Today is Philip Glass’ birthday, my birthday and also the birthday of my first child, Aderemi. In honour of the last celebrant, I’m posting a piece from a suite I wrote for her in the year of her birth. Aderemi is a Yoruba name and translates “the crown brings peace.”
This is a very simple, diatonic waltz based on four five-note chords in A minor, with the bassline D, G, A, C. The main melody is somewhat uncharacteristic for me, though it seemed to flow logically from the chords. The middle section echoes some of the kalimba music I have written; I’ve ignored my own pedalling markings here for a drier sound.
I will post the entire suite at a later date.
Happy birthday, Queen Peace!
Composed September 2007
Recorded January 2013
Photo by Nehal El-Hadi
Music and composer’s notes copyright Bruce Russell 2013