Exposition: it begins with a scale, which is anticipated by a semiquaver, like reverb working across audio-space. This little anticipation becomes the main idea for a series of chords which utilise it fully. This sort of blows-up - expands - into a fully-fledged first subject idea, including melody, harmony and rhythm. Very simple, but very effective. The opening scale then becomes a 'chain' of sequential material, which ends with a huge V prolongation. And then...stroke of genious: Beethoven, instead of using the sequential chain as a way to reach the second subject (which Mozart, Haydn or Clementi may have done) repeats the first subject, using it as a transition into the second subject proper, which is not in the dominant but in B major. So, he has thought of G major not just as I, but as bVI in the new key of B major. This is where harmony began to take wings, and Beethoven knew exactly how to achieve it. He worked on ideas, reaching this ambiguity in harmonic thinking which left a huge impression on Wagner, Liszt, Bruckner, Mahler etc. etc. etc. Not just in harmony either, but in large-scale forms too. More than that the material is dramatically contrasted. It's as though, in the hands of Beethoven, the Sonata principle, reached its next stage of musical evolution. We reached as far as the end of the Exposition and that was as far as we got with each group: too much to say! Lots of fun, and did I enjoy it, or what? Excellent students, as usual.

Read Tom Robbins's 'Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas' on the journeys. Brilliant, funny and idiomatic.

Returned to find E-mails from Jacob Heringman, Ken Hensley and several others. Ideas for logistics for the SKHK in my mind. Nothing on 'Masque' today, but had ideas last evening. Robbins's book has brilliant description of night on page 21.

6 09/29/2000 Rick wrote: the BOO-JOO! Yes!

A splendid day yesterday. More A Level Composition students to teach, more of 'Masque' done and a moment last evening where I 'saw' how the middle might be: using dotted-barlines to create a sense of freedom, and a possible improvised part for natural trumpet will add to the still centre. I'm beginning to feel that the piece should, perhaps, be called 'Temenos'. I've had this title on my mind for 10 years. The time in the garden/balcony is a moment in/out of time in the play: a suspension of the rational, especially since it's at night (night = symbol of the unconscious). The introduction still requires work. It needs something...

E-mails from Janet, Angela, Andy, Karen-Claire and Ken Hensley.

I went for a walk at lunchtime on the sea-front yesterday, and stopped and looked around. The ivy is changing colour on the buildings, the clouds were hanging in a sort of giant V-shape. The Lake District fells were visible: Coniston Old Man, Dow Crag and Wetherlam clearly visible. All old friends, they were bathed in sunshine. The Swallows have also gone. The dawn chorus is much quieter, too.

Bertie, our pet budgie, hasn't been well for two days. However, last evening he made a dramatic recovery and began eating seed like a mad...bird. Instant recovery!

Completed Janet's paper 'The Dancer As Mystic'. Wonderful stuff! It's got me. Also listened to Robin Williamson, Ken Hensley and prepared more RNCM J.S. material.

4 09/28/2000 A tremendous day in Liverpool yesterday. Orchestration lecture #1 went well. Played Mozart's 'Jupiter' Symphony for the students plus the Overture to Don Giovanni. Every time I listen to the Jupiter Symphony I'm knocked-out.

On the train journeys to and from L'pool I read Janet Lynn Rosemann's excellent journal, Temenos. This issue concentrates on Dance, and the articles by the many and various contributors are excellent. They are experts in the field, but have begun to touch on techniques which draw 'other' into their work. One article, The Soul Truths of Dance by Alonzo King, just about made me shout out loud. Thought it best to remain silent on crowded train, though. King makes the point that great artists go into a state where the world disappears, and they feel they receive something from elsewhere. He speaks of this as the 'super conscious state'. He said something which I agree with: that for a long time intuition was laregly ignored or stamped-on in our society, and that logic and the rational side was favoured more than the intuitive/irrational. I think this is what I've been trying to get at for a long time: that inspiration must precede construction. (1 = inspiration; 2 = construction = 3 (the result of the marriage inspiration/construction) as 4 = the wholeness derived from the union). At last! Also began Janet's paper, 'The Dancer as Mystic' which is also excellent. I have become beMUSED overnight.

Also listened to Ornette Coleman's 'The Shape of Jazz to Come'. Jacob H. recommended this so I bought it. What fabulous music! Coleman's musical mission was to break through the walls of harmony and restore melody. 'Peace' is my favourite piece on this. Also listened to Robin Williamson's new ECM album, 'The Seed-At-Zero'. I remember RW from The Incredible String Band, but Derek Hook had mentioned him a few weeks back saying, 'you must listen to RW!' So I went into a record store and bought the album. There is something about this. Also listened to some recent music sent as a free CD. Am I missing something with this music? Although it's all well documented it seems to be the usual sort of reductionism found in a lot of Postmodern dance/trance/drums n'bass. Some suggest that one should keep quiet if we don't get on with music but after hearing things like this I find it impossible to do so! Perhaps it's to do with typology: it doesn't accord with my own, the generation thing and the fact that I'm not part of the 'scene'? I think it's more to with the marketing of music and the fact that if you can talk about it then it somehow makes it good. But, in the final analysis, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. The words about the music say more than the actual music delivers. Postmodernism in music is interesting, but there is a subtle way to handle it. Get it wrong and the results are probably what I've just been listening to.

4 09/27/2000 The fact is that most of what I say is flawed. Most of what I think is flawed, and much of what I do is, too.

I read an article yesterday on arrogance in a recent medical journal. How easy it is to slip into that mode. However, once known then one can do something about it, or not as the case may be. It seems that I often teeter between a sort of false-modesty and this damned thing were I think I know everything. And a damned thing it is, too. I say this because this is what often happens in the interim period of pieces being performed and new pieces being started. It's a time of thinking, 'Well, that piece was good. Now I've really arrived' and 'So, that's the way forward!' when it's clearly a false start and a false hope. I constantly wrestle to write music, and ask questions continually about the processes involved. Fact: each piece is project-specific.

I like reading. I have an interest in lots of things from Geology to Philosophy to Psychology to Music to History, and also read novels. I'm not an expert in every field. I'd like to think I was, but clearly don't know much at all. I like to expand my thinking (which is flawed), in the hope that I might learn something. Because I'm a slow learner, a non-rational being, I realise that I haven't a cat in hell's chance of getting to grips with everything I read, so I tend to take in most things. I often think that what I'm reading is written by experts. Obviously I'm wrong: some of the things one reads are not written by experts but by people who like to think they are. Perhaps because they have an interest in things, like me, I try and give them the benefit of the doubt. I try and think to myself, 'Well, it may not be all correct but they can modify their views if they need to at some point in the future'.

I have read a lot of things about photography/bootleg recording in the Guestbook recently which has left me wondering. From what I can see, many people are saying they have the right to photograph/record performers playing 'live' music. This has been applied particulalry to Robert Fripp and King Crimson. Is this the gist of what the entries on the Guestbook have been saying? It seems to be. I'd like to offer a couple of thoughts: a) if one photographed classical musicians in a 'live' concert situation it is very likely they would stop playing, and ask the photographer to put down his/her camera. It is VERY off-putting; b) also, if performers ask me not to record one of my own pieces I comply with their wishes. I've never recorded a 'live' rock music concert. Audiences should respect the wishes of musicians, whether they be composers, performers, conductors, or whoever. We pay to hear musicians offer their ideas to the world, and they offer what they do in all good faith with as much humility as they can muster. We should also pay them for their work. It's hard enough to make a living without theft being involved.

3 09/26/2000 Ian McDonald, Sid Smith, Janet, Mark and Andrew Bass E-mailed. All very interesting messages.

John Mercer phoned saying that 'Quickening the Dead' will be out in November, artwork and CD are now complete. John also has a very exciting future recording project in mind which I thought about last evening.

Iain Cameron also E-mailed asking if I'd be interested in a writing a commisiion for flute and French horn. I replied positively. I also listened to a tape Iain has just recorded of some of his pieces which I liked very much.

Sid has just sent an E-mail. The contents could just be the inspiartion for the next Soundscape orchestration, so I plan to forward a copy to Bert for his reaction.

Listened to one Uriah Heep song, 'Footprints in the Snow'. This is a Hensley-Wetton song. I think it's the best thing UH ever did. Ian McDonald's 'Drivers Eyes' still sounds excellent, and I've also been impressed with Jimmy Webb's 'Galveston' and 'By the Time I Get to Phoenix'.

More of the opening counter-tenor aria completed of 'Masque'. The string parts are beginning to sound, and look, more like string parts.

Didn't sleep at all well last night. Read another essay by Helen Morgan called 'Modern Western Society - the Making of Myth and Meaning'. Lots of musically related ideas ran through my head for two hours. Jotted them into the notebook. Andrew Bass's E-mail has got me thinking.

2 09/25/2000 Yesterday it rained, and rained and...rained. Kept indoors by rain, rain and...rain. Goodbye sunny days of summer. Hello grey days of early Autumn.

Listened to Schubert's 'Unfinished Symphony'. I once played second flute in this on an orchestral course in Cheltenham when I was 11. Every time I hear it the memeory of that event is re-kindled. However, the music is staggeringly good. It is completely memorable, from the growling cellos and basses of the introduction, to the yearning first subject in the oboe and clarinet, to the brilliantly subtle transition in the woodwind and horns into the beautiful second subject which is organically connected to the first subject (and introduction) and the brooding development. This isn't intellectual music; it's beyond that, fusing intuition with skill with a fine musical judgement. Why has so much contemporary music lost its soul either to over-used and over-cliched intellect, or to dumbing-down of just about everything. Nowadays beauty in music is no longer the issue. Two things caused this: composers being told that they can't be self-indulgent and the evolution of music-hall which utilised the late Romantic musical language of Liszt etc. Serious became popular which became vulgar, and so composers looked for other muiscal means. Enter the Second Viennese School and... . Music, such as Schubert's 'Unfinished', survives fashion because it is memorable. I would challenge people to sing back the first four bars of Boulez's 'Pli Selon Pli'...

Prepared the Liverpool University orchestration material for Wednesday, and worked on the Liszt at the piano. Also managed to write the opening ritornello section of 'Masque' onto A3 landscape paper ( always good to reach this stage) and it's begun to change even at this stage. Found a passage in the play about the trumpet which HAS to be included!

Read an interesting about Depth Psychology and Quantum Physics, but didn't understand very much of it at all! When it comes to scientific thinking my mind goes blank, but I plan to re-read it s-l-o-w-l-y to get at it. There was one section which suggested a link to the Glennie/Bruford piece. Than a title emerged for the piece.

1 09/24/2000 1 -2 -3 -4: from the first comes the second which becomes the third as the fourth.

(i.e. how to contain the opposites [1 & 2] allowing, in the course of time and through conflict, something new [a third position] to emerge [3 as 4 - Quaternity]). This is the work of the 'unconscious'.

7 09/23/2000 8-00: Poulton: depart. Sleep en route.

9-15: Manchester: arrive.

9-30 - 16-05: see students...

S.C., a former Director of Music and colleague, has joined the staff of RNCM J.S. He and I get on well.

Much thought about present contemporary music scene after teaching. Like?/analyse? Decide to suspend thought for a while...

16-35: depart Manchester. Complete Coehlo book for second time. Ideas for 'Masque' en route.

17-40: arrive Poulton. To River Wyre Hotel. Meal/drink... . Discuss possible change of direction? But how?

6 09/22/2000

Listened to 'The Last Rose Of Summer' by White Willow whilst driving across country today. A poignant song about love and loss.

'Masque' moved on a step today in terms of commissioning logistics. Do I wait to be given thumbs-up for funding when I've been 'given' a piece or, in other words, a piece writes itself? Answer: no! Things are best left to unfold.

A few minutes before speaking to Richard about this, I'd been considering the whole concept of what 'liking' music actually means.

1) Is what we 'like' conditioned by our culture? (In other words, liking an artefact is going to take on different meanings for different people living in different parts of the world);
2) Our perception of music is often subjective, unless we are lucky enough to be given an 'objective' glimpse;
3) Is 'objective' art something which comes to us via the 'collective unconscious'?;
4) A professional musician's perspective is sometimes different from an audient's perspective of the same music and vice versa;
5) Does it follow that if we don't like something it isn't any good? Should we reject something because we don't like it?;
6) A 'whole' judgement often includes thinking and feeling (i.e. a piece/painting/sculpture etc. may move us, but at the same time has something about it from intellectual perspective);
7) Can art survive if it isn't 'liked'? In particular, can music survive if it isn't 'liked'?
8) Do we follow the road of fashion if we are creative? Or should we 'be true to ourselves'?
9) 'True to ourselves'. Who are WE? Who am I? What does this mean?
10) With regard to our creativity, who/what are we trying to reach?

All of the above may be closely linked to a dream I had on 20-ix-00:
I'm in an underground passageway with two fashionable composers. One of them, who looks much younger than he actually is, says we must squeeze through narrow tunnels if we are to continue our journey. I think that if I'm forced into these tunnels (stainless-steel pipes) it will be incredibly claustrophobic. I can't go that way.

5 09/21/2000 9-00 - 18-00: teaching.

Also, lots of work prepared for RNCM J.S. Listened to Philip Cashian's String Quartet, Gerald Barry's 'Bob', Gavin Bryars's Cello Concerto, some recent Howard Skempton, Ben Mason's 'Lighthouses of England and Wales' and some others last evening which may give the students an overview of the current scene giving them some indication of possibilities. They often go with their own musical instincts, and reject outside influences - something I've learnt a great deal from observing.

Today completed the second rough sketch of the 'Masque' piece. As I was walking over from Common Room this afternoon had an idea for how instrumental representation and characterisation might work in it. This is the next stage. Also fiddled-around with the metres in the piece, by expanding and contracting the lengths of bars. This piece is, essentially, a Serenata, falling into an opening ritornello-aria, followed by a section of recitative, with a closing ritornello-aria. There is also a coda which draws together the main melodic/harmonic motives of the piece. I also came across a book on Indian music in my room and read a little of it this afternoon during an absence. It's often happened that relevant materials to projects-in-hand fall into my hands at the right time, and seem to be applied to pieces. This piece is very accessible.

CVs/CD arrives from Peter Sinfield and some other tapes from Mark Rowe. I've got as far as I can with the commissioning forms and have passed on other relevant bits to Jacob Heringman. Funding is a necessary evil. The main reason I've often passed on it is that pieces HAVE to be written and, for me, they are often complete before money can be thought about. However, the other side of the coin is that musicians have to live and so it is an essential part of the professional's life. For the SKHK project it is essential.

4 09/20/2000 Today a long drive to Durham to return Nicholas to University. The Howgill Fells looked delightful as we passed by them on the M6, being crowned with low-lying cloud. The Lake District Fells were covered in thick, grey cloud. Bowes Moor looked fairly bleak, as ever, but the journey seemed to pass reasonably quickly. It's a long time since I've put my foot down on the gas pedal, keeping to low speeds for the purpose of fuel conservation, but today I did...and how good it felt! On the way listened to Nick Drake's 'Pink Moon', and Jimmy Webb's 'Ten Easy Pieces'. On the way back stopped at Barnard Castle, walked down to the Tees much-swollen by overnight rainfall, and then to the bookshop. Bought Andrea Hopkins's 'The Book of Courtly Love' and a book of walks in the Trough of Bowland.

No work on 'Masque' today, but an E-mail from Catherine King who seems into the idea I've had for the piece for solo mezzo-soprano. Ian McDonald has also written with another couple of suggestions for the 'McDonald & Giles' analysis but says, on the whole, that it seems fine.

A letter arrived yesterday from a major Anglo-American publisher who are planning to have an in-house discussion re my proposal for the projected book of analyses on KC, which seems to have grown a title somewhere along the way: The Music of King Crimson.

This evening it's time to prepare work for the RNCM Junior School which begins on Saturday. I'm planning to deal with this in a different way from last year. It's no good at all expecting students to write any more than one piece per year, so it's probably best to begin with a discussion on the pluralistic music-scene rather than starting with an in-depth observation on harmony as I've done in the past. When the need arises I'll probably talk on techniques but it largely depends on just where the students are at. Several new students this year.

Also posted my string quartet, 'Striding the Edge', to a young London-based group who are interested in playing it at some point. The piece has been slightly revised over the past week.

3 09/19/2000 A day of teaching and composing. 'Masque' continues to develop and the second rough sketch is well underway. I want to see exactly what potential there is in the first sketch, so the purpose of this second sketch is to determine whether or not what has emerged is or isn't rubbish. The good news is that there is something there. I'm surprised how much my composing has changed over the past two years. I've begun to rely on intuition, as opposed to intellect, to reach musical results. For example, last evening I listened to a CD by a modernist composer. I could not believe how old-fashioned this sort of music has become. It's incredible to think that composers from the 1950's - 1980's proclaimed that the Second Viennese School/post-Webernites was the music of the future, and that the whole Darmstadt philosophy pervaded compositional trends. How things change! Leonard B. Meyer, in his book 'Music, The Arts and Ideas', more or less came to the conclusion that atonal/serial/systems music failed from a psychological perspective. It's a long time since I read the book, and at the time he wrote it he would not have been exactly the flavour of the month. I also read the book when I was interested in Serialism and thought, 'No! He's wrong'. I'm not saying that systems music is wrong, but inspiration, for me, does not come by using pre-compositional techniques. However, looking carefully 'into' what has been thrown into being by 'unconscious' writing by a using 'aural' techniques, and then 'bending' it by 'conscious' techniques acquired by education, is a way of developing a piece and extending it beyond what was originally intended. This is how the piece for Jacob Heringman and Susanna Pell was written, but it started when I worked on the choral piece, 'The Heart Has Not Stopped'.

Yesterday heard from Tjasa and spoke with Catherine King about the new piece for solo soprano. C. and I discussed the new piece for solo mezzo-soprano and we are looking forward to seeing if the idea I've had for it bears fruit.

Otherwise spent a long time completing the funding forms, something I'm not keen on doing but an essential part of the SKHK project.

An interesting dialogue with Janet from California is developing via e-mail...

Elizabeth has just bought the video 'Shakespeare In Love' which we plan to watch...right now...

2 09/18/2000 Dan has sent a message: 'the analyses are up on the Present Moment Pages'. I wrote to him yesterday to ask if they could be written up in October/November repectively and he's done both of them! Thanks, Dan!

Autumn is with us again: grey skies, getting colder, dampness etc. The death of summer is always a sad time of the year. Yesterday, worked all days on 'Masque...'. It feels good, or at least I can sing it. The introduction is going to take more work, although after I'd had a short walk, returning to it later, it improved a little. I always worry that each piece is very unlike its predecessor: style is not really my concern.

Listened to James Dillon's Violin Concerto. Dillon is also a composer not much interested in style, either. I've followed his career with interest and once nearly studied with him, something that didn't work out. Our compositional interests are miles apart which may not have been a bad thing in terms of a teacher/student relationship. I think his piece 'Ignis Noster' is spectacular. Many people don't get on with his work, but I've always listened with interest as his music has a sort of gritty, granular content. The new Violin Concerto is very much different from his other work.

Also spoke with John Mercer who is says that 'Quickening the Dead' will be ready for production within about a fortnight. He also wants to change the track-order. Leigh has now completed the art-work. So, I should receive something in the next week or so. He also has other plans for recording some of my other pieces.

Iain Cameron sent a very good analysis of Nick Drake's 'Pink Moon' which deals with the linear-intervallic structure of the work. Read it, and returned it to Iain with annotations.

1 09/17/2000 Began to explore further possibilities in the sketch of the Romeo and Juliet piece. A working title has emerged, 'Masque of Night and Day', taken from one of Juliet's lines, 'Thou knowest the mask of night is on my face'. I've chosen a sequence of events about time in the play, with the idea of darkness becoming light represented musically as the piece moves through time. At its simplest, the minor mode gradually clears to become major, although other parameters are beginning to occur as I write this: how rhythm could become more active (which it does, thinking about the sketch); an increase in tessitura (which it does, sort of); how night could be re-established at the end (which it is, partially with the lines I've used as a refrain: 'More light and light, more dark and dark our woes:'). Setting Shakespeare is something I've never thought of or attempted before. If one selects the right lines and avoids those which are, to my mind, un-settable, then it is just possible to reach a solution. The 'Sad Steps' and 'My Lute, Awake!' pieces seem now like they could have prepared the current project in terms of realising this kind of language in music.

Also had an idea for a new piece for solo mezzo-soprano which Catherine King has asked me to write for her. The idea may have potential...

Yesterday I walked to the Post Office and on the way back walked to the petrol station. I am totally convinced that the English are addicted to queuing: there was a queue of cars extending for about half a mile along the main road, and then round the corner for around a third of a mile - destination petrol station. However, I realise that other people need their cars for other purposes and longer distances. When I returned later the queue had dwindled, and there was still some petrol left...

We were going to take Nicholas back to University today, but can't risk it with the petrol shortage, although we've managed to conserve some fuel for work purposes for the forthcoming week. This may have to wait till mid-week or he may have to take the train instead. So, back to 'Masque of...' and then lovely application forms to complete for funding.

In the middle of a short break last evening I listened to an old album by Trapeze called 'You are the Music...We're just the Band'. Glenn Hughes is featured on this, and was his last album for the band before he left to join Deep Purple. Hughes has one of the best voices in rock I've ever heard. The album is rather good, too. I notice that he's written most of the songs on the album, although on Deep Purple's 'Burn' he hasn't written anything. However, I think the title track of 'Burn' has an incredible power, and I like the combined voices of Hughes and David Coverdale.

7 09/16/2000 Term at the RNCM J.S. begins again next week and a very good thing too, as the petrol crisis would have caused havoc with travelling if teaching had begun today.

Listening to an album by Django Bates at the moment which I recently found going cheap in a local record store. This music has lots of character. I particularly like 'Three English Scenes' and 'Tentle Moments'.

The application form for funding from (lots of 'f's' there...) Generator arrived yesterday, so this has to be completed today.

Arrived home from teaching yesterday and got stuck into the 'Romeo and Juliet' piece (can't continue to refer to it as that!): a sketch was complete by 18-30, and it's rough! The next stage is to see exactly what the unconscious has thrown-up over the past couple of days. Many of the 'orchestral' ideas I had previously have been included because they just seemed to fit. However, what has emerged feels right, and now it can be developed. This is when the fun begins...

Leigh e-mailed and it sounds like the album has another inclusion which wasn't totally unexpected, as well as an extraction which John mentioned a couple of weeks ago. I'm looking forward to hearing what John and Leigh have done with it, and what has developed with the art-work.

6 09/15/2000 I walked into my teaching room yesterday at 9 a.m. and began sketching the new piece for Richard. By 17-15, with breaks between students, lunchtime etc. I'd somehow managed to complete around 2/3 of it. I have the feeling that when a piece is 'right' and archetypally driven, which seems to be the case with this, then it composes the creator rather than the other way around.

I also had a kind of 'intuition' whilst driving to school yesterday. This had to do with the pieces 'Sad Steps' and the 'My Lute, Awake!' which Virelai premiered a while ago. It suddenly became clear to me, in an instance, how the future may well have influenced the creation of these two little pieces. I suppose that's true: they were written for Virelai to perform them at a music festival. But something else happened while I was in Slovenia which I was unaware of at the time of writing the pieces, which was also somehow wrapped-up in the subject-matter of the pieces. So, I began to wonder if the events, in this case, were also 'backwards-directed', or that the reason for their composition lay in an event that was yet to come into the field of conscious vision because it hadn't yet happened. O.K.! It was Jacob who asked for the pieces before the event, and Virelai who performed them, so it's also quite clear that the pieces were brought about in the usual sequence of events, where one event grows out of another in linear time. Perhaps both events were inter-connected which is probably the best way of seeing it.

Several years ago my piece 'Meditatio' was performed at St. John's - Smith Square, in London, by Opus 20. After the performance two people introduced themselves to me, asking if I knew the Catch (Round/Canon) 'Sir Andrew Keeling' by Jonathan Battishill. I said I didn't. The two people said they'd send the music to me but didn't. Three years later my piece for violin and piano, 'Unseen Shadows', was performed at St. John's - Smith Square, by Tomas and Steven. Afterwards Steven introduced someone to me. I will never forget his introduction: 'Andrew Keeling meet Andrew Keeling!' Apparently, there is another A.K., who is a music teacher, living and working in London. I got on well with the 'other' A.K. and during the course of the conversation A.K. said to me, 'Do you know the Catch "Sir Andrew Keeling" by Jonathan Battishill?' I was struck that my piece was called 'Unseen Shadows' (no time to go into Jung's definition of the 'shadow') and that the same topic of conversation had been brought up in the same venue by someone with the same name. A.K. sent me the copy of 'Sir Andrew Keeling' as well! Coincidence? Chance? I wonder, because these events seem to surround me on a daily basis particularly where it concerns compositionally-related issues.

5 09/14/2000 Thurs. 7-00: The fuel blockades have just been called off, but the protesters feel they have won a moral victory.

Yesterday, as the teaching at Liverpool University hasn't yet begun, we walked into town and managed to get four scores bound of 'Being and Becoming' ready to be posted today. Also got some information from the Travel Agent about travelling to Slovenia for next year.

Richard has asked for a piece based on 'Romeo and Juliet', so over the past two days I read the play from start to finish and last evening assembled a possible text culled from the play. Strange how quickly this seemed to come together. It is based on the idea of darkness to light, and the concept of 'night' being firmly in the centre bound up with the interplay of the 'opposites' which is a feature of the play. Also the 'orchestral' ideas which seemed to be developing just before I went to Slovenia have been extended slightly, and some of these will find their way into the new piece. Also had other musical ideas yesterday. What seems to be happening is that all this music I'm currently hearing is tonal and accessible. The problem is that one can fall into cliche, particularly with the subject on which I've been asked to base the piece on. Richard has also asked for a short 'encore' piece based on something by Preseren. I also have other ideas for a piece which sets Preseren's work.

Also spoke with Matt and, later, Peter Dunton. Peter is hoping to come and hear the Concerto in November, and didn't seem too worried when I told him that I hadn't been over-active on the piece for Evelyn and Bill. This isn't due till 2002, so there doesn't seem much point in pushing it at the moment with other projects on the go. Peter has written some musical fragments for the Glennie/Bruford piece so it will be very much a compositonal collaboration. He also tells me there is some new T2 material surfacing for a CD release in due course from 'live' dates in 1972.

Had an interesting conversation with Iain Cameron who has just been to Amsterdam to see the premiere of the new film on Nick Drake. Ian said he enjoyed it, and also spoke with Ben and Jason, Beth Orton, Robert Kirby and Gabrielle Drake. I went to lunch with Gabrielle and her husband in 1994 when my piece, 'Upon the edge of Autumn', was performed in a church next door to their house. I had NO idea that they lived there, and only got to know when someone wrote to me and mentioned it in passing. Iain has sent me a tape of some of his new pieces which I hope to listen to in the next few days.

Today back to teaching but should be able to look at the potential of the text. I always timetable myself with free periods so as to do some composition.

4 09/13/2000 It looks very much as if, at this point in time, the fuel crisis is set to escalate. According to the T.V. news there is a convoy of lorries heading towards the centre of London at around 5 - 10 m.p.h. causing huge tail-backs on the motorway. Their intent seems to bring the capital to a standstill. It seems that at the back of this dispute is not only the excessively high price of fuel in the U.K., but also the fury of the the farming community and industry, in general, over the high taxes they are being forced to pay. People are voicing their anger, paradoxically as a 'peaceful protest', with the present Government.

As a result of all this it was impossible to get to Marsden last evening to hear Kathryn Broderick's and Katharine Durran's recital, mainly because of the uncertainty of getting back home. I hope Katharine will play 'Tjarn' again in another recital.

Heard from V. in Slovenia who acknowledged receipt of the package I sent. V. is looking out some work by Preseren for me, which I look forward to reading. Slovenia had an effect on me which is difficult to put into words.

Yesterday returned to one of my teaching venues to find the Music Dept. has been re-organised. I'm now in a room I was previously in several years ago, in a building which is quiet and where I will be reasonably undisturbed. This is good news, as the workload looks like being fairly heavy over the next year. Compositionally speaking, it looks as if there will be at least two main projects to concentrate on: the SKHK project and the piece for Germany; then at least two more Soundscape Orchestrations; a solo song for Catherine King; the Keeling/Holm-Lupo project and another possibility. There are also, towards the middle of next year, the KC analyses to think about. Then there is the teaching, which amounts to six days per week during term times. John Mercer is hoping for an Oct./Nov. release for 'Quickening the Dead', and there are several performances coming up including the Percussion Concerto on November 16th.

Bert e-mailed saying he's planning to listen to further Soundscapes. The CGT are currently on the road in the USA, so he says he'll listen whilst travelling from venue to venue. I photocopied three copies of 'Being and Becoming' (after revising the string glissandi) to be bound and posted today to Scott, Bert and DGM today.

Matt also e-mailed saying he's hoping to send me a CDR of the recent Peebles concert which included my arrangement of 'Lindisfarne'. I look forward to hearing this.

3 09/12/2000 Drove to school yesterday to see huge queues of vehicles hoping to fill-up with petrol at the garages. By lunchtime the petrol was mostly gone. Scenes of furious taxi drivers and others blocking the roads on the TV news at 18-00.

Did my teaching, drove home (couldn't go and see my parents - have to conserve the wretched fuel) to find forms for funding from Northern Arts. E-mailed Stuart to ask what he'd like me to do with it, e-mailed Peter to ask for more CVs/copies of 'Still', and then received phone call for Generator, who are a Newcastle arts organisation. They are also sending funding forms. With this new piece, funding is essential if it is going to come to fruition. Peter has been sketching the words, and what he has sent me are absolutely terrific. Jacob has already sent the possible programme which will include the new piece, as well as having a well-devised musical structure to it.

Also phoned Richard in Germany who I managed to speak to. R. has asked for a new piece for soprano, counter-tenor, trumpet and string quintet for July 2001. This sounds exciting. The events which surround this are super-synchronistic. For example, at the moment I phoned he was putting together the outline, and mentioned his interest in 'meaningful coincidence'. When that happens there seems to be a 'rightness' about the project in hand. I have also felt this about the SKHK project. The concert, at which Richard's piece is to be premiered, is to be called 'The Garden of Love' and, as well as my piece, is to include secular cantatas by J.S. Bach and A. Scarlatti. I have ideas for this, and after finishing the phone conversation began to sing something which also may have potential for the piece.

Also fine-tuned 'Being and Becoming' but added some string glissandi which, after reflection, needs removing. Three copies to be photocopied today and sent to Scott, Bert and DGM.

Then called British Rail to see if trains are still running to get to tonight's concert in Marsden. They are, but it's anyone's guess just how full they're likely to be. If this crisis worsens my heart goes out especially to London commuters: the Underground will be PACKED!

2 09/11/2000 The end of the holidays...and teaching begins today.

Messages from Peter Sinfield, Sid Smith, Jacob Heringman and Scott Stromann await this morning. In the process of replying to Peter, a Sparrow collided with the front-room window but flew off un-hurt. Plan to photocopy 'Being and Becoming' tomorrow and send the score to Scott. Part-writing for this follows.

Spent most of yesterday playing the flute and clarinet in preparation for this week, and revised the part for tubular bells in 'Being and Becoming' which is a more satisfactory solution. Also listened to Peter Sinfield's 'Still', 'The Shakespeare Suite' by David Stoll and 'High and Mighty' by Uriah Heep.

Katharine Durran wrote with train times to Marsden (not Marshfield!!) for tomorrow...must try and get there. Petrol crises seems to have worsened: the garages around here have run dry.

Phoned Richard in Germany but no reply yet. Spoke with Lucy, though.

1 09/10/2000 I am hoping to go and hear my little piano piece, 'Tjarn', in a concert given by Katharine Durran at Marsden Mechanics Hall, near Huddersfield in Yorkshire, on Tuesday. However, we've been badly hit by the petrol-blockade around our area, and have to conserve fuel so as to get around teaching venues this week. I've been looking forward to this but refuse to get 'political' about it!

Yesterday had a good, long chat with Sid Smith on the telephone. It sounds as though Sid is getting on well with his book on King Crimson, and from what he said I reckon this is going to be a work of great interest to KC connoisseurs and beyond. I eagerly anticipate this work.

After speaking with Sid, who also voiced enthusiasm about the Soundscape Orchestrations, I returned to look at 'Being and Becoming' and added the tubular bells more widely in the score. What has happened is that the percussion part has now become an integral part of the fabric, so what was once an optional part has now become significant. However, after doing this I thought, 'Hang on! There's now too much!' So, the bells will have to be thinned-out as well as being used to delineate important places in the structure. It's OK to add things ad hoc, but if it's not conceived, and more importantly, felt to have structural importance then, for me, it's little more than musical doodling which is no good at all. This also ties-in with the maxim 'A thing of beauty lasts forever'. The problem with the saying is that, while it's true, it can also turn into its opposite if pushed too far: artefacts which are considered as being aesthetically pleasing can begin to grate if they are not treated with a certain impartiality. A distancing sometimes provides perspective so one can really see if what one has done 'works'. Another example of this comes to mind. Yesterday I bought a CD by a band from the early 1970's (who will rename nameless), but it shows a group who had not used this process of distancing and foresight and the musical result illustrates the point. A number of years ago I also had the fortune (although I didn't see it at the time) of falling into the same trap. I wrote a piece which had been generated by an important event and thought, 'Hey! This is it!' When I heard it, it was dreadful...embarrassing...awful! It grated on my senses. The audience also picked up on it, too. However, some of it provided fodder for one of my more recent pieces, 'Deadfall', and in that context the piece worked perfectly well.

Completed the Paulo Coehlo book. Think it's so good I've decided to re-read it.

7 09/09/2000 Just as I completed yesterday's Diary entry Pauline Wright's CD, 'Come Closer', arrived in the post. I've listened to my little song, 'Gold', many times and much prefer it to the original. Some of the chords, in the accompaniment, have been changed but this adds to the new version. Thank you so much, Pauline!

I read this motto on the side of an old vase quite some time ago and it has stuck with me: 'A thing of beauty lasts forever'. When I listened to 'Gold' it struck me that maybe, through writing 'contemporary' classical music, something had been lost which I've only recently begun to find again. I don't feel that the non-alignment of timetables with Manchester University is any coincidence either, as I'm having innumerable doubts about teaching Composition as an academic subject at this point in time. Of course, it's something I have to do professionally, but the doubts are, nevertheless there. Jacob Heringman has been of considerable help in this, saying that while we can't throw-off our background we can allow it recede into the subconscious to be used freely when we need to, and I'm sure this is the solution.

Spent most of yesterday on the phone talking to people about the Sinfield/Keeling/Heringman/King project. The venue who are interested in staging a concert cannot provide funds for mine and Peter's part of the project which means we have to look elsewhere for funding. I managed to talk to two people about this, so let's hope.

Just on my way out to post a package to a friend in Slovenia with whom I spoke on the phone yesterday. I'm hoping V. will be able to help me find some poetry by Preseren for another project very much at the forefront of my thinking.

6 09/08/2000 Yesterday was spent on two different things: reading through 'Being and Becoming' and playing the clarinet. I decided to add occasional tubular-bells in 'Being and Becoming' which are struck at the end of bars out of loud chords. This may just extend the resonance of the chord by sounding root pitches of the pitch-collections. I may also add it closer to the beginning of the piece for the same reason.

I included three little songs I wrote during the 1980's as part of the package of CDs and tapes for Ken Hensley. These songs are for voice and piano with myself performing. I used to write loads of this sort of music when I was involved as Director of Music in a church at around that time, mainly written for the choir and soloists. We often went into studios to record the songs. One of them, 'Gold', seemed to have 'something' about it - at least, this is what people used to say. I had a phone call, yesterday, from one of my old friends, Mark Rowe who now lives in the south of England. Mark tells me that someone has recently recorded 'Gold' on a new CD, and that he'd just posted a copy to me which has yet to arrive. I thought this was rather synchronistic, as I've listened to this little song several times over the past few days as well as sending it to Ken.

Also bad news from Manchester University telling me that they aren't able to employ me for teaching this year due to non-alignment of timetables. John Casken also tells me that his new opera, which he's been working on for six years, has just been dropped by the commissioning body. I feel really sorry for him. Six years of work on a big piece, which is subsequently dropped, must be a terrible blow although I have some idea of how he must be feeling.

Still nothing from the trumpet player I met in Slovenia re the possible commission. Also just this minute spoken to the people who are interested in the Sinfield/Keeling/Heringman/King project. They are VERY interested in the idea and we now look set to discuss funding possibilities.

5 09/07/2000 Autumn has set in with a vengeance here: cloud, rain and generally miserable weather. The north of England always seems to be hit harder than the southern half of the country. When I go to London I'm always surprised by the generally warmer climate as compared to here.

At 21-30 last evening I drew the final double-bar of 'Being and Becoming'. Now it can be revised at leisure over the course of the next couple of weeks. It lasts 14'-30" c. when I heard it through last evening. I've taken the decision to differentiate the speed of one or two of the sections, particularly the section marked 'Tenebroso' at bar 144, which has been marked down to crotchet = 48c.

Spoke with John Mercer at Riverrun who tells me to expect a CDR plus art-work of the finished version of 'Quickening the Dead' in the next ten days.

Also listened to 'In Tune' on Radio 3, featuring Jacob Heringman playing 'live' in the studio. This came over particularly well, and J's playing was, as ever, excellent.

Jacob Holm-Lupo also e-mailed.

Got to run to take Elizabeth to college.

4 09/06/2000 Yesterday was busy. 'Being and Becoming' is almost complete, and as I write this more ideas emerge for how the end might be, by increasing the overlapping of note-attacks. Twenty two bars left to complete today and it can then be put aside, and re-visited at a later date for revision.

Also put the outline and the many samples in the post for the people who are interested in the Sinfield/Keeling/Heringman/King project. Also sent some things off to Ken.

Jacob Heringman has, again, been most helpful in looking out some poetry which has 'setting' potential for a future project. He also tells me he's on Radio 3 today on 'In Tune' at 17-15, which I will try my best to listen to. Working with Jacob and Susanna (and I have no wish to patronise them) has been valuable and important for me. They have always been encouraging, and created countless compositional opportunities.

Leigh from Riverrun E-mailed the other day. It sounds as though the CD, scheduled for October release, is progressing well.

Two large trees were felled at the bottom of the garden yesterday. I felt sad to see them go. They were planted when we moved in, and have grown to 20 feet giants since then. I was worried that next door's garage, beside which one of the trees stood, may be obliterated in gale-force winds which hit our region in the Autumn. So a decision had to be made.

Went to Kevin and Linda's for a splendid meal last evening. Kevin played me The Mahavishnu Orchestra's 'Inner Mounting Flame' recently re-mastered CD. Brilliant! Also an album called 'Electric Storm' by White Noise which I'd never heard (1968?) which was very original and has stood the test of time because it's so unlike anything else which was around at the time. Plus bits and pieces by lots of jazz guitarists.

Strange dream last night: 'Someone has given me a small apple tree with two apples on. I carefully carry it home, and as I place it in water it moves. It's alive!' Mmm.....

2 09/04/2000 Yesterday stood next to the mnemosynic-signpost (the Sycamore tree on the path to Stone Arthur) and made a decision which may have implications for the future.

Then from Stone Arthur (1652') to Great Rigg (2513') and Fairfield. The path has really been hacked to pieces by thousands of walkers. Fairfield is 2863' and it took a very long time to reach it. Someone had lost his dog, after it had taken off chasing sheep. We went to the rescue along the slopes of Fairfield, but by the time we reached the chap the dog had returned. Then the trudge back up the side and to the path. Fairfield looks like the surface of the moon (though I haven't been THERE) but with grass. Explored the summit a little, looked northwards to Helvellyn, north-east to St. Sunday Crag, eastwards to High Street, and westwards to Great Gable, Pillar, Kirk Fell etc. The North West fells also looked good in the late afternoon, early-Autumn sunshine. Photos taken which I may send to Dan to put on the Diary at some point. When you're on those summits you're close to heaven.

Returned to find messages from Ken Hensley and Iain Cameron.

Now back to 'Being and Becoming', and waiting for replies from the school to thrash-out how on earth to fit in the teaching. One school has already phoned saying they understand the position. Things usually work out and in this case should have clarified by Thursday. First, hang the washing on the line after putting Ging and Fluf out to hack their way through the back lawn...

1 09/03/2000 Yesterday drove to Cockerham, walked to Glasson Dock, along the canal, back to the pub, had a drink and back home. Warm and sunny, with Lakeland fells beckoning to us fron the other side of Morecambe Bay. 'Come and walk on us' they seemed to be saying!

Ken Hensley and I continue our correspondence. As a result I've listened to some of the early Uriah Heep albums and enjoyed them. 'July Morning' from 'Look At Yourself' is particularly memorable. A nice message received from Ian McDonald too. Also received lots of things in the post from Peter Sinfield. Jacob and Susanna sent a nice Anniversary e-card. Thank you!

Had a break on 'Being and Becoming'. Sometimes a more successful musical result comes about as a result of waiting. Composition is very unlike playing an instrument. One can work hard on instrumental technique, and this also happens, to some degree, with composing. But, in many ways, STRONG musical ideas seem to arrive spontaneously. One cannot rush them. Certainly when they've 'arrived' it's possible to hone them, develop them and place them within musical structures. It seems to me this is the difference between 'systems' music, whether tonal or not, and tonally-conceived music. This includes extended-tonality and so on. It's as though it's possible to conceive music in terms of pitch-manipulation when using techniques such as serialism, infinity-rows etc. etc. I'm not saying one shouldn't use these techniques, but strong ideas cannot be arrived at mechanically or by hard work. Perhaps this is the reason for why some music endures, and other music doesn't? The process of natural, or organic growth, is something which continues to exercise my thinking at the present moment.

7 09/02/2000 Today is Sue's and my Wedding Anniversary. We've been married for 22 years.

One year ago today Robert phoned me and said 'Have you ever kept a Diary?' to which I replied, 'Sort of but...', and that is why I've been writing this ever since! One thing he did say, and the main reason I began it, was that he thought it was a 'transforming experience'. This is true: I've very occasionally had the experience of 're-membering' when in the writing process.

Peter Sinfield has just sent a sketch of the words he's been working on for our little lute-song project. They are marvellous! I can't wait to see them in completed form. As I read them I 'hear' music. Always a good sign. The project is now moving on on a daily basis.

'Being and Becoming' evolved a little more yesterday. It's a big piece and is going to come out, possibly, at around 25 minutes in duration. I've grouped it into 318 bars. I calculated that the point of Golden Section (and I don't ALWAYS do this but just happened to last evening) falls at bar 135. This is interesting because it falls in the place where a gradual crescendo/textural accumulation begins leading into the darkest place, musically speaking, of the structure. Bar 135 also falls in between this place, and another point of great luminosity some bars before. When I was down in London a couple of weeks ago, Jacob said 'come and listen to this!' He played me a Soundscape through his computer but at around 30 times faster than the normal speed, or something like that. I can't remember exactly how how much faster. This was interesting because it sounded like some of Robert's fast solo playing, in the context of King Crimson. Reflecting on this I wonder if the Soundscapes are like huge s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d, expanded versions of Fripp's fast patternings? One might not notice this under normal circumstances when listening to Soundscapes, but when heard at x-times faster it's possible. I suppose this much is obvious: Robert's technique is project-specific: the same but never the same.

6 09/01/2000 An electronic-dialogue with Ken Hensley is in progress. What would the world do without the wonders of E-mail?

Lots of E-correspondence with Jacob Heringman yesterday. The composition project has moved on a little. Another opportunity for writing a piece for solo voice has also developed in relation to this. If time allows, during the course of the year, then I'll make a stab at it. E-mail Catherine about this later.

Also spoke with Peter Sinfield who was ill when I phoned, but still managed to talk about the logistics of the project.

Nice to hear from Sid Smith. We have decided to work together on the Crimson analysis project once we have space in our schedules. This could be really exciting.

'Being and Becoming' progressed a little yesterday, too. Things change once things move to the fair-score stage and this one is no exception. The worry is that what I'm doing isn't going to represent the Soundscapes as we know them originally: as guitar improvisations. With 'Pie Jesu' and 'Midnight Blue' it was possible to keep pretty much to the originals, whilst composing some new elements into them. With the two more recent ones, 'Black Light' and 'Being and Becoming' ('Newlyn'), I've had to take more liberties so as to give the music forward movement and timbral transformation. The players also have to be considered. For example, in the past I've spoken to several musicians who have played 'minimalist' works and the general consensus is, 'there's nothing for us to play'. For a listener this is slightly different, but players do have some problems with tons of repetition or static lines. Of this there is no doubt. I'm not saying the Soundscapes are static, but it's a very different thing when one player (i.e. Robert) is performing them, as compared to what an instrumental ensemble might do with them. Opus 20 have responded favourably to the first two pieces, and the demos have confirmed this. 'Being and Becoming' continues today.