Energy Diamond is an album of concert performances recorded during the period 1995 – 2011. It spans 16 years of my so far 40 years of “serious” (not really!) composing.
It also charts roughly the period during which I have organised the Planet Tree Music Festival (8 so far). One is a pre-festival piece, then all are Planet Tree performances through to one from the most recent festival.
Energy Diamond (2 movements)
First Movement - Reflective slow moving phrases, with cello solo lines that gradually elongate.
Second Movement - Gathering momentum, in a non-diatonic mode, this movement then enters a central, almost medieval, section, and then returns to its exotic mode again. It ends with an expressive cor anglais solo, over a murmuring, alternating 2 note "chord."
The title evokes the energetic and the crystalline or clear. It moves but also gives insight and reflection. A unity between composer, musicians, audience signifies clarity and energy – hence Energy Diamond.
Fractal Study 2
I wrote a series of these in 1985 as an exercise to see if I could combine harmonic maths with fractals. They seemed impossibly difficult to play and very unusual and perhaps too way out for anyone to take on. After 22 years Alessandra Celletti decided they were worth playing, in fact wrote to me that they were enchanting her, and so rescued them from obscurity, to my delight.
They have a 27 beat cycle, 3 9's, each of 3 3's.
Three levels of clustering of notes occurs, 3 groups of 9 notes, each of which has 3 groups of 3 notes, and the 9's and 3's all exhibiting similar shapes as they change together, during repetitions that see them gradually modify and transform.
The piece is a multi-level self-similar fractal structure.
The Clown
A jocular 2-part romp, lighthearted, even slapstick.
Viola Suite 2
The first and third movements are freely formed from melodic phrases that evade a regular structure.
The 2nd movement is a "harmonic mathematics" piece. A repeating pattern begins simply, then expands into several figures that move and change, then shrinks oh so gradually back into its original simplicity.
The 4th movement is a set of variations on an asymmetric rhythmic idea, with constant interruptions of expectation.
Piano Suite 4
"Austere Eastern" is in a made up mode, evocative of mysterious ancience. Eerily exotic.
"The Swing" is one of my “daring the audience to deeper stillness” pieces. Very slow, many ornament notes, floating figures, leisurely and spacious...
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