Classical bent

Re-working of piano piece. Some subtle synthesiser sounds added

An Intimation (Of The Presence Of Angels)

Sleep; restful sleep that is disrupted  by a disorientating and somewhat disturbing dream. Only partially inspired by the poem "Intimations of Immortality" by William Wordsworth but the composition title does come from a line in the poem.
I would recommend this poem. To me I find it very moving. At the start of the poem the poet regrets the passing of a time (as a young child) when everything in nature seemed "as if apparelled in celestial light". Now he tries to and partially/fleetingly reclaims that feeling but anxiety and despair creep back. From my 21th. C atheist viewpoint his "intimations of immortality" seem quite forced and wishful thinking. The poem, however, is very moving and resonates with partially formed thoughts that it stimulates in the reader.

The Fields of Sleep

I've only recently started to learn about aspects of music production. I made a few compositional changes to this piece but the main difference is the music production changes.

THE DARKLING THRUSH

I leant upon a coppice gate
      When Frost was spectre-grey,
And Winter's dregs made desolate
      The weakening eye of day.
The tangled bine-stems scored the sky
      Like strings of broken lyres,
And all mankind that haunted nigh
      Had sought their household fires.

The land's sharp features seemed to be
      The Century's corpse outleant,
His crypt the cloudy canopy,
      The wind his death-lament.
The ancient pulse of germ and birth
      Was shrunken hard and dry,
And every spirit upon earth
      Seemed fervourless as I.

At once a voice arose among
      The bleak twigs overhead
In a full-hearted evensong
      Of joy illimited;
An aged thrush, frail, gaunt, and small,
      In blast-beruffled plume,
Had chosen thus to fling his soul
      Upon the growing gloom.

So little cause for carolings
      Of such ecstatic sound
Was written on terrestrial things
      Afar or nigh around,
That I could think there trembled through
      His happy good-night air
Some blessed Hope, whereof he knew
      And I was unaware.

The Weakening Eye Of Day (4/21)

The Journey

Over the last 6 weeks I have been having once fortnightly zoom lessons from a composer (Adam)friend of my ex-colleague and friend (and very good violinist),Andrew. The initial focus has been on re-mastering. I re-mastered  this composition and made a few compositional changes that the re-mastering suggested. The enhanced detail, especially in the timbral subtleties, is very noticeable.
The  music was originally composed in  2019 whilst on holiday in Spain. Our friends, Sarah and Tony joined us for a while. Memories of that time (cycling up to Casares from the coast with Tony) fill me with a slightly melancholic nostalgia.

Reconnect For Orchestra (The Summer Before Last)

Periplus (A Return)

To the memory of FMJ and Mike, who both passed away in 2017

Lament

https://pocketmags.com/magazine-articles/why-is-there-something-rather-than-nothing

Ex Nihilo, Ad........*

The music starts with skittering woodwind notes around a bass drone, the accordion transition leads to trombone, contrabassoon, strings with, if I recall, a 7/4 underlying rhythm. The trombone and accordion is then prominent with electric bass. Eventually the music returns (but in reality it is slightly altered) to the beginning.

Torus (emergence)

Diffraction Patterns -for Four Players

I started to compose this piece when returning home from Santander. Despite the calm nature of the music I had to abandon any ideas of composing in order to lie down for 10 hours due to sea sickness whilst crossing the Bay of Biscay.

Viscay Dawn **

Of Mists And Waters

Some material very indirectly derived from "Ex Nihilio, Ad..." piece.

The Consequences Of Nothing

Slightly altered and expanded quartet version of the piano piece Along the Towpath.I used MuseScore3. The sound of the instruments isn't great but I hope you enjoy it. Photo is of reeds on the bank of the Bridgewater Canal; the oldest canal in Britain (1761)that did not make use of a pre-existing water course. http://www.bridgewatercanal.co.uk/history/

Along the Towpath (Quartet version)

SUBLIMATION- 1)process of transition (from solid to gas, bypassing liquid)2) Suppression of possibly unacceptable urges or feelings, expressed in a socially acceptable, sometimes artistic and creative way. SUBLIMATION.... see Ian M Banks' Culture novels.
"Never mistake pattern for meaning".......... pattern from Emergence...

Sublimation (The Hydrogen Sonata)

G major (but added bvi)>D Phrygian Dominant flavour> D major

Variations On Fur Elise (shorter Version)

Disconnect (For String Ensemble and other instruments)

Interconnect

https://iep.utm.edu/epis-mem/
https://aeon.co/essays/why-remember-and-be-sad-when-you-could-happily-forget
Years ago I enjoyed (in the way I do also with books and you-tube videos on popular science)reading about philosophy despite never really getting my head around the topics discussed. I recently started reading a book of articles from the Oxford University Press (1976) entitled The Philosophy of Mind that I read (along with Bertrum Russel's "History of Western Philosophy") in 1978/9 ........It got me thinking/remembering.

What It Is To Forget. What Is It, To Forget? [2019-2021]

Some samples taken from Traditional Indian Music and Autechre.
Photo is of part of Paul Klee's "Landscape in the Beginning".

Soundscape (In the Beginning)

I was born in Leicester in the late 1950's. Since semi-retirement and subsequent retirement (as a Dermatologist and formerly G.P) I have spent some of my spare time trying to learn music theory. I also enjoy long distance running as well as cycling, skiing and tennis. I enjoy cooking, gardening and growing a few vegetables. And fine wine (in moderation). I enjoy insect photography, with a particular interest in hoverflies..
To my regret I never learnt a musical instrument when younger but I have listened to and been fascinated by music for as long as I can remember. The advent of the computer age has allowed me to pursue my desire to compose music. I use Logic Pro X software (and MuseScore3 for recent piano compositions). My compositions reflect my varied listening preferences (including Contemporary Classical, Jazz and  Music from other cultures around the world).

Classical bent

SFJ