My mum's birthday!
I was very much in a quandary as to what I should get my mum for her birthday. Sparkly jewels were, of course, de riguer: but what about something more personal, other than my latest sack of washing? (Yes, my mum still does some of my washing. She says my washing machine drum isn't big enough to clean bed sets properly, and who am I to argue).
My long-suffering piano student and pal Sonia Wilson came up with the idea that I could compose something - what a fabulous (if slightly obvious, considering my skillset) idea. Rather than an organ piece, I chose piano as the medium, and drew on two ideas from my favourite composers of the Romantic era - one of the Impromptus of Schubert, and the polonaise - a Polish national dance - so beloved of Chopin. In a simple ternary form, the little Schubertian ripples of notes in A-flat major, punctuating a simple chorale-like idea, return after the central polonaise, which is more robust and in the relative key of f minor. The title is a bit of fun, referencing the amusing titles of some Renaissance keyboard music (My Lady Nevell's Galliard by Byrd, and some such) - and the subtitle is a daft nod to one of my most favourite TV comedy shows of all time: Gimme Gimme Gimme!
Feast your eyes on page 1:
