I’m pleased to share with you, below, hot off the press, the very first hearing of the first three minutes of movement three from my new (fourth) symphony. Here is the program note, describing the whole movement, and just below it a play button to hear the excerpt. Like a typical third movement, this is the lighter-hearted scherzo. You will only hear a short introduction and the first two themes. This is just a little sneak peek. I will wait until the entire movement is done to post the rest, perhaps that will run twelve minutes. (The entire symphony, all four movements, should last around 55 minutes.)

III. Dawn: The Phoenix

(Rondo) At the end of a dark night there is a resplendent sunrise. Out of the exact center point of the enchanted lake, suddenly emerges a mythical phoenix, heralding the dawn. Luminous, the magnificent bird soars above the water to the lake’s melody in the simple joy of being alive. Its aerial ballet continues with a more mysterious waltz [and later . . .] the bird eventually slows down as its powers weaken. At the appointed time, the surface of the lake shimmers, and the phoenix flies higher and higher up until it loses itself in the burning sun.

Spring is still taking its time springing here at the Hilltop, but here I have captured a photo of the very first bloom on our Clematis vine on the back patio. These are so beautiful and easy to grow.

There is not much news to share this time, mainly the good news (to me) that I have been able to hunker down and compose the above music. Otherwise, I’ve enjoyed some exercise each day mowing around the Hilltop.

I did have an occasion to make (for a friend) a linguini seafood fra diavolo with lobster tails, clams, shrimp, and calamari, which turned out well. One tip I tried, which worked, was to put just a little dusting of baking soda on the raw shrimp and raw calamari for no longer than fifteen minutes before adding them raw to the finished, simmering pasta sauce, which made them more tender and not rubbery.

The clams take the longest to open, about ten minutes, also the lobster (7 – 10 min.), then the shrimp (5 min.), then the calamari rings and tentacles (2 min.). You must be careful not to overcook the shrimp or calamari, or they will get tough. Just taste them to see if they are done. They don’t use parmesan cheese on seafood in Italy, but you can put it on the table in case someone wants it.

I also made (for the first time) a Vesper Martini, using the recipe James Bond drinks in the first Ian Fleming Bond novel, Casino Royale, which I have nearly finished reading: 3 oz. of gin, 2 oz. of vodka, and .5 oz. of Lillet Blanc, a French aperitif wine. (The drink is named after his girlfriend in the book, Vesper Lynd.) Garnish with a piece of lemon peel. It was good, but I will stick to my standard gin martini most of the time (gin and a capful of dry vermouth, stirred not shaken, in a chilled martini glass with two blue-cheese-stuffed olives).

Yesterday, a very sad new melody came into my head, on a sudden impulse, and I wrote it down for later use. I did not have a particular reason for that, though there is no shortage of sadness in the world. However, we classical composers do not express in real time what we are personally experiencing, as most people seem to imagine, but rather our general knowledge of human emotions, which may not at all match our own on a particular day. Over the course of the weeks and months it takes write a single, unified piece you must stick with the tone you have decided for that piece, however you may feel on a given day, or the music will be all over the place.

Escapist though it may be, for my own mental well-being I do try to avoid the angry news of the day, which I can do little about. My most useful personal vocation is to first listen to beautiful, uplifting music and in response to it, try to contribute some of my own as positive counter-energy in the world. Among the music I’ve enjoyed since I last wrote, and can recommend here, are Grieg’s beautiful Piano Concerto in A minor and Dvorak’s “American” String Quartet, No. 12. It does me the most good to shut off people talking (or even singing words) and to listen to instrumental music for a deep and uplifting inspiration. On your next car ride to work, perhaps you can try out these two compositions, or one of mine, and see if it works for you, too. Ta-ta till next time!