Greetings Anticipators of Light!
The seventeenth piece in the Plant Songs project is entitled Prelude (To Many Things). This is a bit of a bonus song, as I wasn’t expecting to publish this week. But once again was able to get it done in the spare time I found.
The song started as an improvisation, as many of them do. I improvised the first measure, then the progression pretty much wrote itself afterward. It immediately started sounding like a prelude to me; let’s say a terribly anemic imitation of a Bach Prelude from the Well-Tempered Clavier, but with a little modernized rhythm. First I just had the eighth note line. I thought of trying to sing a long-note melody over it, but then I found I could play said melody instead; I think that worked out better for me and you.
The quintuplets were a lot of fun to work on. I don’t think of myself as one of the heavy rhythm cats who eats stuff like quintuplets for breakfast, and I’m not sure all of mine in this recording were totally precise. But I really enjoyed trying and I’m definitely not worse at them now.
I used the title “Prelude” because the piece reminded me of a classical prelude, as I mentioned above. Then I got to thinking about it a little more and added the subtitle. “Prelude” means a “lude” before something, and I think many people are thinking of things to come as we wrap up 2024 and move to 2025. For me it’s many things, including the anticipation of the next growing season. In some ways this is my favorite time of year for gardening, when I’m ordering seeds, planning beds, and imagining the abundance without any pests, disease, or drought. I’m hopeful for some nice wintery weather. Then I’m greatly looking forward to the return of longer days, and the unfolding of Spring, especially as I will observe it on Mount Beacon during my hiking routine. Of course I’m looking forward to the continued growth of our daughter, which has been so fun to witness. And I’m looking forward to continuing with the Plant Songs project. Who knows what songs are to come yet.
Thanks for reading and listening. Wishing you continued happiness and joy!