These fourteen movements consist of vibrant memories of my travels around Europe, namely fourteen different cities from eleven different regions. Some movements’ thematic material is inspired by street musicians and bell towers, while others are reminiscent of a particular happening or experience that the music evokes. The collection, although its movements can be performed individually, is composed to be played in its entirety. Because of its length, there is a large variety in approach to keep the listener interested. These varieties include string piano technique, quintal harmonies, chromaticism, complex rhythmic patterns, prepared piano, and music for the left hand alone.

It is important to note that these movements are not representative of their respective countries’ musical styles. Otherwise, this work would be centered on fourteen ‘scenes’ from around Europe, rather than the remembrance of musical souvenirs of a young traveler; an unreliable narrator.

i.
Gleann Dá Loch Cathair na Mainistreach
Glendalough Monastic City

Glendalough is one of the oldest cities in Ireland. Once known for its many churches and monastic role in the Medieval Era, it is now a park and pastoral scene unique to Ireland. The abandoned Round Tower and graveyards are sites of uncanny beauty set on blue lakes and surrounded by rolling green hills. The idyllic yet empty setting is characterized by a slow tempo and large leaps with open intervals.

ii.
An Àithne a Tuath
Athens of the North

Edinburgh’s gothic architecture against the night sky paints an accurate representation of the city: mysteriously stunning. Full of a rich and dark history, Edinburgh happenings are the sources of many Scottish fables. Its founders considered it to be the Athens of the North, where this movement gets its title.

iii.
Teddy Bear’s Picnic

Bustling with opportunity, London is filled with history and colourful characters. One can walk down the streets and be serenaded by, say, a couple playing Teddy Bear’s Picnic on steel drums and flute. The tune, written by John Walter Bratton, is not necessarily of British descent, but is now associated in my mind with the city of London. Its busy attitude, upbeat residents, and varying neighborhoods are characterized in a ‘theme and variations’ style.

The painting The Wall Street Jubilee by William Holbrook Beard was a constant image in my head during this movement’s composition process. The painting strikes me as a joyous scene, but with a fair amount of oddity. It’s a scene from the bizarre filled with a strange familiarity, but then again, this is exactly what one would expect a Teddy Bear’s Picnic to look like. This movement attempts to capture Beard’s image in its entirety, nodding to the flute and steel drum instrumentation that caught me off guard in the streets of London.

iiii.
Coucher de soleil depuis la Dame de Fer
Sunset from the Iron Lady

v.
Chitarra sopra Piazza Michelangelo
Guitar above Michelangelo Square

vi.
Perso nel Ghetto Originale
Lost in the Original Ghetto

vii.
Umbilicus Urbus Romae
Navel of the Roman Forum

viii.
Anebeíte o Lykavittos
Ascending the Hill of Wolves

ix.
Prater Wien Riesenrad
Prater Viennese Giant Wheel

x.
Üres Cipök a Dunaparton
Empty Shoes on the Danube

xi.
Gnomen der Salzburger
Gnomes of Salzburg

xii.
Z vrcholu Petrín: Vltava
From the Summit of Petrín: the Vltava

xiii.
Ein Spaziergang im Tiergarten
Wandering through the Tiergarten

xiiii.
De Kleine Zeemeermin
The Little Mermaid