Details

solo piano
duration: approx. 4'45"
Grade: 3 (intermediate)
Premier: April 14th, 2009
Recording: Chris Lexow (piano)

Price: $8

Program Notes

Written in 2006, October Love was inspired by the warm and beautiful score behind the movie, Finding Nemo. I was inspired by Thomas Newman's work and decided I would attempt to write a piece that was not only warm and full of color, but something that would paint a picture as well.

October Love lends to itself a sense of waiting: where the cold begins to curl through the air and the sun grows old against the leaves and though love tends to lie in the fingers of the springtime lily or a bright magnolia tree, it is at last found in an autumn leaf, falling like a wish to the ground.

The piece opens through a falling melodic line, capturing the movement of autumns first falling leaf: how it swims across the wind, drawing color where it moves, how with every nimble twist and turn so much life can be found, or how time unravels with each subtle twitch just before it whispers to ground, "catch me". As the leaf comes to rest against the green fingers of grass, a young couple passes into the park. They walk hand in hand, swimming through the leaves with every smiling step, as still more begin to fall against the light. This is the melody. It is the warmest part of the piece. It is love.

They share a glance, a smile, and finally a kiss. The leaves know them now and hope they will return. October grows old against the leaves. Love lingers on the trees.