When I Was Young
A tone poem in five movements. Musical recollections of my youth.
Available on all major streaming services.
I Can Dream
Preview:
If you’re fortunate enough, childhood is a time of dreams, of unlimited possibilities, a beautiful fantasy, a place where all you have to do is imagine something for it to be real.
The movement begins with a single note from the triangle. The violins introduce a melody full of hope and expectation. The violas add a variation as the piano continues the original melody. The violins add their own variation until the harp adds its dreamy undertone.
The woodwinds carry the movement into a pleasant Neverland. Anything is possible! The triangle returns before the movement takes on a more majestic feel. It ends with a note of positive expectation.
Pirate’s Voyage
Preview:
This movement begins with a reveille from the oboes as the sleepy boy awakens. The horns and trumpets ask: “what should be done today?”. The answer? Let’s be pirates!
The bass introduces a seafaring melody as the pirate ship prepares for open water. The strings put air into the sails and the horizon beckons. The ship slices through the water bound for exotic destinations. The boy pirate experiences wonderfully strange things. The woodwinds become more primitive.
But there’s a hint of trouble. The exotic voyage continues until a hostile ship appears. It fires its cannons. The cannon balls splash around the pirate ship. The situation is desperate. Then the bass returns with its seafaring melody. The pirate ship returns the fire and chases its attacker!
Victorious, the ship returns to its voyage of discovery. The open sea once again beckons!
Secret Agent
Preview:
I was a child of the Cold War. Espionage was rampant and led to an entire genre of entertainment – the spy novel and cinema. Like many boys my age, I wanted to be James Bond.
The movement begins with a nervous introduction from the first violins which is quickly echoed by the cellos. The tension builds. The introduction gives way to an uneasy theme played first by the clarinets and flutes while the basses add the grayness so prevalent during the Cold War era.
The new melody may be vaguely familiar but in the world of espionage, nothing is as it seems. The violins and then the horns need to see what’s going on and add their own voices. The timpani join in to add to the tension as the trumpets take us closer to the edge of danger.
The original theme suddenly returns and the pattern repeats and repeats again. For nothing really changes in the spy game.
Visions of the West
Preview:
When I was young, the American West held much charm. My grandfather, an Italian immigrant, loved everything about the West. He had piles of comic books and watched every Western TV show that was ever broadcast.
This movement is a tribute to the American West but it does not focus on cowboys or the stereotypical cowboy themes. It is instead a tribute to the grandeur and nature beauty of the land.
The second violins and cellos begin the journey. The flutes echo the introductory theme. The basses and timpani set the piece off on its majestic trajectory abetted by the strings. The horns add grandeur.
The cellos then reflect the activity present in the landscape. The woodwinds echo the activity. The deserts and forests are alive. The sun beats down relentlessly but life goes on. The mountains tower, the deserts simmer, the sun sets, another day has passed in the West.
Graduation
Preview:
Childhood gradually comes to an end. Is it high school? Is it earlier? It cannot be demarcated by a specific event. It happens over time. The responsibility of real life eventually creeps in.
The final movement begins with wood blocks and triangle beating a rhythm. It’s not a clock-like rhythm. The oboes add color – childhood still exists. Horns and trumpets echo the previous movements. Surely there’s time for another imaginary seafaring journey?
The strings are lively. The bells ring, the strings soar. The percussion returns with an uneven beat. Something is changing. The horns foreshadow the change. The relentless timpani begins a more mature musical journey.
Strings and woodwinds combine to begin the graduation. Like life itself, the music becomes more complicated. It’s a march toward adulthood. Triumphant and full of expectations. A new chapter begins.
But the clarinets have the last word – a little bit of the child will always remain with us.
