November - 15 minutes 14 seconds

Strings, Electric Pianos, Bass lines and more.

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Written in November 2005 – this track has a lot going on: piano, two string tracks, electric piano and bass. I remember learning a lot about my own composition style at the time and being very conflicted.

My natural approach to music2work2 is to just sit and play; Sexercise aside – I always start with the piano track and aim to leave room for any subsequent voices. I have an idea when I’m playing the first track what the other parts could be but I never really know until I’m playing them. This approach is of course anathema to the trained composer so I spent 2005 worrying about form and attempting to define structure and parts in advance.

I began developing themes in the traditional way: 1A, 2A, 1B, 2B etc – and played with various different forms –the end result – to my ears anyway – was lifeless. Oh sure – every part made sense, the music stood as a finite recognizable piece – but – it had no soul. It was a very frustrating time.

This track was the first time that year where I just sat at the keyboard and recorded what came into my head – no structure, no worrying about where I was supposed to go and how every part was going to work – the minute I finished one track I changed voices and immediately recorded the next, right on top. It has a flow that had been missing all year and I was mightily relieved when I went back to listen to it. Coming in at 5:10 is an early development of “Andy the Barman,” it’s a good story and will be told when the theme is ready.

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November is part of The Thinker's Playlist.

Richard - 13 minutes 52 seconds

Multiple strings over two distinct piano themes inspired by my brother, Richard.

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My older brother has his birthday every year on the same day, the 11th of December - it is the most normal thing about him. He is an amazing human being and I love him. This was written for his 41st birthday - the opening cadence was sung in my head, "Richard my brother," and off it goes.

I experimented a lot with this track. the core piano theme came first and defined the structure. I then laid 4 different string voices on top, one pass after the other without listening to the previous pass. By then removing what didn't work, I arrived at what you hear now; a piece for a string quartet with piano. This is another piece that I look forward to sitting down and developing if I ever get time!

It was Richard who opened a door to this magical musical world in which I now live and adore, I will be eternally grateful for his invitation.

The dramatic change in the piece at around six and half minutes is a variation on one of Richard's creations. We have played music together for most of our lives and he is a terrific singer songwriter guitarist and musician. This is a variation on a song called "This Way Out" from the Stirling Brig years. I always loved his lyrics, they were always - and still are - from his heart - and "This Way Out" spoke volumes to me.

Coming out of that variation back into the core theme at ten minutes or so, I'm trying to create a sense of hope and optimism. Which is of course what I wish for him and his family.

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Richard is part of The Thinker's Playlist.