Composer’s Notes on his composition “Stirrings From Those Sweet and Cool Exotic Vistas”

“I have often thought how wonderful a human sensation it is, when we are quite suddenly transported back to a former happy time in our lives — maybe a foreign holiday for example — just by catching a vivid pleasant smell or maybe a picture which quite reminds us of this memory.

Our sense of smell is one of the strongest and certainly the most subtle, being able to accurately distinguish between thousands of different smells. This link with the memory I find the most fascinating as maybe a memory has been long forgotten, but a sudden random fragrance can transport you back sometimes years and unlock something so deep. I am sure I am not the only person who has experienced this.

This work is a combination of the senses of smell and sight and the way in which they can unlock the nostalgic memory.

The first performance was given by Emma Collins on 21 November 2002 at a the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.

Performance Notes

Tempo markings are provided as a rough guide: the performer is free to exercise copious rubato throughout.

All legato sextuplets and triplets to be executed as smoothly and flawlessly as possible between registers.

Sections where grace notes punctuate the grandiose quality of the melody need to blend in on the beat. They also imply harmony and enhance the longer duration notes that they lean on. Very harp-like as the music states!

Where possible clearly contrast the variations in articulation and dynamics. Use the two main features of the piece to your virtuosic advantage: flawless legato mastery between registers and an even and flexible palette of tone colours throughout.

Jayson Mackie

Previously published by Oriana Publications

Music for string groups – Sad waltz

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