English Weather

This piece is all about contrasts: the stark beauty of the solo piano and the lush resonance of the orchestra, the high strings and celeste set apart by the low brass and double basses. It’s a bright, warm London morning juxtaposed against a dizzying, rolling afternoon fog. It often brings rain which offers its own beauty amidst the hustle and bustle, but only if you look for it.

A simple melody gets shaped, expanded upon, and grows through the layering of the orchestra, which ultimately climaxes with robust percussion. Composed with modern sensibilities, the piece has a dark timbral core, riding through to a hopeful ending with solo piano.

If Chelsea Rain is an ode to classical England, Shattered Castles offers a modern commentary on traditional constructs. A flute ostinato undergirds the piece, while romantic string melodies soar over percussive intensity. Harsh northern Atlantic waves crash on the rocky shores of the British Isles, reminding us that even the largest castles we build to secure ourselves are vulnerable to “acts of God.” Will we find refuge behind the fragile walls we architect?

As the piece comes to a close, the same intimate piano gives hope to human resilience, knowing that eventually the seas will calm and blue skies will return once more.

Minimalist by design, Hedgerow Holiday is reminiscent of the English countryside. Hedgerow-lined paths snake through farms and open green spaces sprawled across rolling hills. You look over the vast expanse in front of you; the gray clouds begin to roll in. The backbeat of this piece draws you in to tap your foot; the arpeggiated synths track your quickened pace against the impending storm. The subtle flute melody is sunlight tearing through the clouds but for only a second before the downpour surrounds you. Sometimes you must endure the rain, and with that embrace comes peace.