Fragments from a Diary

Notes

At the time of writing I considered these seven short movements almost as private jottings to myself, hence the title. Most are brief and fleeting. The tone is often one of fragility. They each look, in the main, at one musical object. Still, I was interested in exploring how much can be said in such short, immediate utterances. Kurtág was a contemporary point of departure; so was the 19th century ‘confessional’ piano miniature. The titles of nos. 2 and 6 come from poems by Primo Levi. Those of nos. 4 and 7 are words of Rilke. The rest are my own.

Fragments from a Diary was written for Gemini and received its first performance at Turner Sims Concert Hall, Southampton in November 2005. The performers were Ian Mitchell, Caroline Balding and Huw Watkins.