Late Frost (2009) [45']

Late Frost is an album of piano pieces written between Spring 2007 and winter 2008. These pieces mark a departure from my usual work: they are written in a tonal, minimalist, New Age style. If you would like to hear samples and purchase the album, see my store.

About the movements:

1. Autumnal
This movement was written first. It is in 7/8 throughout, and in the key of D-flat, moving to f-minor in the middle section. It was written intuitively, without a formal plan. I started with the opening idea, and began making a new idea based on part of the previous idea. I continued this process until I felt I had reached a climax, then added a reprise of the opening.

2. Boulders
Boulders has alternating meters - a bar of 6/8 followed by a bar of 4/4. Based mainly on e-minor and C major chords, the movement is held together by the recurring perfect fifth motif. Like Autumnal, I added new elements to the main theme, subtracted old ones to morph into new sections.

3. Flurries
Flurries is based almost entirely on quintal harmonies. Unlike most of the pieces in this set, Flurries has two greatly contrasting sections. The first, in 2/4, is a quick moving, repetitive idea in the upper register. This starts descending down to the lower register, where the second section takes place. This section is slower, both mournful and triumphant, and has almost a rock feel. After repeating this idea for awhile, I extend the quintal harmonies upward to bring us back to the opening section.

4. By the Fire
This very simple piece defines one of my goals of this whole project - to make pieces with which one can relax, or even fall asleep, but still have some interest. Throughout the movement is a rocking eighth-note motive on C and E-Flat (sometimes F), and the harmony stays mainly on an A-flat Major 7th chord (though a few times it becomes f-minor). A simple melody repeats in different registers - we begin mainly in the middle of the piano, expand lower and higher, then retract to the comfortable middle again.

5. Snow Drifts
Snow Drifts is one of the more energetic pieces in the set, written mostly in a quick 5/8. It is written in the Dorian mode, and the harmony is generally d-minor and G-Major. In the middle section, the notes of the opening figure gradually drop off and the meter changes to 2/4. A melody comes in (until now it has been devoid of melody), ushering in a change to a new harmonic pattern of F-Major and G-Major. The opening figure returns at the end, as does the d-minor harmony.

6. A Cave
This very sparse piece is based on repeating patterns. The opening high G repeats every 7 counts, while the B-Flat that follows repeats every 10 counts. The descending E-flat->D figure repeats every 19 counts. All of these repeating notes outline an E-flat Major 7th chord. In the middle, some notes shift slightly to outline a g-minor 7th chord, before returning to outlining the E-flat Major 7th again.

7. Late Frost
The title track, as well as A Cave, are different from the other movements in its lack of rhythmic regularity. More of a ballad, this piece features a repeating "verse" and a refrain. The harmonies were written intuitively, and are mainly extended chords and polychords.

8. Vernal
Vernal's meter is 9/8, with a 2+2+2+3 pattern. The melody is simply an ascending D-Major scale. This and the falling pattern repeat throughout the piece, sometimes combined. In the middle of the piece is a 4-part chorale in the style of J.S. Bach, but still played in the 9/8 rhythm.