Fantasy for English Horn & Piano - "The Grove"

Hello, everyone! Here is a short piece I wrote this week for English horn and piano based on a poem of mine; the poem is simple, and motivated by image (a writing style of which I am very fond). I have termed the piece as a “fantasy,” mostly due to its free-flowing form and structure; if I were to expand on that, it very much conforms to an introduction—caprice format.

The piece coincides with the poem, wherein a young boy is wandering about a savanna plain, playing, and comes to a rest in a dense, gum-tree grove. Here, he begins to fall asleep next to a cool brook – which was hidden by the trees – and he begins to imagine capricious pixies and fairies dancing around.

Section I – the introduction – is serious and flowing, shifting from 4/4 to 6/8, and it depicts the oppressive summer heat and the haziness of the powerful sun; section II – the caprice/dance – is playful, light, and in 7/8, introducing intrigue, enigma, and a break from the heat.

Overall, it is a relatively short and simple piece, and I will hopefully work on a recording of it, along with my clarinet sonata (after I ruminate all your comments, of course). The English horn is one of my favorite instruments (in part due to its warm and low register), and I really wanted to work on a piece for it. I have attached a watercolor by one of favorite painters, J. M. W. Turner – “On the Washburn,” that I feel pairs with the set well. I’d love to hear your critiques, and thanks for listening!

Pretty nice! I would like to hear an orchestrated version of it, either!

12 hours ago, MusicianXX12 said:

Pretty nice! I would like to hear an orchestrated version of it, either!

 

Thanks! That would be a very interesting project (something I didn't originally consider); and, if I am able to get it performed as is, I could look into that.

8 hours ago, ilv said:

Great as is. Excellent concert music. Lovely contemporary tonality and harmony. Nice interplay of voices.

 

Thank you very much! Hopefully, I'll be able to get you guys an actual recording of this piece (and my other chamber pieces) soon.

Pretty nice piece!

23 hours ago, Maarten Bauer said:

Pretty nice piece!

 

Thanks!