Matt e-mailed saying he thought the 'Lindisfarne' arrangement was fine and it's in the next concert!

Peter Sinfield phoned, missed him the first time, so phoned him back. I sense that our composition project is now beginning. Peter has some excellent ideas. He feels the little fragment for flute and guitar I sent to him as a 'starter' does have potential, but can be broken up and used in different ways. He hears 'push...pull' gestures which can be utilised, and the words are forming. Once words arrive then we're on the road, as it were, and I can start the music which, in a sense, is there in embryo.

Otherwise the day was spent cutting lawns, sealing the bath, saving a Starling from the jaws of death and taking it to the vet's, walking around Wardley's Creek, attacked by wretched Hay-Fever (the time has begun!), cutting/pasting parts of 'Red' and being approached to play a flute recital for next year. Alas, no time! Today is my last visit to Liverpool University to discuss the marks for student orchestrations. I was told yesterday that it's likely there won't be any employment there next year because there isn't any money to pay me! However, this is exciting...something else is opening up which isn't yet apparent.

Now listening to the oboe theme of 'Bolero'. This is beautiful, expansive, symphonic and an old friend.

The ConstruKction of Light. Part 2.

Introduction 2.

Analysis seeks to distinguish simple elements which can be treated as originary and explanatory, and in using Jungian reductive techniques, which could be regarded as postmodern by resorting to such things as binary oppositions, my intention is to try and highlight structural details, and otherwise, in The ConstruKction of Light. However, there is always likely to be a certain amount of dissemination within the categories of the text's structure, something which will remain elusive. In other words, our understanding of it, in the end, has a tendency to remain on a subjective level. However, by analysing this work I hope to show that a definite objectivity prevails.

It seems that Robert Fripp has further opened-up the possibilities of the text by destabilising previous works such as 'Larks' Tongues in Aspic' (1972/1984) and 'Fracture' (1973), and in doing so makes them perform differently in their new context. This points to an 'intertextual' method of taking material from its original context and placing it in a new one, so as to create new and different meanings. (See Part 1 of this analysis). Equally, the technique of 'self-quotation' is found in the works of Shostakovich, especially in his Eighth String Quartet, for the purpose of revealing the the horrors which surrounded the composer in the Second World War. In other words, in the case of the latter, a listener is allowed access into the imaginal world of the composer's memory. Fortunately, we do have Fripp's own views on The ConstruKction of Light: 'I'd like to play 'Fracture' again, but it's not a piece for this Crimson. It's Crimson historical repertoire...but it's part of the lives of other people, in another country and another period...addressing the same musical intent today and speaking with my own voice, working with these people in this incarnation, what might happen? One answer to that is 'FraKctured'..similarly, 'Larks' IV'. This band is not going to play 'Larks' II'...So, we are looking at a third creative strategy here in renewal. The musical identity, tradition...is given - King Crimson - and this is one way, within that tradition, of keeping the creative process moving. The externals may seem familiar...and even appear to be the same, but the inside is fresh'. (Robert Fripp: Diary entry, 12-v-00). In some way this relates back to Trey Gunn's point about the 'presence' of creativity: by escaping the past, the presence of the creative 'now' is allowed access which, in a sense, involves non-linear aspects: how 'unknown' futures influence known pasts and vice-versa, which is seen in the connections between 'FraKctured'/'Fracture', 'Larks' IV/III & II'. This process becomes gradually delineated as the present work moves though time, with its references to 'known' past. It is as though TCOL stirs up underlying levels of meaning for composers, performers and listeners.

A question that is sure to be asked is, then, 'is this a concept album?' It certainly bears little relation to the concept genre included within the so-called 'progressive' rock movement of the late 1960's/early '70's, or even to the neo-progressive 'concept' albums of the 1980's. TCOL seems more to do with a sort of musical 'deconstruction': it peels away the constructed meanings which surround the previous King Crimson works, especially the ones which include 'Fracture' and 'Larks' Tongues in Aspic', which raises the question, was this always part of the King Crimson agenda? Once one King Crimson has functioned for a period of time it abruptly stops. It as though this tendency has reduced musical 'logocentrism' by peeling away the certainty of reason which people (fans in particular), from certain periods of the band's history, see lying in the music. By deploying this approach the 'presence' of 'King Crimson' chooses when and where to incarnate: after a time of non-activity the 'presence', which has always been there - like an underlying rhizome - begins afresh. In other words, there is a creative 'incarnation'.

TCOL follows as the outworking of the most recent incarnation, and as I write this King Crimson is performing 'live' in Scandanavia. The poetic side of King Crimson has, in the main, been severely dismantled in TCOL, as the music has derived, in part, from the improvisatory world of the ProjeKcts. This has led to certain misunderstanding within certain quarters, particularly in recent reviews. However, it would be wrong to suppose that that the work is a 'fiction', unlike its sister-work: ProjeKct X's Heaven and Earth, which relies more on contemporary assemblage techniques. TCOL does include narrative as a vital part of its structure, and this is partly conveyed by the lyrics. The lyrical side of more recent King Crimson works such as 'Inner Garden' and 'Walking on Air', included on Thrak (1995), has been greatly reduced. However, a listener will hear, as on Thrak, a link to the the King Crimosn tradition on TCOL: 'Fracktured' and 'Larks' IV' link to the 1972-74 period, the metallic, interlocking guitars connect with the urban landscapes of King Crimson Mk IV, and there are also residues from the Sylvian/Fripp collaboration The First Day. I believe TCOL exemplifies what Gurdjieff has termed objective art, which shines though the cracks created by the purely instrumental pieces on the album. These pieces have the function of transcending the ambiguity of the lyrics, by providing an invisible solution, possibly, in the form of 'grace', lying outside human dimension.

PB - pessimism/optimism by chemical means - subjective
TCOL - anticipating optimism/objectivity
ITFP - pessimism
FraKc - objective
Oys. Soup - ambiguous
LTIA IV - objective
IHAD - ambiguous (lies more towards optimism but lists the 'darkness' of recent historical events, which would connect it to '21st Century Schizoid Man' at one level)

The instrumental pieces stand as landmarks leading us from one psychological state into another, until they are reached where, then, an objectivity prevails. In this sense, the instrumental pieces objectify something which lies beyond purely human psychological states leading us as listeners, in Gurdjeffian terminology, to a different or 'awakened' mode of being. In Jungian terms, this might be termed as 'the call to individuation', or the realisation that the 'collective unconscious' underpins the world of the everyday. The original instrumental pieces 'Fracture' and 'Larks' II' were placed at the end of their respective works and served as climactic points in the structure. In TCOL the pieces 'FraKctured' and 'Larks IV' are positioned differently functioning, as we have seen, as important structural landmarks both musically, and for the purpose of 'objectifying' the pieces which come before and after them. As listeners we feel a sense of 'grace' shining through the spaces created by the instrumental pieces, which is difficult to to codify or verbalise.

3 05/30/2000 The ConstruKction of Light. Part 1. Introduction 1

The problem surrounding any new musical work is that, as listeners, we may be too close to it for it to reveal its secrets, coming from the cultural present as opposed to the past. A further problem is that in the case of a work without a written text, or a score, it is more complex to pin down analytical concepts of a traditional type. In the case of a work without this we are forced to rely on 'ear' rather than 'eye' as our main source of information. Peter Hammill pointed out many years ago, however, that a recorded musical work is an aural codification of an art-work, and as valid as a written document. The creators of new works are, often, reluctant to speak about their new creation, hoping the new work will speak for itself. This poses further problems for those of us who wish to delve into its secrets.

In the case of The ConstruKction of Light, King Crimson's twelth studio album (May, 2000), we do, at least, have 'source' material from which to draw. This is included on a series of recordings made by the King Crimson 'fractals' (the double-trio formation from the Thrak period broken into trios and quartets) known as the ProjeKcts. The ProjeKct ensembles were begun in 1997 as 'sub-groups...the aim...(of which)...is to function as Research and development units, on behalf of, and for, the greater Crim and to create music for the next generation of Crimson repertoire'. (Sleeve-notes - ProjeKct Two, 'Live Groove'). The repertoire of the ProjeKcts is improvisational, following in the line of King Crimson's THRaKaTTaK (1996). Trey Gunn makes the point in his road Diaries of March 24th, 1998, which are included as sleeve-notes for ProjeKct 2's Live Groove, that each of the musicians featured (Gunn, Adrian Belew and Robert Fripp) took a new approach by making 'a type of leap that I have not witnessed...going further...and partly by necessity'. Although the ProjeKct 2 Space Groove had been recorded previously, the 'live' fractal decided to 'just go out and play'. The sleeve-notes reveal that the 'live' concerts were fuly improvised.

For a music analyst to pin-down the secrets of improvisation is hard but, ultimately, to reveal the role of the unconscious, which is the essence of the creative particularly in the field of improvisation, is harder. However, it is not my aim to do this but, rather, to gather the original impulse, shown 'through' the source material of the ProjeKcts (in particular, ProjeKct 2) to discover how it has affected and contributed to The ConstruKction of Light (known hereafter as TCOL), and as a way into the work. Improvisation has always been traditionally associated with King Crimson. Robert Fripp has said (Diary entry, 12-v-2000): 'There are six different strategies...composition and improvisation are two of these. Composition is the strategy where we ordr musical materials, to establish what is possible. Improvisation is the strategy where we make room for the impossible'. TCOL is revealing, then, in these terms: although Fripp has said that this was the first time a King Crimson has recorded an album prior to taking the music into concert situations, the music, in a sense, existed prior to the making of TCOL in the form of the ProjeKct improvisations, although in fragmentary form. In other words, the material presented to the ProjeKcts is material which can be used for further research (i.e. composition, in much the same way Messiaen may have culled sections of his improvisations for subsequent works). Either that or, if deemed inappropriate, jettisoned or even, perhaps, used at a more appropriate time and in a new and different context. So, sections of these improvisations have been re-assigned to new contexts. For example, the contrary-motion sections in the ritornelli of ProjeKct 2's Contrary ConstruKction have become the contrary-motion ritornelli of Into the Frying Pan on TCOL, being ripped-from their original context and placed in a new one in an exquistely Postmodern way, to create a new meaning. In other words, structural components from one source are juxtaposed alongside new material to create a new structure: unconscious meets conscious, or improvisation meets composition, and a new 'wholeness' is created - a construction of light?

The title of the work includes two key words: a) 'Construction', transformed into 'ConstruKction'; b) 'Light'. The arrangement of letters, in the first case, reveals the initials of the group, King Crimson - Kc - perhaps showing that the presence of King Crimson exists within the structure (the construction), a presence that Fripp has said 'lives in different bodies at different times, and the particular form which the group takes changes. When music appears which only King Crimson can play then, sooner or later, King Crimson appears to play the music'. (Notes from King Crimson Tour programme, 1995). The word 'construction' could also be taken to mean 'interpretation': in these terms the interpreted material being the primary musical impulse created by the ProjeKcts which is, in turn, projected both forwards and backwards through time. This is an idea I will return to in due course.

In purely instrumental terms TCOL is a work of 'light' (bright, metallic guitars) against a darker backdrop (bass touch guitar/baritone guitar and drumming) which is reflected both in Adrian Belew's words as well as in the black/blue and silver cover, also including images from an eclipse. On the back cover an eclipse joins sun (masculine, conscious, extrovert, gold) with moon (feminine, unconscious, introvert, silver) which is important for TCOL as a whole: it seems, as in previous King Crimson works, TCOL is reconciling opposing tendencies. This is subtly reinforced, in the case of TCOL, with the inclusion of small and large initials (Kc) in the title. It could also refer back to 'In the Court of the Crimson King', where 'King' (masculine) meets 'tree' (feminine). The idea may also be reflected in the structure of the work (I am not including ProjeKct X's piece) which includes seven pieces: two purely instrumental pieces and five song-pieces:

1) ProzaKc Blues, 2-3) The ConstruKction of Light, 4) Into the Frying Pan, 5) FraKctured, 6) The World's My Oyster Soup Kitchen Floor Wax Museum, 7-9) Larks' Tongues in Aspic - Part IV, 10) Coda-I Have a Dream.

Because of the way in which the title piece has two sections, and Larks' IV has three sections, the total number of 'pieces' comes to ten. Ten is a number of completion. To return to my previous point, the opposites are also reflected in the structure where they are felt as symmetries:

Prozakc Blues reflects I Have a Dream (Dark), while TCOL reflects Larks' IV (Light). Into the Frying Pan reflects Oyster Soup (Light and dark fused) and FraKctured seems to point both forwards and backwards to the musical past (in more ways than one) by standing as the kernel of the work and taking a neutral stance, as well as reflecting the 'presence' of King Crimson at a deeper structural level. 'Light' is a symbol frequently encountered in the recent work of Robert Fripp: Bringing Down the Light, Black Light, The Fear of Light, First Light, Second Light. It is a symbol commonly associated with 'consciousness'.

(The second part of this introduction will continue tomorrow. All analyses of music by King Crimson/Robert Fripp is copyright: Andrew Keeling/Discipline Global Mobile, 2000.)

2 05/29/2000 May Bank Holiday. Very likely a day whhen thousands of people pour into the National Parks and, traditionally, a day when all the financial outlets, in this country, had a holiday.

Yesterday Sue and I went for a brisk walk up Clougha Pike near Caton, then a cuppa in Brow Top Craft Centre. Today? Who knows! I managed to write more about the TCOL on our return. Considering something about Postmodern Literary Theory for this. Wrote out Parts 1 & 2. Not ready for the Diary, but maybe tomorrow.

1 05/28/2000 Was going to start my analysis of The ConstruKction of Light, but on reaching the computer found an e-mail waiting from Robert so replied to that instead. Part 1 of the analysis is almost complete, so I'll probably begin writing it into the Diary tomorrow, later to be transferred to the Present Moment pages at Dan's request. TCOL is a difficult work to get at, for a number of reasons. However, it has clarified a little after listening to ProjeKct 2 last evening, which presented the opportunity required to see 'into' the work. It is of no wonder that King Crimson have been misunderstood by many critics/reviewers. It's my feeling that the very best music is ALWAYS misunderstood particularly in the present time of its creators. The main problem for reviewers with the music of King Crimson, as I see it, is that the music has a great sense of the 'other' about it. Our materialistic age is greatly distanced from anything verging on this dimension, so for listeners to be touched by music from the 'unconscious' is immediately difficult. Funnily enough I read the preface to 'Light from the Darkness - the Paintings of Peter Birkhauser' (Birkhauser Verlag, 1991) yesterday. Dr. Mc knew Birkhauser, and has said to me that he was in a similar position: his work was completely misunderstood working in the time, as he did, of 'high' Modernism. People attending exhibitions of his work were either completely transfixed or reacted, sometimes, in a close-to-violent manner to what they saw. I have also noticed this reaction sometimes in people when one simply speaks of the 'sacred'. I've learnt much from Birkhauser's approach of allowing the unconscious its voice, something extremely difficult to achieve. As Steven Wray said to me yesterday, when he phoned, 'Cease striving...let go and relax' quoting Psalm 46. Another piece of wisdom straight into my situation!

Sid Smith e-mailed yesterday. At what point synchronicity becomes telepathy I can't say, but Sid touched on this dimension. Perhaps the psyche really does touch the sub-atomic level (to quote Capra!).

Yesterday spent from 1100 - 17-30 marking the student orchestrations. Complete!

7 05/27/2000 Half-term means there is no teaching at the RNCM today. However, nor is there any slacking on my part as student orchestrations have to be marked, to be returned to Liverpool University on Wednesday. Here, it's a sunny, cloudy and windy day, one of those days which brings back memories of childhood days spent in sylvan Staffordshire in the late 1950's/early '60's!

Had the score of 'Red' bound and sent it to Scott yesterday. Sent Peter Sinfield the last piece of research material: the Rose Consort performing Dowland.

I've also been presented with something of a dilemma recently, as another company are showing real interest in my own CD project. I've contacted the artists concerned to ask them for their views on this. Robert Fripp also sent me an e-mail with his views. With things as they are (i.e. King Crimson on tour, and Robert busy) I intend to wait till the end of July/beginning of August to make any decision. Whatever will be, will be.

Listened hard to 'The ConstruKction of Light' last evening, and made a structural diagram. Plan to analyse the 'song' pieces first probably beginning with 'ProzaKc Blues', 'Into the Frying Pan', '...Oyster Soup' and 'I Have A Dream'. '...Frying Pan' is probably where I'll start. I feel the whole album derives from its title...'construction'. Once again, the work is to do with 'opposite' psychological states. More, possibly, on the Present Moment pages in due course, once I've made a start on the string parts for the Glennie concerto.

6 05/26/2000 Matt Seattle phoned last night to say the 'Lindisfarne' arrangement had arrived safely with him. Matt and the McFall's are including it in their Bongo Club concert on Sunday. I'll think of them playing it (hope the arrangement works?) while I trek up some Lake District mountain or other.

Completed the arrangement of 'Red' yesterday, too. Lots of 'weeding' done on this to highlight the concerto grosso-like structure. Cut and paste job on the parts for the sake of speed, because have to move on with the parts for the Concerto for Evelyn Glennie for November: harp and string parts left to do. Must send off the woodwind, brass and extra full-score to the binders this week, as rehearsals begin in September and I'm behind. I expect further transcriptions from Bert to come pouring through the door any day now for the next Soundscape Orchestration, with a further two in the late summer/early autumn.

John Powell of Bolton Chamber Choir phoned last evening wanting a programme note for my new piece which is premiered on June 13th in bOlton, with a second performance later in the month in Cartmel. See the latter has made it as an ad. in SPNM New Notes magazine.

Sent off White Willow analysis to Jacob Holm-Lupo. Plan also to send one to their record company, Laser's Edge.

Also listened fruther to 'The ConstrucKtion of Light'. Some rather complex shifting metres in this. I like the title track. Getting into the structure of this more. 'ProzaKc Blues': there have been suggestions that this betrays a Tom Waits influence. There is song from the T.W. album 'Blue Valentyne' called 'Whistling Past the Graveyard' which has a similar chorus in terms of the harmony (i.e. VI-V) but, I suppose, so do other songs. 'Epitaph', as well as Peter Sinfield's 'Song of the Sea Goat', have codas which utilise this harmonic shift, too. The vocal part is T.W. influenced: 'distorted' A.B.?

Call into see my parents later today. The hedge needs cutting.

To John Stevens: should know more about my CD release by end of July/early August. Thanks for writing.

5 05/25/2000 Collected what seem like hundreds of orchestration portfolios from Liverpool University yesterday to be marked over the weekend. These have to be returned by next Wednesday at the very latest. While in Liverpool I bought Sonic Youth's 'Goodbye Twentieth Century', which includes pieces by John Cage, Steve Reich and Yoko Ono, although last evening was spent completing and revising the arrangement of 'Lindisfarne' which was put in the late post at 1900, hopefully to reach Matt by today. I had further ideas for this on yesterday's train journey: how to make the cello part a little more interesting in places. Also distributed the counterpoint around the string quartet rather than keeping it on one instrument.

With that done spent the rest of the evening writing-up an analysis of White Willow's second album 'Ex Tenebris' to be posted to Jacob Holm-Lupo today. This was originally written for my progressive-rock lecture at York University, but Jacob wants to see it with a view to including it on the White Willow web-site. I'm not absolutely sure that it's all-consuming enough for that, but it does point to certain things in the work. The next analysis of a work may be King Crimson's 'The ConstrucKtion of Light' which sounds to me as though it needs exploring.

Also send Peter Sinfield some songs by John Dowland. Heard from Jacob Heringman just prior to him setting off for his tour of the US.

Back with 'Red' today. Some of this needs thinning out, and making even more concerto grosso-like than it was previously. Bert Lams also phoned last evening from Seattle saying that he's on with the next transcription for the Soundscape orchestration project, and should have it complete soon. This is one of Robert's unreleased improvisations, and is fairly lengthy in duration. I felt we needed a soundscape which was Webern-like (i.e. a thin texture, with a few 'dazzling diamonds', to quote Stravinsky on Webern) and not goal-directed which the others have turned out to be from the way we've worked them. Bert says this fits the bill exactly. Daine tells me that we need two more Soundscapes after this, then we have something approaching an album.

4 05/24/2000 Made significant progress with 'Lindisfarne' yesterday. A rough-score was complete by around 1000, and then by 2200 there is only six bars left to complete of the full-score. What will Matt make of it? He phoned me in response to an earlier call I'd made, saying that I'd 'modified' the harmony here and there and would the 'drone' of the Pipes fit against it? He seems to think all should be OK. Should have it complete by the time I set out to Liverpool today, to pick up student Orchestration portfolios to bring home and mark. The arrangement of 'Lindisfarne', if it works, will be played by Matt and the McFall String Quartet at the Bongo Club in Edinburgh on Sunday. It has to be complete by tomorrow, to be sent tomorrow, to arrive with Matt by Friday at the latest.

The arrangement has been done so quickly, it reminded me of a time I worked with a well-known composer on a film-score many years ago, although the situation is very different. This was to prove extremely valuable experience, and this is briefly what happened. This composer needed someone to serve as copyist for a film-score he was working on. An old school-friend of mine, who worked for a music-publishing company at the time, happened to ask if I did that sort of thing. I said that I did and I agreed to take on the job. I arrived at the composer's house looking forward to the challenge. What I didn't know was that he (the composer)tended not to complete commissions till the very last minute, and when I asked him why he worked right up to deadlines he told me that if he composed things too much in advance the music produced tended to be sub-standard. Because I am, well, a control-freak in terms of getting things done well in advance, I asked myself, 'Can this really be done in time?' It turned out that he hadn't composed much of the music which was to be recorded the next day. We had until 1200, on the following day, to complete everything. A large studio had been booked, with a small orchestra, by which time all the orchestral cues had to be recorded plus all the other music. I sat at the work-desk until 1700 ferociously writing parts to the many pieces of full-score which their way to me. The composer sat at the piano, music (which was really rather good) pouring out of him, and I was on the receiving end writing the full-score up into parts. At 4-30 the following morning we agreed we should get some sleep. My abdomen was in pain, and by backside was, let's say, extremely painful through sitting on a chair for nineteen and a half hours, more or less, non-stop. At 700 I was awoken. 'Time to continue!' After a quick shower, and even faster breakfast, I was back at the work-desk copying parts even more ferociously. My hand, by this time, ached and the finger supporting the pen felt as though it may catch fire. The composer was still writing, and a car was coming for us at 1100, to take us to the studio for 1200. Panic! When all was completed, we taped the copies together. The copies, by the way, looked beautiful. Next came an...adventure. The most horrendous journey across a large city I have ever taken. We had to get from the north to the south of this particular city in half an hour. The cab driver hit the gas pedal with the furore of a madman. I have never been on such a whirlwind of a jouney before or after. We emerged from the car as shattered wrecks, and entered the studio to find musicians waiting. My job was to Xerox all the parts. Immediate problem: Xeroxing machine was dead. I am not a mechanic but, by the grace of God, managed to start that machine and get parts done, and taped together. I delivered the parts to the musicians who were waiting patiently in the studio, and the job was done! The music sounded fabulous, and through it I realised that I had learnt most of what I subsequently needed for writing immediate-looking scores and parts. It also taught me something of working in the industry, and that there are some incredible musicians around. I feel grateful to have worked on projects like this. Just to confirm, Matt: your project has nothing of the intensity of the tale just told!

Bertie, the budgie, continues to recover.

3 05/23/2000 Back to the usual English summer: wet and windy.

Potential newspaper headline: A Day In The Life Of A Budgie. Took Bertie, our budgie, to the vet's last evening. The vet found the trouble immediately: Bertie had an abscess under his wing which she managed to drain. Bertie has immediatley recovered although we have been given a syringe so as to clear the contaminated area with salt-water until it's healed. Bertie is nine.

Yesterday began the arrangement of Matt Seattle's 'Lindisfarne'. A/B/A + counterpoint done so far. Matt's piece is a beautiful melodic folk-song instrumental, and I can imagine people of the future, for example in the 23rd century, playing it. Let's hope so although I'm afraid to say, Matt, we won't be around to hear them. Continue with this today.

Sent revision of Part 3 of the 'Islands' analysis to Dan who hopes to publish this ASAP. One or two new ideas emerged as I looked through a query from Dan about one of the diagrams included in the original. These will be modified somewhat when Dan revises it on the Present Moment page.

Sid Smith has also agreed to help out on the future book(s) of analyses on the music of King Crimson. This is very good news, although this can't be started until spaces emerge in our busy schedules, probably next year. This is when I plan to begin the project, and have several ideas for clear, interesting and coherent presentation.

Interested to read Jacob Heringman's Diary for yesterday (22nd May) about the psychology of performance. I think he's absolutely right about many of the things he's written. The paragraph which really struck me was Jacob's point about being in a concert situation to share the music he loves, creating a communion between performer (J.H.) and the audience. Having seen Jacob perform I know this is his philosophy of musical performance. I only wish I could have read something like this when I tried to develop a career as a performer on flute many years ago. Although my flute playing was reasonably good, the stumbling block was the nerves 'loop'. However, not being able to achieve on the flute as I'd priginally hope was not really a disappointment to me. The composing/analysis opened up which was, for me, more meaningful. Each to his/her own.

2 05/22/2000 Yesterday was both a sad day and a good day. In the morning we found that our pet budgie, Bertie, had developed a growth on his body which he'd been pecking at and made bleed. We washed it and found that the growth was rather more extensive than we thought. I'll have to take him to see the Vet today to see what the problem is. Still, he's eating and still flying around, but slept most of last evening.

Sue, Linda, Kevin and I took to the hills yesterday. Drove over Kirkstone Pass and down to Hartsop. Then walked up to Angle Tarn Pikes (see A. Wainwright: Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells Book 2. The Far Eastern Fells. Angletarn Pikes 5), had lunch on the summit, attacked by flies which only seemed to swarm when the sun came out, and then around the shores of Angle Tarn, descending by Brock Crags, and down to Hartsop. The day was sunny, the visibility excellent, and the smell of the grass/peat wonderful. Then had a meal at the Watermill Inn. Lots of 'guest' beers, but retrained myself because of the drive home. Can't drink too much alcohol, as I get migraines which alcohol seems to trigger.

Arrived home to find there Bertie was eating, and seemed quite bright in himself. Also Dan had e-mailed saying he'd put up the 'Islands' analysis on the Present Moment page, but hadn't got a section of it. Sent it to him. Looks excellent. Thanks, Dan!

Peter Sinfield also wrote. The composition project takes another step in the right direction. Jacob Heringman also sent ideas.

Today I begin Matt's 'Lindisfarne' arrangement, and have further ideas about the arrangement of 'Red'.

7 05/20/2000 What a tremendous and memorable day! An excellent concert at the RNCM Junior School, where fourteen new pieces were premiered in the lunchtime Young Composers' concert, to a full house. The music was all enthusiatically received. It turned out that the composers' notes on the pieces hadn't been included on the programmes, so I was elected to introduce each piece, as well as dealing with front-of-house arrangements such as moving chairs, music stands and turning pages for pianists. The concert went over by half and hour, but no-one seemed to mind. Recovered afterwards with a pleasant cup of coffee, after which Sue appeared (she and Elizabeth had spent the morning at the Trafford Centre [did I feel the palm of my right-hand itch or what, at 1100?!!]) and we drove home.

Still one or two things to do with the arrangement of 'Red'. Last evening phoned Matt, to discuss the arrangement of 'Lindisfarne'. I'll try and get this done ASAP. Also, received e-mails from Jacob Holm-Lupo (White Willow) who tells me that 'Sacrament' (WW's new CD) is released on June 20. Jacob has invited me to write some promotional material about the group, which I did and sent off to him last evening. I very much look forward to hearing this music. Jacob Heringman has also been in touch both with Jacob H-P and myself about the future composition project which involves us all. It looks as if this will happen sometime in 2001, as we are all overloaded with work at the moment.

Also spoke with Diane at DGM, and received an e-mail from Robert replying to one or two questions I'd asked him about TCOL. Also sent further material to Peter Sinfield. Received my ticket for the King Crimson performance in London in July. It is twenty nine years ago since I first saw King Crimson at Birmingham Town Hall in May, 1971. I have a fairly good memory for people, places and events. I remember that concert as though it happened yesterday. My school-friend Jim Morris, and I, told our Housemaster at school that we were going to a party in Lichfield. We weren't! We went to see King Crimson instead supported by Roger Ruskin Spears from the Bonzo Dogs. RRS Had devised a show accompanied by musical robots the arms, of which, fell off from time to time during the performance. King Crimson began with 'Pictures of a City', a 'piece about the largest garbage-dump in the world' said Robert Fripp in his introduction to the music. 'Cirkus' was second, and then further songs like 'Lady of the Dancing Water'. Some of 'Islands', at that time un-released, followed: 'Sailor's Tale' and 'Ladies of the Road' which Robert dedicated to Boz with some 'in' jokes within the group personnel about young ladies. I think 'Groon' followed with the famous Ian Wallace drum solo put through the VCS3. I seem to remember that the group members were subsequently introduced, continuing with 'In the Court of the Crimson King', followed by 'Schizoid Man' (very close to the album version, unlike their performance in the Autumn of the same year, when 'Schizoid' had loosened-up following a US tour), and then 'The Devil's Triangle', complete with strobes and flame effects. The group encored with 'Cadence and Cascade'. After the concert we walked to the outskirts of Birmingham and found a field behind a block of flats, in which to kip. We awoke at 5 a.m., ate cheese biscuits until around 7 a.m. before walking back to New Street Station. Is my memory intact? How time flies by. It comes to me more and more, as time passes, to 'freeze' and enjoy the moment, not simply to rush through life for the sake of following mad ambition: there is MUCH more to life than that. We are here for a very short time indeed.

6 05/19/2000 Last evening re-visited the lamp-post, to exorcise the ghosts of last Saturday evening. When the 'accident' happened our objective was a new pub/restaurant. Last evening we got there, and had the meal we should have had last Saturday before the potential idea was intercepted! My old friend, Brian Taylor, had also written saying that a 'bang on the head' had been the trigger for Meher Baba's spiritual transformation. Well, it hasn't done that for me! When I went into school yesterday one of my students (one of the many who I had to re-relate the story to) thought the whole episode so amusing, she actually rolled around the floor crying in laughter (or maybe it's just the I tell 'em?) The Director of Music told me it's been 'a talking point'. Well, never mind...

Yesterday completed 'Red' at around 1645. It has been hard work. Also found errors in the score which needed correction. This, together with the Piano Quartet, has been photocopied. 'Red' will be sent to Scott Stromann and the Piano Quartet to S.E.M.S.

The warm spell has ceasd to exist. Yesterday was windy again, but the sort of day which would be excellent for walking. School looked magnificent in the bright, afternoon sunshine. The ivy has come out again on the school-buildings, and everything looks green again. There was a Sparrow-Hawk, I think, attacking the Starlings close to the School of Music. Watched it hovering for quite some time. Brought to mind some words from the C. Day Lewis poem:

My kestrel joy, hoverer in wind...

5 05/18/2000 Synchronicity. An 'in' word with lots of so -called 'new-age' associations? Last evening I was privy to an instance of synchronicity par excellence. Sue and I went to 'Tiles': a pub in St. Annes, where my friend Ken Nicol, of The Albion Band, was playing a solo concert. Ken had phoned the previous evening inviting me along, and asked me to bring my flute with a view to playing a couple of solos in his set. 'Tiles' is also the venue for 'St. Annes Acoustic Roots' (Routes?), a gathering of people who meet most weeks to play folk music. I was completely unaware that this has been happening.

I played on two songs in the second half, one in Ken's encore. Ken Nicol is a fine folk/blues guitarist and was warmly received by an audience of around sixty people. At the end, while he was talking to members of the audience, Ken beckoned me over to meet a gentleman who had something to say to me. Harry lives in St. Annes (as I had done many years ago), and told that while he was ordering a drink at the bar he very nearly jumped out of his skin when Ken introduced me at the beginning of the first song: Harry had just happened to received the OPUS 20 CD from DGM on the same day (yesterday) had listened to the audio-file of 'Hidden Streams' on the Opus 20 page, had been reading my Diary, and the analyses on 'In the Court of the Crimson King' and 'Red'. He had absolutely no idea that I would be at the Ken's concert and, furthermore, performing and had no idea that I lived in the area. Coincidence? Synchronous? There is a further piece of the jigsaw to this story, this 'meaningful coincidence', which I won't labour but is, nevertheless, meaningful for me. Anyway, we had a very good chat about King Crimson and my involvement with DGM, and seemed enthusiatic about the orchestrations of R.F's Soundscapes and other King Crimson music. Nice to meet you, Harry, and thanks for your kind words of encouragement.

Also reached bar 115 in 'Red' yesterday, and then drove to Lancaster. Bought 'Works' by ELP, which is an album I don't know. Also bought three bags of pebbles for the garden, to complete the 'mandala'. The wound on my head is fast disappearing.

4 05/17/2000 Yesterday turned out to be a day full of developments. Paul Sherman, the double-bassist from OPUS 20, phoned last evening wanting to know a little more about the Soundscape Orchestrations. Explained that I was also arranging other King Crimson pieces for OPUS 20. It looks as if things might be in the process of working themselves out in terms of performing/recording them. Where there's a will, there's a way!

Posters for the Bolton Chamber choir concert, in Bolton, came through yesterday. The concert includes the first performance of my new choral commission for the choir.

Reached bar 101 of 'Red'. Once the middle section has been completed (probably today) the rest is reasonably straight forward, although I've decided against having the tutti re-enter ff at the point of recapitulation as on the original: I've gone for two solo cellos playing the ritornello material at that point and then...wham! That's where the tutti re-enter. On the whole, it seems to be going as well as can be expected. One thing is for sure: it's turned out to be much more complex arrangement that I originally anticipated. Once it's complete then must get back to copying up parts for the Evelyn Glennie Concerto (string and harp parts need copying. Oh, for a Sibelius to help out on this one!) and then onto the arrangement Matt Seattle has asked me to do.

Just as I was writing last evening, Ken Nicol (The Albion Band) phoned. Ken said, 'I'm playing a solo gig in St. Annes tonight, would you like to come along to the concert?' I replied,'Yes! I'd like to!'. 'Better still,' he said, 'would you like to bring your flute and play over the top of one or two of my songs?' So, tonight I have a gig. Quickly went and ran through several flute tone and articulation exercises, scales/arpeggios to prepare. My old flute teacher, Atarah Ben-Tovim once said, 'Andrew, you will never forget how to play the flute.' I so seldom play it nowadays, except for students, that I'm beginning to wonder if A. was right. However, when I need to perform on the flute I can usually manage something approaching...music!

Elizabeth begins her GCSE exams today. I took her to the bus-stop this morning and she seems reasonably well prepared.

Jacob Holm-Lupo (White Willow) e-mailed yesterday. I tried to look into the White Willow Web-Site (Weirdglow), and not being able to checked my mail-box instead. Sure enough, there's an e-mail from Jacob which he must have sent at the same time as I was looking into 'Weirdglow'. Listened to 'Ex Tenebris' last evening.

3 05/16/2000 The 16th: birthdays for my mother and my son, Christopher. Greetings and presents have been dispatched for them both.

Having more or less recovered from the bug by mid-afternoon yesterday I visited my parents yesterday, and my father looks much better, and is now speaking more clearly. He asked me to, 'please cut the hedge at the end of the month.' Boy! It's a large hedge, and should take hours (weeks?) to tackle.

The CDR of the little flute and guitar piece I wrote and recorded late last year arrived yesterday which, together with a book, was posted to Peter Sinfield. Peter has asked for a fragment(s) of musical material which may help start the writing process for him although, from an e-mail this morning (with the heading, 'Lump Post'!) he tells me that something has already been set in motion (i.e. he's jotted down ideas). Initially, we've been presented with ideas for the potential piece which seem to stem from the unconscious and, for me, have always been the only, and successful way in which music originates. I'm looking forward to this project.

Also received a tape of the little three minute piece I wrote for one voice, performed in Edinburgh last November. One Voice play it magnificently and, musically, it sounds...successful. One thing struck me while listening: I'm finding it harder and harder to write 'modernist' music. This piece, ...for the moment, has nothing whatsoever to do with modernism, yet has an energy that I'm rather pleased to say still exists. I simply cannot write like I used to, say, five years ago. Is this 'shedding' part of the process of getting older? Does it mark the decline of youthful energy? Is it the result of individuation? Does it mark 'phase 2' of the compositional stance? Probably the whole lot. Michael Tippett was a composer (Composer) who was able to synthesise his early, lyrical style with the more strident side of his writing which emerged in the 1960's, into a 'whole' late style which engaged both previous stances, of which the Fifth String Quartet is probably the finest example. I have also observed a similar tendency in Robert Fripp's music, although not quite in the same way.

It seems that things are beginning to develop again for the OPUS 20/Fripp/Keeling/Lams Soundscape orchestration project. Phone-calls, e-mails etc. cross the ether yesterday re this.

2 05/15/2000

Would like to have gone to the Lake District yesterday, but had to put off Kevin and Linda deciding that is was unwise to go following the accident. Such a warm and sunny day, too. Memories of a similar day in 1997 and a walk up Scafell Pike with Sue, Linda and Kevin which is worth describing. 30/viii/97:

parked at Seathwaite, and set off up to Great End via Stockley Bridge. However, on reaching Allen Crags, in the lunch-break, decided to by-pass Great End and go to Scafell Pike. Coincidently met an old friend and guitar student, Andrew Hewitt who was leading another group of walkers. It's a long haul to Scafell Pike from Great End (it takes Wainwright two pages of drawings and writings in Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells Book Four - Scafell Pike 17 & 18) and over Ill Crag and Broad Crag before reaching the large, circular cairn on Scafell Pike, but we did it. The view from the top was magnificent, particularly towards Great Gable, Kirk Fell and Pillar. Spent quite some time taking it all in. The return visit was the Corridor Route, passing Piers Gill, Syhead Tarn before reaching Stockley Bridge and back to the cars at Seathwaite. People have often written about encounters with angels on Scafell and Scafell Pike. I have another two friends who are convinced they had an encounter with one on a day in autumn a long time ago. As they were descending from Scafell Pike, along the route we took, with darkness fast descending, they met a gentleman dressed in a suit though walking up towards the summit. He had no walking boots, no rucksack, no waterproofs. They said hello to him, but no reponse. They always thought it rather weird, but then when they began to hear, and read, about people who had similar experiences they wondered...'angel?' Either that or well-dressed city gentlemen escaping to the hills after a hard day in the office.

Decided to take the day off today. My head is feeling, and looking, much better but last evening following the lamp-post incident (looks like a scar will remain), but last evening began to feel the symptoms of a developing stomach-bug. Sure enough, it remains.

During the course of yesterday continued with 'Red' reaching bar 53, which is turning into a fully-fledged score. Using repeat markings to get around around the structure. Also heard from Bert on Friday evening re the Soundscape Orchestration recordings: will it happen, or won't it happen? We decide to complete our part in the project and leave providence to take care of the rest. E-mail Scott and Paul of OPUS 20 and then phone Sid to ask if they have any ideas. I sense this is a project that people who like King Crimson/Robert Fripp would relish the thought of. I remain optimistic that these pieces can be recorded sooner rather than later. A passage I read the other evening might convey how I sometimes feel:

A donkey turning a millstone did many miles of walking. When it was freed it found itself still in the same place. There are those who do much travelling and make no progress toward anywhere...the wretches have laboured in vain.

However, I don't give up on things so easily:

When one door closes, another one opens...somewhere.

This has also been my experience time and time again.

Took it easy last evening. Listened to a little more of the Please album, called 'Seeing Stars', and then into TCOL again. Also prepare to listen to the ProjeKcts to find cross-connections between those and TCOL. I think this new work is mysteriously splendid. Spoke with Sid about this, more recent period of King Crimson. I think it's essential for me to attend Guitar Craft at some point, as this would open more doors onto R.F's musical techniques. The analysis project continues to develop in my mind.

1 05/14/2000 Yesterday was the 13th. The day seemed to be going well: the auditions for the Young Composers' concert, for next week, went well and we decided that fourteen pieces should be includedy

1620: the journey back home reading the Yates book was fine.

18-00: Sue picks me up from the station, and we drive home.

18-20: on arrival we decide to leave the car at home, walk down the road to a newly-opened pub and have a meal; then I see an old guitar student of mine on the opposite side of the road and wave to him; then I say, 'how are you going on?; then...CRUNCH! As I turned back to look in front of me I collided with the lamp-post which, somehow, had evaded my attention. This is one of those 'You've Been Framed' moments! I hope no one caught it on video. A moment in and out of time...semi-conscious, lots of lights, though didn't collapse. Also lots of blood from open-wound on the forehead. Sue managed to place three adhesive strips across the wound to bring the skin together and, finally this morning, the bleeding seems to have stopped. Whatever the case, a nasty sight! What a b....y stupid idiot I am (literally in this case)! Sue said, 'you should look where you're going'. Yes, she's absolutely right...in more ways than one.

Spent last evening lying on a chair in the front-room, itching to get at the arrangement of 'Red' (red=colour of blood) but couldn't because the bleeding wouldn't stop. However, this gave opportunity to listen to 'The ConstruKction of Light' twice through. (Sid played me the copy he'd received from Virgin a fortnight ago, but I couldn't really assess it fully at that time as I was a guest in the Smith home and talking with Sid, Debbie and Sue about other things). For me, music operates on a number of levels and on the first play-through I ask, 'what is this?' Immediately struck by the familiar/unfamiliarity of the music. There is an immediate difference because there is an absence of two key KC players, so there is a timbral transformation at the bottom end compared to 'Thrak'. Now 'Thrak' seems more of a transitional work, and the interplay between two separate musical units seems to take on more relevance. The Fripp/Belew interplay remains on this new work, and there is also MUCH more contrapuntal activity in the music. Is there a double-duo at work in TCOL?

If reviewers expect music which is immediately memorable in terms of its melodic accessibility ( a well-worn musical parameter anyway, but the first way in which a listener of the late twentieth century - from which a reviewer's musical experience is generally derived - it is unlikely they will find it in this work). My train was delayed at Preston yesterday, so I just happened to read a very short review of the record in a magazine in the station platform kiosk which more or less said there is more in four bars of KC's music than there is in entire songs of other artists. This is true, but I would have put it this way: there is more subsequent development of ideas in a bar (or a musical motive) of KC's as compared to much of the entire recorded output of many artists.

On the second play-through things begin to go a little deeper. Not in a condition to fully get inside the music, but several things immediately went home, and questions. This album fuses the Mk IV KC with the Mk III KC. It also utilises the research carried out by the ProjeKcts. ProjeKcts Two and Three seem to be the ensembles which point to the direction which KC VI is taking. So, the album looks beyond what has already gone before, utilising previous techniques but stretching them beyond their original contexts. This is applied, particularly, to 'FraKctured' and 'Larks' Tongues IV' the latter fusing 'Larks II' with 'Larks' III' to arrive at the next possible solution. 'Four' is the quaternary and the number of completeness. Is this a postmodern work, in terms of the self-quotation used and the seeming non-reliance on melody as its prime musical level? (I have to say, though, that there IS melody present).

Structure: ten pieces, the number of completion or fulfilment. I like the way 'FraKctured' sits in the centre of the structure creating an arch-shape. The two outside pillars, 'ProzaKc Blues' and 'Coda: I Have a Dream' function as they are intended: as introduction coda. Metre: there are lots of shifting metres which seem to be more to do with additive rhythm. This isn't simply using shifting metre as way to unsettle listeners, or to suggest a superficial complexity. I feel that number symbolism is at work here. The rhythyms aren't unsettling in any way, and this is because the pulse remains consistent throughout any one piece. Rhythm sits at the heart of this music: both this and improvisation, as in previous King Crimson works.

I still need to grasp the content of the lyrics, so this is only a brief overview with a few randon thoughts, but King Crimson doesn't stand still, and the music continues to come from somewhere else.

The forces do not see those who have put on the perfect light and cannot seize them. One will put on the light in a mystery, through the act of joining.

6 05/12/2000 Most of yesterday was spent juggling the 'Red' arrangement with teaching. Managed to reach bar 38. Much string interplay. Should take around another ten days to complete it.

Writing this while listening to Jacob's new Josquin des Prez CD. The disc is a collection of arrangements for lute of vocal music by Josquin, the arrangements made by the leading lutenists of the day. It the first CD to be devoted entirely to intabulations, which is the term for an instrumental arrangement of a vocal piece. The first piece, Praeter rerum seriem, is particularly striking not only for the way the composer (who, in this case is Anon.) has got around Phrygian cadence by 'modalising' it. (Of course, this must be to do with the mode the composer has chosen to work in.) The programme has a bitter-sweetness to it, and appeals to me very much. It actually feels like you're in the room with the musician, and in this way is a very personal record of some very important, and rather beautiful music.

Also got into a little more of the PLEASE album last evening which makes interesting listening, but my mind is on the arrangement at the moment, so it's impossible to give it the attention it deserves.

Spoke with Samantha Newbold, of the Newbold Piano Quartet, who tells me that further performances of the new piece are being lined up following the Deal Festival performance in July. Also received permission from the ISM to include the article about me, published earlier this year, on the Present Moment pages. Terribly pleased with the way in which Dan has transcribed the King Crimson analyses on the pages, too. Also received E-mail from Sid to send in information for the News Page.

Today the temperatures have decreased, and I'm off to do some teaching in Kirkham this morning before visiting my parents this afternoon and back to the arrangement this evening. Also currently juggling Frances Yates's book with the Bentley Layton edition of the Gnostic Gospels. Currently reading The Gospel of Philip, but two evenings ago read Treatise on Resurrection which is rather striking. I believe one has to go to the texts themselves rather than reading about them through commentaries, to get at the essence contained in them.

5 05/11/2000 Yesterday did some 'creative' gardening. The front garden, actually a patch of sorry-looking grass, has been on my conscience for a very long time. So, went to a garden centre, bought some manure, bark-chippings, and four stone slabs which form a circle. Cut out four corners and the middle of the lawn. Placed the slabs in the middle, and plants at each of the corners, previously having turned over the soil and prepared it with manure. As I look out of the front window this morning, I can safely say it was worth it, for it's a Mandala! It also looks as if it will be another very warm and sunny day.

Decided to sit in 'Red' yesterday rather than just ploughing on into the fair-score. Pleased I did. Stephan, form Switzerland, E-mailed asking if I'd thought of transposing the whole thing down into 'C' to allow the open-strings of the lower to be used. Funnily enough, Stephan... (!) However, 'E' still seems brighter to me, and that's the reason yesterday was a quiet day of 'meditatio' to allow things to clarify.

Peter Dunton, from T2, phoned last evening. Earlier in the day I'd received a new L.P. of his pre-T2 band, PLEASE, in the post, and had just finished listening to the first side. Interesting conversation. A concept for the piece for Evelyn Glennie and Bill Bruford, also began to emerge as we spoke. Peter has written a short musical fragment which I plan to utilise in the piece. He also suggests that I play some flute on a new T2 album he's planning to record at some point in the future. Great! Peter tells me there is a programme on Channel 4 on Jeff Buckley. Why put something so good, and interesting, on so late? I have to sleep sometime!

After completing the analysis of 'Red' yesterday (sending Dan many E-mails through the last two days...apologies!) also had ideas for how the future book(s) of analyses may be organised. E-mailed Robert to ask his thoughts on this. Also received the new Jacob Heringman CD yesterday, which will be played later today.

4 05/10/2000 Yesterday made an interesting find in 'Red', to do with positioning of musical materials by means of the Golden Section (see Part 5 of the analysis of 'Red'on the P.M. pages). However, made an even more astonishing find apropos my arrangement of the piece: I discovered that even with the addition of new material, the recapitulation of section 2 (following the central section) falls in the exact place of Golden section. This was arrived at in the only, and the best possible way: by intuition. The arrangement is 194 bars long, compared to the 143 bars of the original. The first draft of the piece is now complete, so I can continue to write it up into fair-score. May well begin this today.

Once 'Red' is complete must return to the Percussion Concerto, and continue writing-up those parts. I may approach D.R. to scan it into his computer, as he has a music programme on it, so as to extract the parts from it.

Wrote Part 5 of the 'Red' analysis and sent Part 4 to Dan, who plans to include the analysis of 'In the Court of the Crimson King' on the pages too. Had further thoughts about the shape of the eventual analysis project on K.C. Bounced one or two of these ideas off a colleague, mainly to gauge his reaction, which was positive.

Received Frances Yates's 'The Occult Philosphy in the Elizabethan Age', from Jacob who has also included the piece of paper with the words of 'Dad Steps', from S. Jacob told me me of this strange occurrence and has mentioned it on his Dairy. Something is in the air.

Also sent an E-mail to Peter Sinfield with a couple of further suggestions for the eventual piece for Catherine and Jacob.

3 05/09/2000 Went to see my parents yesterday. My father continues to make a splendid recovery. The Speech Therapist is helping to restore some of what was lost in the wake of the stroke, although my father's speech has improved even without this expert help. However, it rather took me by surprise by how much weight he's lost and how frail he looks.

Taught from 9-30 - 14-30, and managed to get some more of the arrangement of 'Red' done. Reached bar 103. It's turning into a piece written on a large canvas, and the middle section (the section without the drums which, to my ears, sounds quasi-symphonic in the first place) should sound reasonably spacious. Complete the middle today, and then on to the recapitulation which I think may be best varied and , initially, attacked hard?

Was going to continue with 'Red' last evening but sorted out my Accounts for 1999-2000. It took all evening to sort out the many invoices one is required to keep/log for these purposes. Finally completed at 23-30. Having worked in a self-employed capacity for nearly 23 years, this has become something of an annual event. The next stage is to complete the Tax Assessment Forms, as far as is possible, then hand the whole lot over to my Accountant to finalise everything.

Listened to the new tracks by White Willow. I love this music. It has a deeply melancholic character, which is very memorable and meaningful.

Received E-mails from the Present Momenters suggesting that the next installment of the 'Red' analysis (Part 4) is written up on the new Present Moment page, which I am just about to do. Also received a score of 'Lindisfarne' from Matt Seattle, which will be arranged in due course. I like this piece, and it seems strangely synchronous that I stood on Holy Island (Lindisfarne) a fortnight ago looking out to sea. Also received E-mail from Diane confirming receipt of my own CD which I submitted, with provisional art-work, to DGM a fortnight ago.

2 05/08/2000 Last evening had a good, long and interesting talk with Peter Sinfield over the phone. A composition project is unfolding and, through several other seemingly sound synchronicities, of its own accord. One can little to stop such developments even if one wants to. Let's see what happens over the next couple of months.

Last evening pressed on with the arrangement of 'Red'. This is turning out to be more complex than I originally thought. The problem tends to be that once I get into arranging the 'composition' hat is place on and over the 'arranging' hat. This means that arrangements become almost new pieces. I e-mailed Robert to ask if he minded this, and his reply was: 'take it as far as you like'. (He said that about 'Peace' and a similar thing about this one, though I can't remember exactly). However, the original is still easily discernible...with a few additions. Press on today.

Just taken a walk in the garden (6-50) and the temperatures are already increasing. Looks as though it will be another warm one.

Red. Part 3. Section 2: this is refrain-like in nature, and finds guitars 1 & 2 playing a melodic statement in thirds. Guitar 2 is emphasised: Bb-Ab-Bb-Ab-Bb-Ab-Bb-Ab-Bb-Cb-Bb-Ab-E natural. These pitches are derived from the second of the Octatonic scales of the opening section. Guitar 1 harmonises this a major third higher: D-C-D-C-D-C-D-C-D-Eb-D-C-G#. Aurally, what develops, is a sound-world which is Augmented in character. (I have spelt the guitar line as flats to retain the major thirds, resuming the # notation with the final interval making an E major chord).

This is repeated. The point of this is to note that the Bb is a tritone (Lydian 4th) away from the E, and part of the Octatonic collection. The two bar phrase is repeated further, but this time transposed up a tone into F# over two bars. It returns to E X1, then is transposed to G X2, before returning to E X1.

There is a change of metre from 4/4 to 7/8 for the next subsection, with the guitar 2 extending the original melodic motive: Fb-Db-Eb-Db-Fb-Eb. Guitar 1 plays in rhythmic unison, again in thirds, accompanied in the bass (and drums) with rapid Bb semi-quavers. The purpose of this section seems to be to provide the music with further momentum. The music finally comes to ground on E, with the guitar 2 playing oscillating semi-tones G#-A-G#; G#..D#-E-D#, which is a Fripp musical finger-print. High resonant triads in a distant guitar 1, E/B/D#, are spaced widely at the top of the texture, providing a wide space between treble and bass in which to place the third guitar open chords and the oscillating semi-tones. This is repeated.

A subsection of B suspensions follows, giving the music a feeling of arrival at the dominant, although Fripp purposely avoids actually stating B major, or B7, chords. The suspensions give a feeling of non-resolution, which is picked-up at the very end of the piece (i.e. the final E major is off-set by the high A#/Bb tritone). These suspended chords are underpinned by the bass guitar pitches: B-D-C. These pitches are related to the bass part of the central section (Section 3), and are re-ordered motivically.

Section 2 is then repeated with modifications: the first eight bars of Section 2 are repeated, except this time the abrupt 'modulation'(really a shift), is omitted leading immediately to a repeat of the 7/8 section. The suspension section then descends in the bass rather ascending using B-A-F#-E. This material includes the descending tone of the 'refrain', as well as outlining a descent from B (V) to E (I). A variant of the 7/8 section follows, thinned and played more softly, the bass playing opposing tritones A (over two bars), and Eb (over two bars), with the guitars playing parallel dyads. This material derives from the following Octatonic collection: A-Bb-C-Db-Eb-E-F#-G. The purpose of this ascent is to prepare the ear for the dramatic central section.

1 05/07/2000 One of the warmest days I can remember today, and what a memorable one it turned out to be! We, together with Jamie (the dog), went to Troutbeck and walked up Nanny Lane to Wansfell (see A. Wainwright. Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells. Book 2. The Far Eastern Fells. Wansfell 5). The trees always look the best in Spring - alive, dazzling greens - and the fells, looking up the Ill Bell range just ahead of us to the east, looked exquisite in the sunshine. Reaching the top of Wansfell isn't difficult, but the views from the top are quite breath-taking: to the north, the Fairfield 'horseshoe'; to the north-west, the Coniston Fells and Crinkle Crags (the Scafells are even visible today); to the east Red Screes (the snow has now vanished) and the highest of Angle Tarn Pikes visible through the gap which is the top of Kirkstone Pass, and then Caudale Moor and the Ill Bell range just to the right. We silently stood at the summit for twenty minutes, with the cool wind in our faces, memorising what was to be seen. These days are the best for walking, neither too hot nor too cold. It is difficult to put 'experiences' like these into words. However, there is one poet who could just that...and more:

Wansfell! this household has a favoured lot
Living with liberty on thee to gaze,
To watch while Morn first crowns thee with her rays...
How oft, to elevate our spirits, shone
Thy visionary majesties of light
How in thy pensive glooms our hearts found rest. (Wordsworth)

7 05/06/2000 A very warm day indeed. Travelled to Manchester, and together with my colleague, sat in residence (!) in Studio 3, in the RNCM, from 9-30 to 14-00, and helped to organise student rehearsals for the Young Composers' concert. When complete, migrated to the refectory from 14-00 - 15-30 and organised times for further auditions next week. Some of the pieces are excellent. Another day well spent.

Both journeys filled-up with reading Francis Yates's book, 'Giordano Bruno and the Hermetic Tradition'. It makes much more sense this time around than it did when I tried to tackle it late last year and five years, or more, ago. However, the whole is found, as Yates observes, from an illusion. The Renaissance intellectuals thought that the original MS's had originated from ancient Egypt, but not so, says Yates: more like early centuries A.D. Oops! Flawed! But, as far as I'm concerned, still relevant.

Jacob Heringman e-mailed and offers to lend me another of Yates's books: Occult Philosophy in the Elizabethan Age. Thank you. Several e-mails from Sid. Reply to one of them. Also another student orchestration waiting for me. See to it later, or tomorrow.

Yesterday spent more time on the arrangement of 'Red'. It seems to be going the right way. When I stopped for the evening more ideas evolved away from the piano and MS, all scrawled into the notebook. More on analysis of 'Red' tomorrow or Monday.

6 05/05/2000 Looks like it may be very warm today. The dawn-chorus is in its summer, and loud (!), mode.

Yesterday made a promising start on the arrangement of 'Red' for Opus 20. A short introduction has been added as an anacrusis, which utilises the pitch centres of each of the Octatonic scale ascents. The cellos and basses should be quite adequate to convey the rhythmic impetus of the piece. This term's teaching doesn't seem quite as intense as before. More time for composing/arranging. Began reading Frances Yates's 'Giordano Bruno and the Hermetic Tradition' (Chicago) which I abandoned last time I turnesd to it: the time wasn't right.

Several E-mails: one from Jacob about the project, several from Dan about Present Moment, one from John Mercer. Christopher also phoned saying he's passed his first year exams.

Red. Part 2.

'Red' is, essentially, 'on' E rather than 'in' E. The tonality, more of a modality, is offset by the inclusion of tritones, especially A#/Bb. The piece is framed by the ascending Octatonic scales, which are also defined by George Russell in 'The Lydian Chromatic Concept' as 'auxilliary diminished scales', and are responsible for much of what we hear in 'Red'.

Section 1. Introduction:

There are three ascending phrases which launch the ear into the piece. The first of these begins on D# and rises to a high B natural. Guitars 1 & 2 play the octatonic scale in octaves, leaving guitar 3 to provide syncopted, harmonic underlay with the bass. Guitar 3's function is to not only to be paired with the bass, but to provide the piece with chords and rhythm, supplying an 'edge' to the music. Two bars of 5/8 are followed by a bar of 6/8 before slipping into a bar of 4/4 'on' E.

Phrase one: guitars 1&2 D#-E# (guitar 3 B [major]); guitars 1&2 F#-G# (guitar 3 D [major]); A-B (F [major]); C-D (Ab [major]); E-F#-G-A-B (C [major]); B ( E 5ths chord). Phrase two: B-C# (G [major); D-E (Bb [major]); F-G (Db [major]); Ab-Bb (Fb [major]); B-C# (G [major]) D-E-F# (Bb [major]); D ( D 5ths). Phrase 3, as phrase one except the phrase ends on Bb (tritone from E) over an open E chord in guitar 3.

The chords which underpin present a huge cycle of 3rds. Phrase one: B-D-F-Ab (outlining a diminished aggregate)C-E (if we include the previous Ab in the last two an augmented aggregate clarifies [Ab-C-E]). Phrase two: G-Bb-Db-Fb-G-Bb-D. Phrase 3: D (picked up from the previous phrase)-F-Ab-C-E. Another way might be to regard the introduction as a long dominant prolongation, beginning/prolonging the B (V) and ending on E (I). Also, if the rock element is removed by providing the music with an imaginary 'jazz' approach - by allowing the Octatonic melodic line to 'swing' and transforming the power chords into major seventh types - we would have an archetypal jazz ending. I have often felt that King Crimson Mk II was a step away from the jazz-influenced Mk I. It would seem on the surface that Mk III dispenses with the jazz element almost entirely, although I suspect this remains in the substructures of some of the pieces although now submerged in harder-edged rock, combined with the Stravinsky and Bartok influences. Sometimes this jazz element can be felt, although distantly.

5 05/04/2000 This analysis will concentrate on the title track of 'Red'. It will begin with a short introduction the ideas, from which, will be developed over the course of the next few days.

'Red' Part 1:

'Red' is an instrumental piece scored for electric guitar (multi-tracked X3), bass guitar and drums. It is one of the more muscular pieces of Robert Fripp's, in particular the deployment of open strings and heavily attacked and syncopated bass and drums underlines this aspect. It also illustrates the composer's interest in musical techniques which are not necessarily found in the field of rock music.

The piece is cast in five main sections:

a) introduction - a series of ascending Octatonic scales played in octaves by two guitars, and supported by large open chords in guitar 3, with the bass and drums; b) a 'refrain' section 'on' E; c) middle section of repeated dyads in the electric guitar with syncopated octaves in the guitar and bass; d) recapitulation of section b ('refrain-like material'; e) recapitulation of section a (the ascending Octatonic scales).

The piece may be thought of as a series of relationships closely connected with the opening/ascending scales. These are Octatonic type 'a' scales, which alternate tones with semitones:

D#-E#-F#-G#-A-B-C-D (bars 1-2);

B-C#-D-E-F-G-Ab-Bb (bars 5-6);

Included within this above collection of pitches is a series of tritone intervals, D# (Eb)-A in particular, which is taken into the large-scale harmonic framework of 'Red'. For example, the D#(Eb)-A motive is included within the second 7/8 sub-section when the bass guitar alternates A natural (over two bars) with it's tritonic opposite D#/Eb. The rising minor third chords, heard in the first section, are also found in the first Octatonic collection found above. (I will deal with the localised features of the piece in the ongoing analysis of the piece).

There is also a dichotomy between the pitch G# (raised third in the E major areas of the piece) and G natural, found in the ninth bar of the refrain-like second section. G natural is used as an approximate axis of symmetry during the central section of repeated guitar dyads and guitar/bass octaves. The pitches E natural, G natural and G# (Ab) are found in the second collection written above. Tonality and modality are foiled by the Octatonic passages in the piece, in a similar way to Stravinsky's 'The Firebird Suite' where the demonic (daemonic) elements are heightened by Octatonicism.

(All analyses of the music of King Crimson/Robert Fripp is copyright material: Andrew Keeling/Disipline Global Mobile, 1999/2000.)

4 05/03/2000 Yesterday spent the entire day, apart from around four hours of teaching, transcribing Robert Fripp's piece, 'Red', from CD to MS. It came together more quickly than expected. I'd always thought that it was a scorcher of a piece, but on 'seeing' what's actually happening in the piece (and this is where analysis is very useful) it convinces me that this is highly original music. I don't think that anything else approaches this in rock music, in terms of what is actually going on both within the language and the compositional techniques employed. Trying to view it objectively, I would say that it strikes me, at this point in time, as a marriage of thinking and feeling, which add up to a musical wholeness. I hoped to write up an analysis on the Diary today, but when I began to look further into it last evening I discovered other things about it, and still haven't completed it. It's so tightly constructed that I've decided to hold fire on writing about it until I've completed an arrangement of it, which should be started tomorrow.

Steven phoned last evening saying the performance of 'Pneuma' and 'Tjarn' had gone well at the BMIC in London last Thursday. Someone had come up to him and remarked, 'Keep playing the Keeling...we like it!'

Today the day was so sunny that we took off for a day in the Lake District. Drove to Ambleside, and ascended Loughrigg from Clappersgate (we did this walk on 28-xii-99), with excellent visibility for views. (See A. Wainright: Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells Book 3 - Loughrigg 9.)Skirted around the side of Lily Tarn, and...sin! We just didn't feel like climbing to the summit, but visited one of the smaller sub-peaks instead, just above the meeting of the main pathways. From there it's possible to see Seat Sandal and the Fairfield Horseshoe to the north-east, the Coniston range (Great Carrs, Swirl How, Brim Fell etc.) to the west, Steel Fell, Helm Crag etc. to the north. To the south-east there is Wansfell. There is something about sitting at a place like this and feeling the cool wind on your face, and the warming sunshine. The grass has returned to its summer hue, along with millions of Bluebells in the woods, the scent from them quite amazing. A Siskin came very close to me and sat on a rock. We walked down into Ambleside, had a coffee, and then back up the other side of Loughrigg and back to Clappersgate. Around five miles covered.

Other ideas for the arrangement of 'Red' came along, quickly written into the notebook. How does one arrange a piece as strong as this with the omission of the drum part, which is such an integral part of the original? I don't want it to sound like some of those classical versions of rock pieces that came out in the 1970's and '80's, and have had ideas that retain the flavour of the original, while introducing something else as a way to get around the absence of the percussion. This one will be a challenge.

Reading an excellent essay by Anthony Rooley on John Dowland's 'I Saw my Lady Weepe'. Look at a prospective student's composition portfolio later this evening.

3 05/02/2000 Calendar caption for May 1st reads:

The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up!(Kabir)

Return to school today armed with copy of 'Red' and MS pad. Time to wake up after the holiday and get on with the next series of projects: currently wearing my arranger's hat, juggling this with the copyist's hat. Looks as though it will be another very warm and sunny day like yesterday, during which a migraine developed.

2 05/01/2000 Spring Bank Holiday. A day when many take the opportunity of a having a day out somewhere. In the past we have been to the Lake District, along with zillions of other day-trippers to find ourselves in traffic-queues, which we've been able to dodge by taking unknown - to others, but not to ouselves - coutry lanes, rather than the main roads. Not sure I can stand all that today.

Yesterday we took Nicholas back to University, which took around six and a half hours. Lunch in Barnard Castle. Bowes Moor, usually a desolate place, looked rather inviting in the early summer sun. The temperatures are up and the Swallows are back. On return mowed front and back lawns, and built new shelves for CDs last evening. Whilst doing this heard some movement in the dustbins: the hedgehog, who lives under the shed, was finishing off the remains of Elizabeth's evening meal!

Matt Seattle also phoned inviting me to participate in a little arranging project. Will think about this. Jacob Heringman E-mailed with news about another composition project which sounds promising. This term is going to be busy, even though the Liverpool University and the Upper Sixth Form teaching have ceased for this year. The projects are: a) Robert Fripp arrangements; b) one further Soundscape arrangement; c) writing harp/string parts for the Percussion Concerto (summer deadline); d) possible ( but not definite) completion of the Glennie/Bruford project; e) possible arangement for Matt; f) possible composition project for Jacob and Catherine; g) finalising details for CD; h) possible recording of the Soundscape orchestrations although nothing definite, up until now, has been finalised. This should take me up to the end of the year, then the KC analysis project begins. Sometimes listing things down in this way makes things less 'frightening' for me. I tend to panic when I contemplate the amount that has to be done, but it's surprising that things usually manage to sort themselves out in one way or another.

Incredible sequence of readings from The Book of Changes: 'Be cautious, but prepare'. Too many synchronicities to list which have recently re-affirmed this, and too convincing to put down to mere coincidence. But this is precisely what the oracle is: a divinatory method of reading the moment...or chance. This is why the ancient Chinese, for me, were on the ball. They made a science out of 'chance'. This is synchronicity-par-excellence. Jacob, your E-mail of last evening was very much a part of this recent process in every detail. Thank you.