sketch of another hymn and Catherine Winkworth translation, again recorded live with slightly over-loud piano, but you get the idea!
In heavy bonds I languished long,
Thou com’st to set me free;
The scorn of every mocking tongue –
Thou com’st to honour me.
Catherine Winkworth was a hymn writer/translator/poet who lived in Bristol in the 1800s. I’ve been going to her words/translations for a lot of inspiration for hymn tunes of various kinds.
This is… between doodle and more… an upgraded doodle! Well—a composed tune last week, a fairly quick recording, then edited and sketched in a couple more lines. The singing and piano I recorded live in church yesterday, which unfortunately means I can’t do anything about the balance there or anything else, but it’s a lovely piano sound 🙂
In peace and joy I now depart,
According to God’s will,
For full of comfort is my heart,
So calm and sweet and still;
So doth God His promise keep,
And death for me is but a sleep.
’T is Christ hath wrought this work for me,
Thy dear and only son,
Whom Thou hast suffer’d me to see,
And made Him surely known
As my Help when trouble’s rife,
And even in death itself my Life.
For Thou In mercy unto all
Hast set this Saviour forth;
And to His kingdom Thou dost call
The nations of the earth
Through His blessed wholesome Word,
That now in every place is heard.
He is the heathens’ saving Light,
And He will gently lead
Those who now know Thee not aright,
And in His pastures feed;
While His people’s joy He is,
Their Sun, their glory, and their bliss.
Well I picked up the Michael Nyman book this afternoon … wanted to do something like this 🙂
Sheet music, please enjoy! Best played with feeling and angst.
A piece I wrote a few years ago, for SSAA choir, which I was recently asked to re arrange it for SATB. But here just played by me on piano!
poem by Alice Meynell (1847 – 1922)
It’s here!! album download on bandcamp here
This is the second year I’ve done PIANOWRIMO – a piece a day every day through the month of November – and the result is another set of 30 short pieces, glimpses into different styles and moods.
There are nods to, among others, Couperin, Telemann and the Penguin Café Orchestra, and a few little literary refs this year, to Tolkien, RL Stevenson, John Drinkwater and Katherine Philips… And overall it’s very me. It might be good music for writing or inspiration; many (though not all!) would be good for relaxing. You can try and spot the references or fit the words of the poems, or you can make up you own stories.
It might be a nice Christmas present etc for … all sorts of people?
And did I mention the price is pay-what-you-want, anything from FREE on up! (And seriously, you are completely welcome to download this for free!)
Last year’s album is also available!
GOTTA WRITE SOME CAROLS/Christmas songs!! #2
It’s upbeat and pentatonic-y!
1. Angels, we have heard your voices,
Sweetly singing o’er the plains;
Mount, and crag and hill replying,
Echo still your joyous strains:
Chorus:
Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Gloria in excelsis Deo!
2. Shepherds, why this jubilation?
Why this ecstasy of song?
Tell us what may be the tidings
That inspired the heavenly throng? Chorus
3. Come and see in Bethlem’s city
Him whose birth the angels sing;
And, on bended knee, adore him,
Christ the Lord, the new-born King! Chorus
4. See, within a manger lying,
Jesus, Lord of heaven and earth;
Aid us, Mary, aid us, Joseph,
To acclaim our Saviour’s birth Chorus
Words: Traditional French carol, “Les Anges dans nos Campagnes.” Adaptation of the translation by Bishop Chadwick by R. R. Terry again, many thanks to Hymns and Carols of Christmas for organising all these words!!
Recorded on phone, with real-life authentic reverb 😀
This is an “anime” nocturne because it’s the kind of music a character might play in some dramatic moment revealing them to be a thoughtful person… or just, something pretty and fake Chopin.
Lately I’ve been going through my piano pieces, sorting what to include in my portfolio, and also with an eye to….. I mean i’d really love to publish things just to keep them all organised apart from anything else, I’ve literally over a hundred of these things….!
I’ll certainly let you know if and when that happens, but in the meantime, sneak peak sort of thing– here’s the sheet music for this pretty and Debussy / Yoko Kanno influenced piece from a few years ago 🙂
autumn/fall mood