Croaghaun Triptych - Three Seascapes

[ted]

This set, from 2006, is uncharacteristic of me in several ways. An impressionistic impetus, seeing three photos on the internet of the cliffs at Croaghaun, came before the improvisation, which is unusual for me. Any images I form are normally retrospective. The insistent, binding idea in all three is harmonic, which is even rarer for me - the change (B,F#,D#)+(Bb,Db,F,Bb) to (F#,C#,A)+(C#,E,G#,C#) - don't know the proper names for it. It haunted me then and hasn't let up since.

[pianowolfi]

Very refreshing and as always, uniquely Ted-Like! I hope you'll forgive me for not being able to write more at the moment, I'm struggling with time issues and I am also not listening as much as I used to, because that tends often to interfere with my composing but I intended to at least listen to this and I am glad I did! 

[ted]

Thanks for listening Wolfi, I am pleased you like it. I am probably not doing enough listening at the moment either, but in my case it is because I have many duties around the house which must be attended to. Written composition is indeed very time consuming compared to improvisation, which is why I haven't done any for some years. It takes me about an hour to write out a few seconds of my music, and my rhythms are almost impossible to notate anyway. Many people tell me I should write more out but that is very easy for them to say. I don't really think my spontaneous, highly variable type of musical mind is suited to the slow, ongoing discipline necessary for traditional written composition.

[quantum]

Ted, these are very beautiful!  I was struck by the fluidity of the harmonic movement.  It is as though one is in constant motion, not hurried motion, as if one is getting lost looking out the window of a moving train.  The are so many moments of lush color and unexpected surprise. 

[ted]

Thanks quantum. Coming from such an accomplished impressionist, that is a  compliment indeed. Perhaps I should try the same mechanism more often. I do not exaggerate when I say that I really haven't the slightest notion about harmony as the term is used in the academic sense. My teacher of fifty years ago, a very respected composer, tried to communicate it to me but I did not understand it - why some particular combination of notes "ought to" be followed by certain other ones, why some chords and voicings were inherently "better" than others. I did my best but failed, as I did with the only music examination I ever sat.

But as so many people tell me that the harmonies I use in composition and improvisation are what attract them, I think the best idea is for me to go right on doing whatever it is I always did and avoid analysis altogether. In other words, let sleeping dogs lie.

I am pleased you mention surprise. Without surprise I couldn't be bothered improvising at all. It has always puzzled me how many famous players assert that they must know everything that will occur when they improvise, rather like a highly developed form of mental arithmetic. I cannot imagine a more pointless exercise.

[chopinatic]

What a constant journey of beautiful emotion. Such depth and at times breathtaking. Fantastic.

[ted]

Good to see you back again, Chopinatic. Glad you liked it. Perhaps I should play more conscious impressionism. It's something I have rarely tried because of the obvious stylistic traps involved and the risk of sounding twee, but the two recent attempts seem to have turned out all right.