any kind, that would see kindness play its part, the process underway must play itself out for Love as we are meant to realize it to be given the chance to prove Life wrong. 

The pianist is Jeanell Carrigan.
The piano is a Fazioli.
Recording Engineer: David Kim Boyle

Recorded at the Verbrugghen Hall, Sydney Conservatorium of Music August/September 2017

Legend after The Shadow of Cain (piano)

My music pieces are all piano improvisations expressing emotions. It is music telling stories without the words. In my earIy years I sang and played piano in piano bars or fronted bands of different styles, from country to heavy metal and to 40. I've been composing, teaching and performing most of my life.  I'm getting old(er) now 😔 but the great thing about creating music is it gets better the longer you play, and you have more to write about! 

This is what I leave of me to my generations to come who wonder where their desire to make music comes from. My mother, grandmother and great grandmother were both accomplished pianists when they were young. My son is also exceptional.  My great grandmother and gr grandfather sang and danced in minstrel shows (vaudeville) in the early 1900's. Kids today have no idea what life was like before moving pictures.  I now have great-grandchildren. They will know who I am through my music. When I am gone my music will still be here. What a wonderful thought! 

I like hiking in the mountains with my wife. And I like listening to music.

“Liberate sound beyond all tradition” - 
Krzysztof Penderecki

My SoundCloud page = 
"...like a cripple who leaves behind his crooked footprints." - Fellini. - 8 1/2.

R.A. Moulds studied music at the University of Southern Mississippi.

GOATS: https://submarinebroadcastingco.bandcamp.com/album/goats
Bacon Industries: https://soundcloud.com/declan-randulph-owen

Legend after The Shadow of Cain (piano)

Phillip Wilcher