Harp Music: Images. A Composer’s Journal Entries: February 22- March 5, 2007

A Composer’s Journal Entries: February 22- March 5, 2007

Thursday, February 22

Warm today, in the forties; sun. The snow is melting, leaving puddles on the walkways, & the piles of snow at the sides of the roads which a few days ago were stark, crisp, angled white mountains now are flattening & rounded; drooped.

Worked on Brownies Dancing in the Setting Sun, the last of the Images, late last night & today. The score is a mess, arrows & crossed out & added notes everywhere. When this last Image is done, I will begin cutting & pasting & copying out the new main score. I have added a violin part to all the Images save Dance; that Image is still scored for flute, harp & viola. Cutting & pasting & copying it all out will not be an easy task, for this score is many pages long, well over a hundred even without the violin line.

I must admit that I would not mind if a few sprites or elves copied the score for me during the night ...

Friday, February 23
3:30 p.m.

Shoveled a few inches of new snow off the walkways, the world is clean & white again; close to zero with wind chill. Breaking up some ice near the rose arbor, I noticed one of the fairy swings swinging in the wind, a strange moment; for a few seconds memories of summer & children leaving me messages in the Fairies’ Mailbox; the Fairy Glen now a ghost town ....

Worked on the final pages of Brownies Dancing in the Setting Sun; the score to those pages now unreadable, but I am pleased with the result. Decided to copy this Image out first, while I can still somewhat decipher the revisions. Next, reformat manuscript paper for these instruments & Xerox up blank manuscript paper so I can begin to cut & paste & copy out the main score.

Saturday, February 24

Went into town & Xeroxed up manuscript paper for this new instrumentation of Images.

Sunday, February 25

Finally got caught up on writing letters. A nice stack ready for the post office. Shoveled snow. Thought about Images.

Monday, February 26
An e-mail from Bob Spear with good news: he thinks he has musicians for Images. Two fine players, for the mezzo and alto violin parts. I have written the scores so that traditional stringed instruments can also play them, but Spear’s instruments have a sound and range that no traditional instrument can compete with.

He has also begun typing the score to Movement I of Trois Prieres into his computer.

Friday, March 2

Have been taking a break from the revision of Images, to let the new & old notes settle in my mind and heart. I need to go back to them with a fresh gaze, a clearer view.

The cellist for the string quintet stopped by & dropped off her corrected score; when all the scores are in, Spear & I can put the corrections into the computerized main score. I will e-mail the other four musicians & hopefully prod them into sending me their scores.

When I have finished revising the Images I will concentrate on lining up musicians, concerts & recording sessions - & put the corrections of Elegie & the String Quintet in the main score, with Robert Spear. Then later finish the orchestrations for Chansons & Trois Prieres. And today I awoke wanting to write more songs, for piano & baritone or tenor voice. Which means first I must write the words ...

Saturday, March 3

Ran into the painter, Laurel Hecht. I have always admired her work, & consider her a friend. Older; smiling.

M. & I spent some hours cleaning out the attic. Magenta & salmon coloured impatiens are blooming in the hanging baskets in the large upstairs room - as is the orange tree, with small white flowers; the bright crimson geraniums; purple blossoms, whose names I have forgotten. The gerbera I brought in from outside has another bud; the flowering maple plants have many apricot flowers, with magical yellow stars on the back, surrounding the stems.

No composing again today.

Monday, March 5

Colder tonight, close to zero; small blizzards here & there throughout the day, dissolving into nothing. At times it feels as though the wind is coming through the walls of the house; seems impossible, but there are drafts. Still physically flattened, but did a bit more work on Brownies Play in the Setting Sun. Tomorrow is supposed to go down below zero again, & I must spend some hours in town.

E-mailed the string quintet players, asking them to please return their corrected scores to Elegie & String Quintet II. Called Carolyn & Elisabeth - today was E’s birthday. At the end, Ian got on the phone: his small but emphatic I love you still echoes in my heart.