A bright day and, after seeing the Lakeland Fells from Williamson Park yesterday, Sue and I hit the North road today. After coffee and a meal in Granada Services on the M6, we reach Clappersgate, just past Ambleside, by around 11-30. Dazzling sunshine, as we ascend Loughrigg by this 'unknown' (to us) route. Spot a Roe Deer in the gardens of White Craggs, and continue on to the summit via Lily Tarn. This is the twelth time we have ascended Loughrigg, but this ascent is new to us. Although only 1050 feet, Loughrigg is a magical place, with lots of different areas to explore from the summit. There are a number of people on the top, and the high fells are covered in snow although, at our altitude, it's snowless but the ground is frozen solid and covered with ice in parts. This makes the going reasonably treacherous, but neither of us do ourselves any damage. Since beginning our serious walking days in 1992, we have covered many of the fells listed in A. Wainwright's 'Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells'. Loughrigg is found in Book 3, 'The Central Fells'. The Lake District continues to be a place where it is possible both to detach myself, but be fully conscious of work-in-progress, and it is perfectly possible to see why the poets Wordsworth and Coleridge were drawn to this region. Also, I think it was the Japanese poet, Issa, who spoke of two forms of Meditation: the first, in terms of posture, being seated; the second, a 'walking' Meditation. It was the latter that Issa was familiar with, and from this sprang many of his Haiku. I firmly relate to this idea.
Return home by 19-00, and continue with 'Midnight Blue'. Draw the final double-bar by 22-00, and complete the title pages by 23-00 approx. Check tomorrow that it works and then, following an E-mail from Scott Stromann, send score and parts to Opus 20 for them to demo record on January 6th.
2 12/27/1999 Returned to Lancaster and to Williamson Park. We wanted to look around the Butterfly House which we found open. What a delightful place! It's warm (tropical heat) and one can sit while watching many species of butterfly fly around freely. There are many species such as Swallowtails, Owl butterflies and, my particular favourites, Clearwings. The ancient Greeks called the soul 'Psyche', which was symbolised by the butterfly. For us here, in the North of the UK, species of insects are thin on the ground. It is damp and very cold in the Winter, but the Summer months are warmer although, of late, I'm beginning to wonder if there is in any difference in the seasons. So, to find a place such as the Butterfly House in Lancaster is a bonus.
Returned home to find that Dill had left a message saying that he's now received the final recordings for the future CD, and is sending me a CDR of the latest edits prior to final editing. This is very good news.
Worked all morning on the latest of the orchestrations: this time 'Midnight Blue'. This is more complex than 'Pie Jesu' in terms of having a denser texture, and I've taken more risks with some of the details. The coda has also changed, after I decided to continue some of the looped fragments into it which gradually merge into the unison D naturals. Some of the rhythmic motives have also been developed. Both of these original Soundscapes, 'Pie Jesu' and 'Midnight Blue', are remarkable in the way the material is organised towards points of arrival, as well as the way in which the music oscillates between both 'major' and 'minor' areas included in the respective modes. I feel these pieces might show Robert's interest in English Renaissance contrapuntal music: the viol Fantasias of Orlando Gibbons spring to mind.
1 12/26/1999 A typical late December day: dark grey skies, very wet but, at the same time, rather nice. What a good time we've had: went to my parents' on Christmas Eve, at Sue's parents yesterday, and then today watching the world go by here at home. Briefly visited Lancaster this afternoon with a walk in Williamson Park, hoping the Butterfly House may be open. It wasn't, so after a brisk walk around the park, with good views over Morecambe Bay, we returned home.
When I was a Chorister I used to spend Christmas singing in the Cathedral and, therefore, Christmas at school. It was a joyous time, with a magnificent Carol Service on Boxing Day, after which parents took us to our respective homes. After I left, it took many years to come to terms with the fact that this would never again be repeated. This is a rose-tinted memory which always returns at this time of the year.
I have one particular Christmas school memory which always manages to make me chuckle. Our parents used to deposit presents at school, which were always mysteriously waiting, in pillow-cases, at the bottom of our beds, in our Dormitories when we woke on Christmas morning as a prelude to the day's Christmas Cathedral services. No doubt our Headmaster, the Revd. Duncan-Jones (a kindly man who died last year), had put them there while we slept in the early hours of Christmas morning. One year, one of my fellow-choristers, who we used to call Toothy, received a present of Crazy-Foam. This was a TV advertised toy: a canister filled with shaving cream-like foam which, so the advert said, one was able to make weird shapes from. Toothy was eager to try out the Crazy-Foam immediately, and pressed the start button with ferocity. Problem: this particular canister malfunctioned and, once started, would not stop. Bear in mind we opened our presents while still in bed, with the Headmaster (and his charming wife) patroling the Dorm and sharing in the fun of youngsters opening Christmas presents. Toothy vanished under sheets with the Crazy Foam, along cries of 'Oh dear, help!' Headmaster approaches bed, draws back sheets to find Toothy completely enveloped in a mountain of said substance under sheets, canister still pouring out the Crazy Foam. Choristers laugh heartily but Toothy, Headmaster and Headmaster's wife do not.
6 12/24/1999 An E-mail from Dan tells me that Diary submissions for the past four days have been lost. Made an entry about Musical Analysis yesterday but, from my point of view, it's probably best not to re-enter it at the moment. I have a feeling the 'unconscious' may not have wanted it to appear, anyway. However, it may make a good opening paragraph for my future analyses on the music of King Crimson, so will keep it until then.
Spent two twelve hour shifts (Wednesday and Thursday) on the second DGM orchestration. At 20-00 last night, just as I thought it was cracked, discovered that I'd brought the Violin I-2 in too early which put out the rest of the ensemble by three beats. I like to try and get the synchronisation absolutely right, so it's essential that all the parts follow Robert's Soundscapes as closely as possible. This one has required a coda to replace the 'fade' of the original, so the introduction has been recapitulated together with fragments from the main body of material. A unison D natural brings the piece to a close, but with a difference.... . The completed score should be ready by next week, which can then be sent off to Scott Stromann and Opus 20.
Phoned Bert who is about to begin transcribing the third piece. Also seems pleased with 'Cauda Pavonis'.
Sid Smith E-mailed saying that both he and his family have been enjoying 'Hidden Streams'. Liked his Diary entry about the seventh piece on 'Islands' which I only discussed in passing.
Also received a phone call from Samantha Newbold of the Newbold Piano Quartet who want to bring forward the completion deadline, for the new commission I'm writing for them, to May 5th. The next period of intense activity begins in early January, so this holiday will be very welcome.
It is a family Christmas for us here. It will be good to get together with my parents and sister, and her family, and generally take things easy for two days. The weather here today is better than it was yesterday, which means lots of lawn eating for Fluf and Ging.
7 12/18/1999 3-30: can't sleep. Sid E-mailed yesterday about Islands and this has set me in analysis mode. Listened to the record last evening and wrote several pages of related notes about its structure and, then, thought about the title track. My ideas for the structure follow:
Presumably it was Robert Fripp and Peter Sinfield who formulated the conceptual ideas for Islands, but it seems to show a greater economy of means than its three predecessors. This may have been something to do with getting the work produced quickly between touring, whereas ITWOP and Lizard were written and produced while the group was off the road.
The title could refer to various ideas: a) harmonic 'islands'; b) generic 'islands' (particularly Prelude-like pieces, or pieces which include ritornelli/episode-like structures); c) verses of songs (which could be felt as ritornelli) are connected by instrumental space/ocean (episodes) - the cover design may also refer to this [i.e. stars are islands in the ocean of space]; d) the conceptual idea was generated by the structure of the work: there are six pieces four, of which, are connected by their reference to the sea ( 1 - Formentera Lady; 2 - Sailor's Tale; 3 - Prelude-Song of the Gulls; 4 - Islands) with the two central songs standing as 'islands' in the structure ( 3 - The Letters; 4 - Ladies of the road). This is better clarified by a diagram:
1) F.L. 2) S.T. 3) The L. 4) LOTR. 5) SOTG. 6) Isl.
-----------------------^________^
^-------^----------------------------------^----------^
Structurally, Formentera Lady serves as an anacrusis to Sailor's Tale (i.e.it is 'prelude' like) and also stands in relation to Song of the Gulls which, in turn, could also be regarded as an anacrusis to the title track. It could be that another structural palindrome, of sorts, is at work, with the first half of the work reflecting the second (the vinyl version, rather than the CD version, clarifies this with a break after The Letters):
1) F.L.>S.T>T.L.// LOTR It is also possible to make other connections: side one begins with a double bass solo (Formentera Lady) and ends with solo voice (The Letters); side two begins with solo guitar and ends with the voice of Robert Fripp conducting the recording of Song of the Gulls. Also, with the inclusion of this recording session the structure expands to seven, but without this addition 'threeness', as in In the Wake of Poseidon, may be an important factor: there are three pieces per side. Harmony is an integral part of the work. Chords are used structurally, as in the title track were there is preponderance of root position chords making for structural strength. In other words, chords are used not just as sonorities, but seem to lend an objective clarity to the structure: It would be possible to ramble on ad infinitum about harmonic relationships within each piece, but the long-term harmonic connections are more important when place in context. The work is felt in E Aeolian/Emajor, with a tonicization on A Aeolian (Sailor's Tale), Neapolitan (flattened 2nd [The Letters]), returning to E Aeolian/C# minor for Ladies..., E major for Song..., concluding with C# Aeolian/E pentatonic for the title track. E seems to be felt as the harmonic 'ocean' of the piece, and is also felt as a 'third divider' in the title track where it stands in relation to C# Aeolian and a passing G# minor. Perhaps, in this way, 'E' may be considered as the tonic 'unconscious' of the piece from which other things derive and have their being. ***********************************
Laura phoned from DGM yesterday saying she has sent the
next in the series of Bert Lams transcriptions for the DGM
orchestration project. So, this may well keep me hard at work and
away from analysis for a while. Also photocopied/bound thirty copies
of my choral piece 'Just Lost...' to be sent to John Powell of
Bolton Chamber Choir, but the van didn't turn up to take them. Will
have to rely on the post, which maybe isn't wise at Christmas. Went
to Lancaster in the afternoon. Nicholas bought Radiohead's 'The
Bends' which I was interested in because I've heard it said that one
track is like 'Red'. However, I think it sounds to be more indebted
to Jeff Buckley than to KC. Also bought some Christmas presents and
Beefheart's 'Trout Mask Replica' for purposes of research.
5 12/16/1999 Yesterday was the last in the series of Schenker lectures. The students holiday assignment is a 3, 000 word essay, and one of them said they had so much to do that 'Christmas may as well be cancelled!' Fortunately, it is not my job to mark the essays. I returned home and cleared away the box which has has accumulated Schenker-related materials. Sue has also bought a real Christmas tree, which is going to limit space in the lounge, but we like Christmas in our home so there is now a sense of anticipation. I often think that as Christmas approaches the collective unconscious gears itself up to provide everyone with a real sense of the 'birth of the Self'. Dill also phoned saying he has received Jacob's edit-plan of 'One Flesh'. I will phone today with instructions to proceed. Today I also have a long drive to Durham to collect Nicholas from University. Sid Smith also sent me an E-mail saying that he is putting something on Sailor's Tale in his Diary and would I do the same but from my own perspective. I'll try my best to complement Sid's very readable style of writing. However, I fear that my own efforts will be feeble and fail to make a point. As Alexander Goehr has said in his essay, 'The Composer and his iea of Theory: A Dialogue: 'The great masterpieces...are...unique balances of conflicting forces. Any individual strand may be isolated and explicated, but the intention to portray the uniqueness of the whole naturally elused theoreticians.' Sailor's Tale (from Islands, 1971). Five sections, Aeolian mode: 1) A gradually accumulating storm at sea: 6/4 (syncopated ride cymbal entry quaver/crotchet/quaver/four crotchets) then divided into 3+3+2+2+2 quavers with the bass and kit entry. Bass plays A-C-A-G-E (pitch-classes: 0 3 0 10 7) which anticipates Section Two because of its interval content (i.e. it involves a minor third, octave, major second, minor third and a filled-in, obscured perfect fourth (A-[G]-E); 2) a) full band: sustained sax and guitar. The dyads (two-note chords) are mainly perfect 5th, major third, minor 3rd, perfect fourth, unison, the intervallic content being derived from the opening bass part which continues to underpin the guitar and saxophone. Guitar and sax climax on A major first inversion chord which is sutained for four bars before a collapse into: b) saxophone solo counterpointed by guitar; 3) The eye of the storm. 4/4: Mellotron underpins muted/angular/ripped-apart funk-style/tremolando guitar solo. Many dyads and triads included in two sections: i) including gaps; ii) compressing the pitches of the first half of the solo by gradually becoming wholly tremolando and triadic as the solo reaches its climax. Also, the solo moves up to other staring points within the mode (i.e. in one place beginning on B natural, and another where a D# (tritone from A natural and not in the Aeolian) is touched on. The intervallic content of the solo seems to be derived from the guitar/sax sostenuto of the second section. Echo is used to join gaps in places, which gives the effect of one guitar shadowing another. (The shadowing aspect of the Albatross in Coleridge's 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' comes to mind here). The solo collapses into: 4) Full impact of the storm. 6/4: string/brass mellotrons replace the guitar/sax sost. of Section 2, providing a massive textural thickening and evoking the musical counterpart to Poe's 'The Maelstrom'. In terms of harmonic support there is a transformation: the riff is, at one point, transposed to D, and D becomes important at the end. At the climax the guitar tremolando is picked up from the solo of Section 3 and this time descends in first inversion minor triads, glissandi, first to D minor and then to a first inversion D major chord (Tierce de Picardie) which gradually ralls. to a slower, spread D major first inversion chord. It is Fourth-related, making a long-term connection with the intervals of the opening. In this way, the Aeolian harmony (A) can be seen as a long dominant prolongation cadencing only at the very end on D (A=V : D=I); 5) Storm now passed, but felt in the distance. Senza misura (out-of-time): the coda balances the opening but this time with mellotron, a distanza, oscillating with Bb/D fourths and thirds once again connecting with the intervals from the opening.
As in any masterpiece, Sailor's Tale uses a minimum of materials to
generate high impact in its arch-like structure. Sailor's Tale is an
effective evocation of a maelstrom, and may, perhaps, be regarded as
a Tone Poem-like narrative.
4 12/15/1999 In yesterday's Diary I included an analysis of 'Pictures of a City' from In the Wake of Poseidon. (Note that there are errors in this: Holdt should read Holst etc.). I ended by saying that POAC is a labyrinth of connections reflecting not only the chaos/sprawl of an urban landscape, but also, for ITWOP as a whole, POAC represented the minutiae of the motives as though in microcosm. When I arrived back at school for my final session of this term's teaching after writing this brief analysis, I began to think about the harmonic structure of ITWOP. So, for future reference and so as to have some peace of mind (for myself), I include one or two of the features I discovered. I will limit this VERY brief discussion to harmony. In the Wake of Poseidon - harmonic framework: Peace I: Eb pentatonic (pitches used C-Bb-G-C-F-Eb). The dulcimer-like ending: A-F#-C-Bb (note tritone relationships [F#-C] anticipating what's to come); POAC: G Aeolian (plus Db) mainly; Cadence and Cascade: E (major) pentatonic - E-F#-G#-B-C#; ITWOP: E (minor) pentatonic, using mainly i-iv-v accompaniment derived from the mode; Peace II: A pentatonic; Catfood: E (minor) pentatonic. Employs i-iv-v harmony. Keith Tippett closes on decorative F-Bb (Bb=tritone from E). (The bass part is reminiscent of The Beatles' 'Come Together'? Are KC making a point in doing this?); Devil's Triangle: Part 1) D pedal; Part 2) claves; Part 3) E pedal, with circle of fifths in middle, and chronological survey of collaged musics (early sampling) towards the end (J.S.Bach[?], rock n' roll guitar, British 'light' music, swing, In the Court of the Crimson King, closing with Bach; Peace III: E pentatonic. Closes with A major 9-8 suspension. There are some interesting connections in the harmonic framework, such as a tritone connection between the Eb and A of the opening and closing Peace(s) respectively. POAC includes many of these tritone connections. A tritone also connects the opening and central Peaces(s). E, major and minor pentatonics, seem to be used to ground the structure, with an Eb (D#) leading note presented as an anacrusis-like opening in PeaceI. Peace II stands at the apex (A pentatonic). This presents a pyramid-like structure for each individual piece with ascent towards the middle and a balancing descent in the second half, although the work closes a semitone higher than the beginning. The vinyl version of ITWOP allows this to be more clearly felt, with a break after ITWOP: Peace is central to the work, and because of its recurrence it may be regarded as being a pentatonic 'prolongation': through the cracks between the chaos of the material world, represented by the tritones/modes (POAC, Catfood), we catch a glimpse of 'otherness' through the fragility of pentatonicism (Peace). The pentatonicism here may point to Chinese culture/Taoism. (KC's music has always seemed to me to include a Chinese element). Sensuality (Cadence...) and spirituality/humanism (..Poseidon/DT) are also represented but, it would seem, standing in a different relationship to the Peace(s). And yet, the tritone is still included as a connection just lying at the perimeter of the Peaces(s): perhaps another way of suggesting the paradoxical nature of the Tao?
There is A LOT more I could say about this record which, for me, is
one of KC's most complex and most misunderstood works. It is also one
of most powerful musical works I have EVER heard, and I fail to see
why it is misunderstood. Value-judgements aside I have always felt
that the ensuing chaos, perhaps an unconscious reaction caused by the
departure of certain members of KC I, spawned a creative explosion in
and for Fripp and Sinfield. ITWOP gives a glimpse of how
the opposites balance in times of crisis, and it seems to stand as
the polar opposite to the McDonald and Giles record, contemporary
with the former. It could be said that both works are obverse and
reverse of the same coin.
3 12/14/1999 Woke to a very heavy frost. The M61 has been closed between Preston and Bury due to black ice. The weather conditions change frequently in the North of England during the winter months. Received an E-mail from Robert Fripp this morning suggesting I should include analyses of King Crimson pieces in the Diary, after sending Robert and Sid Smith something on Pictures of a City last evening. I have never actually analysed KC material before, but have always felt that it would yield a lot. 'Pictures of a City' from In the Wake of Poseidon (1970) The piece is unified by the pitch classes G(0) Bb(3) C(5) Db(6). (Pitch classes: G=0, Ab=1, A=2 etc. so each pitch, in a chromatic scale, is assigned a number. By following this there may be less need to write the piece in musical notation. Pitches may be reproduced by numbers.) Pictures of a City seems to have been re-composed by Fripp and Peter Sinfield (it was originally 'A Man, A City') after visiting New York. NY is laid out in a grid system: the piece is structured like a grid in terms of: a) its structure which is delineated by lines which may be represented musically (by descending/ascending chromatic lines); b) by the structure where sections are marked off from one another with the introduction of a new section (i.e. introduction/instrumental/verse/instrumental etc.). I remember Fripp introducing POAC at Birmingham Town Hall, UK, in May 1971 as 'a piece about the biggest garbage dump in the world.' I will refer to certain sections from POAC, apropos the minutes and seconds on the CD. The discussion largely centres around the guitar parts: 3.30-4.07: fast quadruple/quintuplet/sextuplet(?) picked diminution-like phrases derived, in part, from the opening G-F-G-Bb-G-C-G-Db-G-C-Bb riff. Diminution is a term I use with caution, as it is applied mainly with reference to Fugue subjects which appear during development sections where the fugue subject is introduced in transformed, contracted (diminution) form (i.e. it is squashed, or played in shorter note values). Note that G natural is used as an axis of symmetry. This G axis crops up throughout the piece. It appears in reduced form in the distant, quiet cental section (42nd at Treadmill) as G-G(octave), ditto, Db. It could be said that here the Db becomes a new axis. In any case, the tritone (Diminished 5th) is a recurring leitmotive in Fripp's work (see Red/Talking Drum etc.). It is symbolic of darker things (diabolus in musica) and is probably used here to refer to the chaos of the city. The city is used a symbol of decadence in the Bible. The middle saxophone ascents, which link verses with intrumental and 'noise' sections at the end, are almost completely chromatic and, I think, the full version of the other chromatic material used. At the very beginning it is flattened-out by appearing in a modal version: G-A-Bb-C-D-D. It is different from the introduction to 'A Man, A City' which is more jazz-like. It may be useful to refer the different versions of the prime material as: 'full', 'partial' and 'reduced'. 4.08-4-19: syncopated, chromatic passages falling from a G natural axis, which are mirrored by ascending patterns. It could be that Fripp is alluding to prime and retrograde forms of a serial note-row, since there seems to be 6 pitches (half of a twelve-note row). However, it is probably more to do with American TV/Be-Bop jazz to heighten the subject matter. 4.27-4.44: similar pitch classes, but this time semi-quaver sextuplets with gaps, sometimes played in unison and sometimes in thirds. The whole piece is directional: towards the soft central section (reduced pitch material), whose polar opposite is reflected back by the final 'noise' section. The introduction, middle and end frame and partition the whole keeping the structure intact as it moves through time. Opposites are an important part of ..Poseidon. They are represented on the sleeve in Tammo de Jongh's painting '12 Archetypes'. I think this also says something about the structure of the whole record: Peace 1; POAC; Cadence...; Poseidon; Peace 2; Catfood; Devil's Triangle (in three sections-Holdt's original 'Mars' also includes a tritone interval); Peace 3. Note the 'threeness' of the pieces, which Peace reinforces with its gradual accumulation of materials (i.e. solo/guitar solo/vocal & guitar) also used to frame and partition the structure of the whole. Cadence... reflects Catfood, with ...Poseidon at the centre of the structure representing 'balance' (of change?) The work swings from the humanist position to the spiritual, with the listener being given points of reflection within the three versions of Peace. The final Peace is the resolution of the whole. 'Pictures of a City' is a labyrinth of connections reflecting not only the chaos/hugeness of a city, but also representing the minutiae of the motives as though in microcosm. (My discussion excludes keys/harmony concentrating, rather, on pitch class/interval content; structure.) The guinea-pigs are currently eating my John and Beverley Martin record, after making a start on my Fairport Convention records the other day, possibly as a substitute for the lawn.
2 12/13/1999 Morning: Sue, Christopher and I feel exhausted from the great
adventure with the town mice. Now back at home writing school reports
which should have been done at the weekend. Not complaining, but back
to wearing my other hat. Jacob 'TM' Heringman sent me a note to look
at the DGM Guestbook and an entry by a Mr. Bass (?) from Canada,
to we would like to reply 'thanks' for your words of encouragement.
Afternoon: complete teaching at 15-30, saying goodbye to my pupils and 'see you next century'. Later, telephone conversation with Sid Smith about pitch-classes, symmetry and diminution in 'Pictures of a City'. Having listened to the piece again, this time at very close quarters, I am struck by the unity in it which is simply too complex to go into here. The power of the music, aside from its compositional construction, continues to impress me. Back to a little Schenker this evening. Christopher is at upstairs and the strains of 'Hey Joe' are vibrating around the house, making strange dissonant/consonant psycho-acoustics with 'Pictures of a City' playing downstairs.
1 12/12/1999 Morning: woke later than usual. Croissants and coffee for breakfast,
and a listen to Susanna and Jacob's recording of 'One Flesh' for viol
and lute. Marvellous! The editing will soon be complete and I
can't wait to hear the completed version. Also listen to Jacob's new
DGM release ( Josquin des Prez) which has a lot of space to it and a
very clean and precise performance. This, I can't wait to hear.
Afternoon: train journey from Clapham Junction back to Reading. Then a very long drive back home, via Wiltshire. I like the wide open landscapes in this part of the world. It always strikes me as being more fertile than in the North. Sue thinks that it may be something to do with the lime contained in the chalk which gives the soil extra nutrition for the grass and crops. Again, torrential rain in the Midlands. Good that Christopher is with us once again. Evening: at last, reach home at 20-30. Robert McFall and Alison Hayhurst have E-mailed with good news about their pieces for the CD which are almost there. Robert Fripp has also sent a message, and Sid Smith wishes to know something about 'In the Wake of Poseidon'. All very good news which means complacency can't set in just yet.
7 12/11/1999 Morning: drive to Reading to pick up Christopher. Torrential rain
makes motorway driving almost impossible. Arrive in Reading around
mid-day and it's good to see Christopher again. The
Halls-of-Residence are pleasant, and we have a guided tour around the
University Campus. All very impressive.
Afternoon: train into London. Evening: to The Warehouse, Theed Street for a concert by Fretwork and Jacob Heringman. Fretwork, a consort comprising five viols, perform J.S. Bach, Keeling and Keeley and, joined by Jacob Heringman, Dowland in the second half of the concert. This is a wonderful venue, attended by around fifty people, who are treated to an evening of intimate and inward-looking music. I was very pleased with the premiere of my own piece, 'Afterwords', for a number of different reasons, and thrilled with the sensitive way in which Fretwork had got 'behind' the music profoundly sensing the Sylvia Plath poem on which the piece is based. Sue and I both felt the Plath had been conveyed even though the piece was a wordless setting of the poem. The second half was played 'in the round' with the performers, this time joined by Jacob on the lute, seated in a circle in the centre of the audience. Dowland's 'Lachrimae, or Seavern Teares figured in Seaven Passionate Pavans...set forth for the Lute and Viols', was extraordinarily powerful when heard in this way. It kept my attention for its full half hour duration. All thanks must go to Jacob, Susanna Pell, Fretwork and Raphael Wallfisch for this magnificent concert. It was nice to see Iain and Yvonne Cameron too. Christopher liked the concert, but privately confessed to me that it would have been nice to hear ' a Jimi Hendrix guitar solo in the middle.' Later, we caught a bus home to Jacob and Susanna's. This was an EXPERIENCE. Five of us piled onto very crowded London buses armed with hand luggage, a lute and two viols. On the first bus we got the impression that people may have thought we were a rock band. One young boy crunched his head into the viol Jacob was holding; on the second bus we were asked by passengers to, 'give us a tune', which may have been possible if we had been together as a group and if, indeed, there had been enough room to fling a cat. There wasn't, so we didn't.
6 12/10/1999 Morning: only three days of teaching left till the holidays begin.
Having taught for a very long time for quite a number of years,
it's something I've always done at all levels from Juniors to
Under-Graduates, so life without it would now seem rather bizarre. I
certainly work better as a one to one instructor working with
individuals. The County have never been prepared to take me on board
as a full-time teacher because I don't have a Certificate of
Education, nowadays more commonly known as a PGCE. So, to all
intents and purposes, I'm known as an 'instructor' which, as far as
I'm concerned, is neither here nor there. However, this has
disadvantages: unpaid over holiday periods, cannot claim for illness,
nor receive benefits such as superannuation etc. But the advantages
outweigh the disadvatages: always been free and independent
which has left time for doing other things...like
composing/arranging/writing which would be IMPOSSIBLE to achieve
otherwise; further study/research which has been probably been the
most important development and something that seemed to open up at
exactly the right time, and are individuation-related. This is now
paying off as the future begins to unfold which, for many teachers,
remains a closed door - something I have observed in many colleagues
in full-time/salaried employment.
Afternoon: sent 'Fruit Tree' to Tony Reif, of Songlines Records, in Canada. E-mail from Dominy Clements whose group have recorded 'Distant Skies...' and are sending the DAT to me. Thank you to them for this. I have never met this ensemble, but have been impressed by the way in which they have tackled this project and got things done quickly and efficiently. Also, information and a CD arrives from the Newbold Piano Quartet. Ideas for the piece are being scribbled onto paper fast and furiously, and what seems to be emerging is something rather strange, and fuelled by synchronicities which, for me, remain the most powerful determinant during the conceptual stages of a new piece. Also listen again to Ian McDonald's 'Drivers Eyes'. I rather like this, especially the harmonic shift in the middle of 'In Your Hands', and the Db-C inflection in 'If I Was' which has long- term harmonic implications for the song (Db major7-Cminor7[C7 b10]) at the end of each verse. McDonald's work has always reminded me of The Beatles, thematically and gesturally speaking. I listened to the album several times on my Discman on a long walk from Boot (Cumbria) up to Scafell, via Greenside, in August (as well as Keith and Julie Tippett's 'Couple In Spirit'). As Sue and I stopped and peered down the mighty chasm of Deep Gill, 'Forever and Ever' - with its Epitaph-like repeated Phrygian cadence - was playing at high volume in my ears. John Wetton's voice suits the song very well indeed, too.
5 12/09/1999 Morning: E-mail from Robert Fripp with some suggestions for
analyses. Also, more ideas have developed for Cauda Pavonis since
Tuesday, and during the morning I managed to complete, photocopy and
bind the second edition and forward it to Bert. The middle section of
the revision has more about it, and keeps the crotchet = 88-92
instead of using a rallentando in the middle. In other words, the
speed remains consistent for the entire middle section before
returning to crotchet = 69 for the recapitulation of the first
section, although there is a slight rall. during the bars just prior
to the recap. I feel it works more effectively in this version than
in the previous one. I tend not to think 'sectionally': I've always
found that my music seems to develop organically. Also, ideas are
developing for the piece for the Newbold Piano Quartet. Samantha
Newbold phoned saying the quartet would like a fast/slow/fast
structure for the piece. 'Ive had some ideas for a work which
includes a number of short pieces. Would this be OK?' Sam seems to
think that's fine. Today, while teaching, my hands fell on three
chords on the piano and there's an idea! Pupils think I'm mad when
this sort of thing happens and I quickly dash to a scrap of paper to
write it down.
Afternoon: E-mail from Tony Reif of Songline Records of Vancouver, who has ideas for my song-cycle, Fruit Tree (Nick Drake remembered). Tony is a big ND fan. Put parcel in the post tomorrow. A further E-mail from Sid Smith who I'm very pleased has made contact. Iain also E-mails. Listened to Sibelius's Third Symphony while collecting Sue from work. I don't know this work, but I WILL get to know it, since it sounds absolutely wonderful. The pacing, and sheer power of the full orchestra makes for impressive listening. This really is a 'symphony' in every sense of the word. Also listened to Nico's The Marble Index, which I bought in Liverpool yesterday. I hadn't heard this work before but find it very unusual, which will prompt further listenings. Heard some sad news the other day, which I was completely unaware of, regarding Judee Sill: someone told me she had died in 1974. Her two records, on Asylum, sound marvellous and have stood the test of time. Also begin to prepare the final Schenker lecture for next Wednesday. Yesterday's session went well, and the two students from the Popular Music course stayed and talked for half an hour after the seminar.
3 12/07/1999 Morning: accompanied three students for their Associated Board
flute
exams performing Faure, Telemann, Roseingrave and Handel amongst
others. All seems to go well. Had lunch with the examiner.
Afternoon: as I drove back from Kirkham yesterday, before sending the score of Cauda Pavonis to Bert Lams, I felt I should hang fire and not send it. But no! As ever chose to ignore the 'feeling', and had it bound and sent, only to find that last evening more ideas began to form for the central section - the problem area in the piece. The same thing has happened to EVERY single piece I've ever written. Usually a piece is revised anything up to nine times (this happened with 'Wrestling with Angels' - the sax quartet) until it becomes clear that it's complete. Phoned Bert to tell him that the first edition was on its way, but to ignore the central section which was undergoing excessive revision. I often have the feeling that there are 'two' at work on pieces: ego and non-ego. Non-ego continues to direct and take ego to task about musical decisions. For example, sometimes a little MS is left at the end of systems and I often wonder why, but simply leave them free of pencil marks, only to find that a bar needs adding at a later date for the sake of musical space or a repeat or, even, slight development. I'm rather old-fashioned in terms of not using computer scores, having always felt that the actual writing of notes onto page (and even part-copying, at times) is ritual-like. I need this as it returns me to a place 'not of this world'. By 17-30 Cauda Pavonis is developing very differently from how it was yesterday.
2 12/06/1999 Morning: slightly revised Cauda Pavonis, in particular the central
section which now overlaps and discards the rallentando into letter H
by including semi-quaver E naturals in the third guitar. This makes
for a smoother transition, and also connects with the arpeggios of
the subsequent section. Again, I have the impression that the piece
has more or less wrote itself. Also had ideas for the new piece for
the Newbold Piano Quartet. When a new piece is in gestation I often
notice that sychronistic phenomena opens up, and found a
corresponding passage in a book by Anniela Jaffe who suggests that
archetypes are often behind times of high emotional involvement.
Afternoon: photocopied/bound/posted the piece to Bert Lams. Must listen again to the second song in Dichterliebe (Schumann), so it can be discussed in the penultimate Schenker session at Liverpool University on Wednesday. When this is finished there will be time to complete the Ouspensky and other reading matter which is sitting on the downstairs bookshelf. I've very much missed this of late. Sue and I are looking forward to Nicholas and Christopher returning for the holidays.
7 12/04/1999 A very cold day, and even colder in Manchester than on the Fylde
coast. This is my final day of term at the RNCM and the students are
beginning to produce some good work, which is very pleasing. Some of
them are preparing to have works performed in concerts over the next
two terms. The first edition fair score of Cauda Pavonis is also
complete having drawn the final double bar at around 20-00. Had no
intention of completing it this quickly but it seems to have happened
that way. Played it through again a couple of times and it seems to
work musically. It has a slightly more expanded central section than
was originally intended, which composed itself into the score as it
was finally being written up. This was completely unexpected and is a
play on intervals: tritones, minor sixths and perfect fifths, before
recapitulating. The piece is, I suppose, a ternary structure with an
introduction and framing coda, and musically has the flavour of
Debussy/Ravel. My composition tutors would have said 'it's
old-fashioned' but I often think that pieces turn out the way they're
meant to. The unconscious tends to disregard the whole notion of what
is and isn't fashionable, although that might come into play on a
conscious or cultural level. When I listen to Ravel or Debussy I've
always had the feeling that the music is 'ancient': it has an
archetypal ring to it which can't be pinned down to compositional
techniques. It's interesting to note that Debussy was a member of the
Rosicrusians and undoubtedly had an interest in the arcane. I wanted
to write something that, I hope, the California Guitar Trio will
enjoy playing and people will like listening to. If not, it's back
to the drawing board! The contemporary classical music world seems to
be, at long last, taking into account a very simple thing: audience
appreciation. Surely, this gives new music a certain 'shelf life' and
determines whether or not performers want to play new music. Having
worked in rock bands, and as Director of Music in a church, the whole
notion of the functional aspect of music was in place before I
finally came to composition, and my interest in Jung reinforced it.
However, I am not advocating dumbing down what we do as composers,
just saying it's important for me to reconcile opposing musical
tendencies. I'm also looking forward to hearing 'Peace' and 'One
Flesh'. Thanks to Robert McFall, Jacob Heringman and Alison Hayhurst
for the recordings they have done. By Christmas there should be
around 60 minutes of my music recorded onto DAT with final editing in
view, and a structure in place. A concept has emerged and a title
seems to be impressing itself upon me. However, things could change
in the meantime.
5 12/02/1999 Walked into Liverpool yesterday lunchtime and accidentally found
a CD
of the Cambridge Singers performing Fair Is The Heaven by William
Harris. This is wonderful music, and one of my all time favourite
pieces. When I was a chorister, in the 1960's, William Harris came to
hear us sing this work, and I was very fortunate to meet him. He sat
in on choir practice and then attended evensong. It is a very vivid
memory. Harris is remembered mainly as a cathedral organist, and very
little of his music was published during his lifetime. I played Faire
Is The Heaven for a composition student this morning as an example of
great choral writing. During this afternoon I pressed on with Cauda
Pavonis. It continues to transform as it's written into fair score,
and for this reason it would be wrong to rush it for the sake of
completing it quickly: all haste is of the devil. There was an Open
Performance at school this evening and I accompanied two flute
students on the piano. Performing never gets any easier for me. One
of my composition students premiered a very good piano piece she has
just completed, which was well received by the audience. Elizabeth is
also taking her mock GCSEs at the moment, and sat Maths today. I fear
she takes after me with the subject, although no-one in the world can
be more appalling as me at this subject. One of my school teachers
wrote this on an end-of-term report re Maths: 'Andrew should change
his writing.' He simply had to say something, and wisely sidestepped
the real issue: forget it! I was eventually allowed to give it up
when I was 14 to devote more time to 'O' Level Music.
1) Formentera Lady - E Aeolian verses; chorus and extended final improvisation A pentatonic linking with Sailors Tale. Descending fourths outlined in the vocal part balanced by ascending fourths in the chorus;
2) Sailor's Tale - A Aeolian;
3) The Letters - F Aeolian (f=Neapolitan relationship to the E centres which precede and follow it. Perfect fourth anacrusis in guitar part link it to the fourths in Formentera... . The central 'angry' section is also fourth related: F - Ab - Bb. There is also a Db-C natural motive in the guitar part [Phrygian related] which takes on a life of its own:
4) Ladies.....: E Aeolian. Chords VI-V seem important connecting it to the Db-C natural (6-5) of The Letters. The descending fourths in the previous pieces are transformed into descending chromatic lines in the chorus. There is also a tonicisation on C# minor at the beginning of the chorus, connectin the piece with Islands;
5) Song of...: E major, but 'modalised' with the absence of the leading note D#:
6) Islands: C# Aeolian/E major - E pentatonic.
Eb>G>E>e // A> e>D>E