Trio on Northern Themes by Alban Classical

The first year of a couple homesteading.

First mov. The first winter

The trio begins with a rising sixth ( an elaboration of a rising 5th an interval the ancient Greeks thought so perfect that it could heal), this is the music of growth, the clarinet and piano join in turn, as tendrils weave around each other. This is the music of summer

The music darkens a foreshadowing of winter.

The music moves to the minor as the piano announces the first breath of winter.
the violin and clarinet enter and the cold dance of death settles, we hear also the Dies Irae chant .

The music grows in intensity, then a nostalgic waltz a memory of better times wherein we hear the theme of growth.

The themes intertwine life and death dance together, winter recedes and the opening music returns with a flourish as spring returns.

Second mov. Isolation

The rising sixth of the opening ( inverted) becomes a falling minor third.

This movement is in twelve sections, each section represents one month, the first month is January. Each section has three chords ( three descending minor chords each a major third apart) the third chord leads back to the first but when it arrives the first chord has changed and so we are led into the next month.

All the chords except the two that occur in July are minor.

January, the violin announces the theme deep in despair, isolation and the dark of winter. February, the clarinet enters the two move both together and at odds. March and April follow the piano marking the time as the seconds hours and weeks pass.

As May arrives the clarinet plays a rising Celtic theme that the violin imitates, wishing for spring. June, the music grows more optimistic though the winter theme persists in the clarinet.

July comes with the only major chords in the movement. A time of relative ease. August comes all too soon, as the fall creeps in the violin tries to stay optimistic (Celtic tune) but the winter theme makes its appearance again in the clarinet, finally winter closes in with echoes of the Dies Irae.

Third mov. Adventure

The rising sixth theme of the first movement returns. It is heroic as it overcomes all manner of perils.

Contains tracks

• Trio on Northern Themes 1 mov by Alban Classical
• Trio on Northern Themes 2nd Mov by Alban Classical
• Trio on Northern Themes 3rd mov by Alban Classical