Completed the 'Self Inspection At Theresienstadt' frame today, it looks wonderful, just as I imagined. One tricky part was the need to cut 3mm off the edge from a long piece of glass. This wasn't entirely successful, as the score line wasn't quite deep enough in one crucial point. I had to nip off a little and sand it.
After that, a full day of work on the 'Sunlight' tune. A few days ago I listened to the Revolutions album by Jean-Michel Jarre for the first time in years, perhaps over a decade. This reminded me of the flute, the Turkish ney, which is apparently omitted from the album now for copyright reasons (yay to owning a first edition copy). The MODX has a rather wonderful ney sound, so I used that in this, rather than the piano as planned, at the start. I added some bells, and a gentle solo piano part, then some piano at the end, playing along live over the backing, which is unusual for me. This worked well, an unusual mix of sequenced and human.
Then, work on a new tune for the poem 'The River Where You Used To Swim'. I wanted to evoke searching so played a few 4-note arpeggios that climb, ever seeking. It's somewhat like Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. I chose chords without thinking: A-minor, Bb-Major, G-minor, C-Major, then F for a happy breakaway. It's very simple, and sounded pretty in most instruments but seemed to suit an acoustic guitar, so played it in that sound. It sounds very like a real guitar, but I can't be sure it's even playable on one guitar. I will let future listeners become awestruck at my 'guitar' playing.
Another hard work day in isolation for no reward, but done as best I can for the glory of art. Onwards we roll the heavy rock of life.
