This was the first song I ever wrote/composed. In many ways, it does not make a lot of "musical sense". I remember one day when my uncle Bill sat down next to me at the piano and began playing alongside of me. He was playing MY SONGS along with me... playing other harmonies, etc. It was amazing for me to hear my music in such a different way. The funny thing about this piece was that it was very difficult for him to follow along because it simply keeps moving... and moving... and moving (you get the idea). When recording this piece, we agreed that I wanted to do something to the end because I was worried of losing people's attention by the end of the song.
When writing this piece, I always played very high on the keyboard. It's an extremely simple song that to me, was fit to be in a music box. I would listen to the high notes and picture them being plucked needle by needle while a ballerina spun circles amidst a pile of gold and silver jewelry.
As time went on, I eventually began dating Corri and I fancied the idea of finally following through with putting my music into a music box for her. I did some research and realized that the cost was going to be outrageous. Music boxes are apparently made from "molds" where many boxes receive the same pattern of notes. Because of this mass construction, they can be made much more cheaply. However, in order to get my ONE music box made with a custom pattern it was going to be incredibly expensive. The dream was over... until now.
When recording this piece with orchestration, I still
pictured that beautiful ballerina dancing. There is so much more in a
music box then we give them credit for. Those simple plucks have stories.
They make us smile. They remind us of places we have been or those that
we have loved. They are simple tunes most often not accompanied by such
simple meanings. For this piece, I wanted to tell a story of what I heard
within my music box and while the story may be different with each time
that I play or listen, the faces never change and the feelings never fade.
I always picture this piece as a lullaby. I am generally up pretty late in the evenings and I often leave Corri sleeping on the couch or find her already in bed when I decide to call it a night. We usually always say goodnight, but she insists that I give her a hug and a kiss when I crawl into bed. I argued the fact that I would only wake her up from a peaceful sleep but she simply said "that's OK." While I try not to wake her up, I try to give her a kiss on her forehead or shoulder and simply send the message "Until Tomorrow."
This was probably the most difficult piece to name as I believe it tells many stories. The story I chose was once again inspired by my relationship with my wife. This story begins back before we even began dating... back when I loved a woman that didn't see the same in me. In the music, I see a young man who has very little hope in his pursuit of a dream. One day, when given a chance, he makes his move and the music builds to represent something special... something beautiful. The music tells a story of love and the sacrifice in which it creates. As the orchestra fades, I see two people walking hand-in-hand toward a sunset. The sun will fade, and their lives will end, but they did it all together and their love is eternal.
This piece is the most abstract in its context to me. It simply gives me a feeling of separation from all that is familiar. As with all music, this can be positive or negative. Sometimes, it's the opportunity to do things I have never done before or see things which I've not yet seen. Other times, it's a feeling of discomfort... a tragic stage of abandonment and loneliness. At either end of the spectrum, this piece gives a sense of unfamiliarity. It places me "Far From Home."
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© 2005 Justin Stichnoth
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